W. Tennis to Host 9th Straight NCAA Regional
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – For the ninth straight year, the University of Miami women’s tennis team will host an NCAA Regional at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center.
It was announced Tuesday evening that the Hurricanes earned a No. 6 national seed and will host North Florida, Purdue and South Carolina. It is the ninth straight season UM will host a regional.
On receiving the No. 6 seed, Miami head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews said, “I think it really shows just how much of a unit we really are. I mean, this is the strongest unit we have ever carried.”
The Hurricanes (20-5) are just two days removed from winning their first ACC Championship and will play North Florida (16-4) on Friday, May 10 at 2 p.m., while South Carolina (13-11) and Purdue (17-5) will play begin th day at 11 a.m. The regional final is slated for Saturday at 1 p.m.
The No. 6 seed matched the highest national seed the Canes have ever achieved for the tournament. Miami also achieved the feat in 2009.
Miami has advanced out of regional play and into the Sweet 16 each of the last seven seasons and to the Elite Eight in each of the last four years. This year’s team championships will be held in Urbana, Ill. from May 16-21.
The ACC champs have a roster with no seniors and have four players that are playing their first season of collegiate tennis, including three true freshmen.
Sophomore Lina Lilekite was named the ACC Championship Most Valuable Performer after collecting wins from her No. 3 position against North Carolina’s 36th-ranked Whitney Kay and Florida State’s Mia Vriens.
Freshmen Stephanie Wagner (No. 60) and Kelsey Laurente (No. 91) are the two singles players currently ranked on the Canes’ squad, but contributions from fellow freshman Clementina Riobueno, sophomore Monique Albuquerque and junior Melissa Bolivar have also led to Miami’s success.
For more information on the NCAA selections, click here.
