No. 7 Women's Tennis Opens Spring with FAU
Jan. 22, 2010
Coral Gables, Fla. – The No. 7 University of Miami women’s tennis team will begin its 2010 spring schedule on Sat., Jan. 23, when the Hurricanes host Florida Atlantic to the Neil Schiff Tennis Center at noon in Coral Gables, Fla.
Miami enters the match holding a commanding 26-0 record all-time against FAU. The Hurricanes won last year’s meeting, 7-0, in Coral Gables in UM’s second match of the season.
Under the direction of ninth-year head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews, the `Canes return four letterwinners from last year’s NCAA Elite Eight team – all four of whom registered 20 or more wins on the campaign.
UM is returning two All-Americans from a season ago, including NCAA Singles Runner-up Laura Vallverdu, a three-time All-American for the `Canes. Vallverdu, a senior from Valencia, Venezuela, posted a record of 33-8 in 2009, and she enters the 2010 season ranked No. 7 in the Campbell’s/ITA singles poll.
Junior Bianca Eichkorn also returns to the `Canes lineup having collected her first All-America honor a season ago, coming off the school’s most successful sophomore campaign amassing a record of 40-9. Eichkorn is ranked No. 99 in the country in the current ITA singles poll, missing a majority of the fall schedule recovering from an injury.
Also back for UM is sophomore Gabriela Mejia. Mejia scored a record of 22-13 in her rookie season, including an 8-3 record in the ACC. She comes into the season ranked No. 93 in singles play.
Senior Claudia Wasilewski had one of her best season’s a year ago, turning in a mark of 24-10, and an 8-3 record against conference opponents. Newcomers Anna Bartenstein and Danielle Mills will round out the lineup for the `Canes, as both will play critical roles on this year’s team.
In doubles, Miami will look towards the nation’s third-ranked duo of Mejia and Vallverdu at the top flight position. The duo went 11-2 together in the fall – the first time they had paired together collegiately. In November, they advanced to the semifinals of the ITA Indoor Championships in New Haven, Conn.
Admission to Saturday’s match is free at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center, and fans are encouraged to stay for the nightcap of a UM tennis doubleheader as the No. 21 Miami men’s team battles Stetson at 6 p.m.
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.
