Sept. 4, 2009
Skillman, N.J. – University of Miami Women’s Tennis student-athletes Laura Vallverdu and Bianca Eichkorn debut in the Top 25 in this year’s Campbell’s/ITA singles poll released Friday afternoon by the ITA headquarters in Skillman, New Jersey.
With two players present in the Top 25 preseason poll, the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) looks incredibly strong as Miami is joined by Georgia Tech and Duke as three of the four schools being represented more than once on the singles side. California out of the Pac-10 rounded out the four schools.
Vallverdu, a 2009 NCAA Women’s Tennis Singles Championship finalist, debuts at No. 6–matching her highest ranking in ITA singles history dating back to the 2006-07 season when she began the spring slate ranked No. 6. She ended the 2009 season ranked 10th in the Campbell’s/ITA singles poll.
Eichkorn enters the fall campaign with a preseason ranking of No. 21. The Tengen, Germany native registered a team-best 40-9 record in 2008-09, finishing the season ranked No. 31 by the ITA. Her highest ranking in singles play was No. 20, coming last year entering the spring after amassing a 15-3 fall record.
Vallverdu and Eichkorn each claimed All-America awards at the conclusion of last season. For Eichkorn, the All-America nod was the first of her career, while Vallverdu was picking up her third consecutive.
Vallverdu ended the 2008-09 campaign with a team tying second-best record of 33-8, advancing to the finals of the NCAA Singles Championship at College Station, Texas. For the Valencia, Venezuela senior, she became the first player in UM women’s tennis history to amass 30-or more wins in each of her first three seasons. She now sits sixth all-time at UM for career singles wins (96), entering the 2009-10 season eyeing UM all-time leader Audrey Bañada (2003-07) who posted a record of 110-32 through four years.
As for Eichkorn, she advanced to the Round of 16 at the NCAA Singles Championships as a junior in 2009, while her 40 wins places her third all-time at UM for singles wins in a season. She now stands 24th all-time at UM for career wins, holding a record of 69-17 through two full seasons.
The nation’s top collegiate tennis players are slated to compete in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s (ITA) first national events of the 2009-10 season, as selections for the D’Novo/ITA Men’s All-American Championships and the Riviera/ITA Women’s All-American Championships, have been announced by the ITA. Many of the events’ top seeds are also featured in the Campbell/ITA preseason singles and doubles rankings.
Both tournaments include six rounds of prequalifying and qualifying matches beginning Saturday, October 3, 2009. The Riviera/ITA Women’s All-American Championships are hosted by the Riviera Tennis Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif. for the 25th consecutive year.
Headlining this year’s Riviera All-American field is Northwestern’s Maria Mosolova. The 2008 ITA National Women’s Player to Watch also started out atop of the 2009 spring rankings and ended the year ranked No. 2. With 2009 Campbell/ITA National Women’s Player of the Year, Mallory Cecil, having left the college game early to join the pro circuit, Mosolova has reclaimed the top spot in the Campbell’s/ITA women’s rankings. Rounding out the top 10: Chelsey Gullickson of Georgia, Marritt Boonstra of Florida, Jana Juricova of California, Hilary Barte of Stanford, Laura Vallverdu of Miami (FL), Kelcy McKenna of Arizona State, Irina Falconi of Georgia Tech, Josipa Bek of Clemson and Fani Chifchieva of Auburn.
Complete rankings and championship selections can be found today at www.itatennis.com.
Miami will begin its season Sept. 17-20 when competing as part of the Georgia Tech Fall Invitational in Atlanta. Eichkorn and Vallverdu will each be present at the Riviera/ITA All-America Championships a short time afterwards in California.
For more information on University of Miami Women’s Tennis, please log on to www.hurricanesports.com. After browsing to the women’s tennis home page, you will find the latest news, stats and match notes pertaining to the Hurricanes Women’s Tennis program.