@CanesWTennis Signs Virginia Transfer Maci Epstein
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – University of Miami head women’s tennis coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews announced Wednesday the signing of Maci Epstein as the final member of the Hurricanes’ 2016 recruiting class.
A transfer from the University of Virginia, Epstein will join Miami as a redshirt senior for the 2016-17 season for her final year of eligibility.
“I’m looking forward to Maci having an immediate impact on this team,” Yaroshuk-Tews said. “Her personality, fire and desire to finish her collegiate tennis career are what I’m excited about. She has work ahead of her, but we will help get her where she needs to be.”
Epstein, who hails from Winter Park, Fla., becomes the second Floridian in Miami’s 2016 class, joining Sara Culbertson, a Coral Gables native. After playing three years at Virginia, the 5-foot-7-inch right-hander redshirted last season and graduated in May with a degree in media studies and sociology.
Although her freshman campaign was cut well short early due to an injury in February of 2013, Epstein still managed to compile stellar career records of 64-33 singles and 82-30 in doubles at Virginia.
As a junior in 2014-15, Epstein went 30-10 in singles and 31-11 in doubles for the Cavaliers, marking the second consecutive year she won over 20 singles matches and at least 30 doubles matches. During her time in Charlottesville, Va., Epstein ascended as high as No. 102 nationally in singles and fifth in doubles, the latter then good for the best ranking in school history.
Virginia finished top-15 in the ITA national rankings all three of Epstein’s years there, with top-10 spots in both 2014 and 2015 when the team also won its first two ACC Championships. The Cavaliers made the Sweet 16 each season, advancing to the Elite Eight for the first time in program history in 2014.
“Maci has experience playing for a great program in our conference,” Yaroshuk-Tews said. “The transition should be immediate.”
Prior to college, Epstein had a prolific high school and juniors career coming out of Lake Highland Prep. As a senior in 2012, she won the 2A state championship and was named the Florida Dairy Farmers State Player of the Year. A Blue Chip prospect according to Tennis Recruiting Network, Epstein earned titles at the 2012 Florida Open and the 2011 Copper Bowl.
Epstein is the first Division I transfer to join the Hurricanes since Anna Bartenstein, an eventual two-time ITA All-American, came to Miami in the fall of 2009 following her freshman season at Tulane. She will be the lone senior on Miami’s roster in 2016-17.
Miami’s incoming class, which was previously ranked No. 17 by Tennis Recruiting Network, now features four players, with Epstein, Culbertson, Dominika Paterova of the Czech Republic and Estela Perez-Somarriba of Spain.
For more information on University of Miami women’s tennis, follow @CanesWTennis.
