Jan. 9, 2008
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Vanderbilt women’s tennis team is ranked 16th in the first national Intercollegiate Tennis Association poll, released Tuesday. Also, three Commodores were ranked nationally in singles.
“I think we have the potential to be a lot higher than 16th,” head coach Geoff Macdonald said. “We have to prove it and we’re looking forward to doing it.”
The Commodores, who finished last season also ranked 16th, return four starters and five letterwinners from last year’s squad. Vanderbilt is the third-highest Southeastern Conference school in the poll, with Florida and Georgia ranked fourth and fifth, respectively. Future opponent and defending national champion Georgia Tech opens the season as the number one team in the country.
Junior Courtney Ulery (Wellington, Fla.) is the highest-ranked Commodore in the singles poll, coming in at No. 13 after being unranked to enter the fall. Ulery is coming off a fall season that saw her go a perfect 13-0, including three victories over ranked players. Ulery won four tournaments over the fall, including winning her flight at the Fall SEC Coaches’ Classic.
Sophomore Catherine Newman (Greensboro, N.C.) is ranked 24th in singles. Newman earned first-team All-SEC honors last season and finished the fall with a 10-3 record, including winning the `A’ flight at the Fall SEC Coaches’ Classic. Newman finished last season ranked 40th in singles.
Senior Amanda Taylor (Richland, Wash.) enters the singles rankings at No. 34. Taylor, a two-time first-team All-SEC honoree, defeated then-No. 1 Megan Falcon of LSU at the Riviera/ITA All-American Championships this past fall. Last season, Taylor finished the season ranked 32nd in singles and was named an ITA All-American for her doubles play with former Commodore Amanda Fish.
“It’s a nice individual honor for all of them,” Macdonald said. “It’s nice to get some recognition for working hard and battling through a tough fall. The whole team knows there’s a long way to go and a lot more to play but I think it’s great individual recognition for them.”
Vanderbilt opens its spring season on Wednesday, January 16, at 2:30 p.m. when it plays host to UT-Martin at the Currey Tennis Center.