Weekly Release #17
5/9/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Upcoming Schedule
Fri-Sat., May 13-14 -- at NCAA Regional Championship (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
May 13 -- Richmond vs. North Carolina, 10 a.m.
May 13 -- Michigan vs. Duke, 2 p.m.
May 14 -- Duke/Michigan winner vs. North Carolina/Richmond winner, 11 a.m.
Thu-Sun., May 19-22 -- at NCAA Team Championship (Athens, Ga.)
Mon-Sat., May 23-28 -- at NCAA Doubles Championship (Athens, Ga.)
Wolverines Return to NCAA Championship
The No. 32 University of Michigan women's tennis team (14-11) earned its fourth consecutive trip to the 64-team field of the NCAA Division I Women's Tennis Championship, announced last Wednesday (May 4). Michigan begins its quest for a national title at the NCAA Regional Championship (May 13-14) in Chapel Hill, N.C., and will meet Duke in the first round on Friday (May 13, 2 p.m.) at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center. With a victory against the Blue Devils, the Wolverines would face the winner of host North Carolina and Richmond on Saturday (May 14, 11 a.m.) for a trip to the 16-team NCAA Championship to be played May 19-22 at the University of Georgia's Dan Magill Tennis Complex in Athens, Ga. Complete coverage of the 2005 NCAA Championships can be found at www.ncaasports.com.
Scouting the Opponents
Duke -- The No. 15-ranked Blue Devils (15-10), who are making their 16th straight appearance at the NCAA Championship, are coming off a 4-2 loss to Miami in the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship quarterfinals (April 22). Duke boasts two nationally-ranked singles players -- senior Katie Blaszak (56th) and junior Jackie Carleton (97th). Blaszak, who will not play in the NCAA Championships due to an ailing back, posted a 16-10 overall singles record (11-4 dual match) in 2004-05. Carleton has collected a 14-14 overall singles mark. Head coach Jamie Ashworth is in his ninth season with the Blue Devils and owns a 23-8 record in NCAA Championship action along with four Final Four appearances. Last season, Duke advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight before falling to eventual national champion Stanford, 4-0. Michigan holds a 1-4 record against the Blue Devils in the all-time series. The Wolverines last met Duke during the 1998-99 season, when the then No. 2-ranked Blue Devils earned a 9-0 shutout at the Varsity Tennis Center (March 6). Duke on the Internet: www.goduke.com.
North Carolina -- The No. 13-ranked Tar Heels (20-9) are hosting an NCAA Regional for the second straight year and has qualified for the postseason national tournament the past seven seasons. North Carolina, who is coming off a 4-2 loss to Georgia Tech in the ACC Championship semifinals (April 23), have four individuals listed in the ITA national rankings. Seniors Kendall Cline and Aniela Mojzis are ranked No. 24 and No. 41, respectively, and team together for a No. 5 ranking in doubles. Sophomores Sara Anundsen and Jenna Long are ranked No. 40. At last year's NCAA Championship, UNC defeated Winthrop 4-0 in the first round but fell to Tennessee 4-3 in the second round. Head coach Brian Kalbas is in his first season at North Carolina after coaching William & Mary's women's tennis program from 1992-2003. Michigan holds a 1-2 record against the Tar Heels in the all-time series. The Wolverines last met North Carolina during the 1998-99 season, when the then No. 27-ranked Tar Heels earned a 5-4 decision in Chapel Hill, N.C. (April 5). North Carolina on the Internet: www.tarheelblue.com.
Richmond -- The Spiders (14-9) will make their fifth appearance at the NCAA Championship after earning the Atlantic-10 Championship over UMass, 5-1 (April 24). Richmond previously qualified for the national tournament in 1997, 1998, 2002 and 2004, but has never gotten past the first round. Senior Lindsay Cox and junior Meghan Wolfgram enter the week with a No. 50 national ranking in doubles. Mark Wesselink is in his 16th season as head coach at Richmond and has led his team to NCAA appearances in four of the past seven seasons. Michigan has faced the Spiders on one previous occasion, April 4, 1993, when the Wolverines earned a 5-4 decision in Richmond, Va. Richmond on the Internet: www.richmondspiders.com.
Michigan at the NCAA Championship
The Wolverines are making their fourth consecutive appearance at the NCAA Championship and seventh overall after making three straight trips from 1996 through 1998. Michigan split two matches at the 1996 tournament, beating Indiana (5-4) before losing to Northwestern (5-0) in the regional semifinal. The Wolverines returned to the championship after winning the 1997 Big Ten title and advanced to the 16-team field by winning three matches at the Southeast Regional -- 5-0 vs. Central Florida, 5-3 against Miami (Fla.) and 5-4 vs. South Alabama. U-M lost 5-0 to NCAA runner-up Florida in the round of 16. Michigan suffered first-round losses against Wisconsin (5-2) in 1998 and Georgia Tech (4-2) in 1999. U-M has earned NCAA first-round victories the past two seasons, defeating Colorado (4-0) in 2003 and Denver (4-1) in 2003, but had its season ended with 4-0 losses to top-ranked Stanford both years.
Ritt Guides U-M to Seventh NCAA Appearance
For the seventh time in her 21-year career, Michigan head coach Bitsy Ritt will guide the Wolverines into the national tournament. She has compiled a 6-6 record at the NCAA Championship, including a 3-1 mark at 1997 tournament when U-M claimed the Southeast Regional title.
DaCosta, Delicata Invited to NCAA Doubles Tournament
For the second straight season, the University of Michigan women's tennis team's No. 1 doubles pairing of senior Michelle DaCosta (Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne HS) and sophomore Kara Delicata (LaSalle, Ontario/Sandwich Secondary) will represent the Wolverines at the NCAA Doubles Championships, to be held May 23-28 in Athens, Ga. DaCosta and Delicata join Sarah Cyganiak (1994-97) and Sora Moon (1995-98) as the only doubles tandem in U-M history to qualify for national tournament twice in their career. Cyganiak and Moon made consecutive appearances in 1996-97. DaCosta and Delicata, enter the week with a team-best 24-10 overall doubles record. The pair holds an 18-6 record in dual match action, including an 8-2 mark in league play.
U-M Earns Second Place at Big Ten Championship
Michigan is fresh off a runner-up finish at the 2005 Big Ten Conference Championship, held last week April 28-May 1 in East Lansing, Mich. After a first-round victory over host Michigan State (4-1), the seventh-seeded Wolverines knocked off No. 2 seed Indiana (4-2) and No. 3 seed Iowa (4-3) to advance to the final. U-M lost 4-1 to top seed Northwestern in the championship match, marking the seventh straight season that the Wildcats have earned the conference crown. It was the first time since 1998 that Michigan reached the championship match of the Big Ten Championship.
DaCosta Earns Fourth Straight All-Big Ten Nomination
Michelle DaCosta was named to the 2005 All-Big Ten Conference team, the league office announced last Thursday (May 5). It marks the second time in U-M women's tennis history that a student-athlete has earned the distinction in all four seasons. Sarah Cyganiak, Michigan's all-time leader in singles victories, also accomplished the feat from 1994-97. DaCosta enters the week with an overall singles record of 16-17, including an 11-13 dual match mark at No. 1 singles. She holds a 10-9 record against Midwest Regional opposition in 2004-05 and went 4-6 during the Big Ten season. A unanimous selection to this year's all-conference squad, DaCosta has teamed with Kara Delicata for a team-best 24-10 overall doubles record in 2004-05.
DaCosta, Rutherford Climbing Singles Chart
Seniors Michelle DaCosta and Leanne Rutherford (Calgary, Alberta/National Sports School) will both finish their Michigan careers ranked in the top 10 in career singles wins. With her 6-2, 6-4 win over Michigan State's Keri Thompson in the first round of the Big Ten Championship (April 28), DaCosta improved her career record to 74-62 and moved into sole possession of eighth place on Michigan's all-time singles wins list. Rutherford's 6-2, 6-3 victory over Indiana's Dominika Walterova in the Big Ten Championship quarterfinals (April 29) moved her career record to 73-50 and into a tie for ninth place with Sora Moon (1995-98) and Brooke Hart (1997-2000).
Net Points
Michelle DaCosta is one singles win shy of 75 for her Michigan career (74-62). She recently achieved her 80th career doubles victory with an 8-6 upset of Northwestern's No. 1-ranked team of Audra Cohen and Cristelle Grier in the Big Ten Championship final (May 1).
Kara Delicata reached her 50th career doubles victory (50-24) after upsetting Northwestern's No. 1-ranked team of Audra Cohen and Cristelle Grier 8-6 in the Big Ten Championship final (May 1).
Sophomore Elizabeth Exon (Irvine, Calif./Woodridge HS) has now recorded back-to-back seasons with at least 20 singles victories. She compiled a 27-13 record during her freshman season and enters the week with a 20-15 mark.
Leanne Rutherford needs one doubles win to join the 70/70 club. She holds career marks of 73-50 in singles and 69-57 in doubles.
Junior Debra Streifler (Highland Park, Ill./Highland Park HS) has recorded at least 20 singles victories in each of her three seasons at U-M. She is one win shy of matching her season-best total of 22, set in 2003-04. Streifler is now a team-best 15-5 against dual match competition and has won 15 of her last 18 matches. Her career winning percentage of .700 (63-27) ranks fourth on Michigan's all-time list.
Michigan Jumps to No. 32 in ITA National Rankings
After its remarkable run to final match at the Big Ten Championship (April 28-May 1), the Wolverines moved up eight spots to No. 32 in the most recent Intercollegiate Tennis Association national team rankings, released Monday, May 2. In addition to the team ranking, the Wolverines have two student-athletes ranked nationally in singles and doubles. Michelle DaCosta is listed No. 71 in the singles rankings and teams with Kara Delicata for a No. 20 ranking in doubles.
DaCosta, Exon Among Top 10 in Regional Singles Rankings
Michelle DaCosta and Elizabeth Exon entered the dual match season ranked among the elite singles players in the Midwest Region. DaCosta collected a 5-4 record during the fall season, including a trip to the round of 16 at the ITA Midwest Regional Championships between first-round victories at the ITA National Indoor and ITA All-American Championships. Exon, who finished the fall at 7-4, also reached the round of 16 at the ITA Midwest Regional Championships. DaCosta and Exon were listed No. 34 and No. 57, respectively, in the ITA preseason national singles rankings (Sept. 10).
U-M Doubles Pair Listed No. 3 in Regional Doubles Poll
Michigan's top doubles tandem of Michelle DaCosta and Kara Delicata entered the dual match season listed No. 3 in the Midwest Region. The pair posted a 6-4 record during the fall season, including an 8-1 upset over Arizona's No. 1-ranked team of Maja Mlakar and Dianne Hollands in the first round of the ITA National Indoor Championships. DaCosta and Delicata, who also advanced to the quarterfinals at the ITA Midwest Regional Championships, listed No. 8 in the ITA preseason national doubles rankings (Sept. 10).
Seniors Named Captains for 2005
Head coach Bitsy Ritt announced that Michelle DaCosta and Leanne Rutherford will serve as co-captains for the 2005 dual match season. It marks the first nomination for both athletes.
The Leader of the Wolverines
Head coach Bitsy Ritt is in her 21st season at the helm of the U-M women's tennis program, having compiled a career record of 271-231 (.540) since her appointment in 1984. Ritt has guided the Wolverines to the NCAA Championship seven times in the last 10 seasons, including the NCAA Southeast Championship in 1997. She has instructed 12 NCAA individual qualifiers, three Big Ten Conference Players of the Year and 10 All-Big Ten honorees. Ritt has been named the Big Ten Coach of the Year three times during her career and the ITA Midwest Regional Coach of the Year twice. Her athletes have also succeeded in the classroom, with a total of 27 players having earned 49 Academic All-Big Ten citations during their careers and four student-athletes having received ITA Scholar-Athlete honors.
Michigan Hosts 2004 ITA National Indoors
The University of Michigan and the Varsity Tennis Center played host to the ITA National Indoor Championships for the second consecutive year (Nov. 4-7). In the 32-player singles bracket, wild-card entry Michelle DaCosta won a pair of tiebreakers to upset No. 7-ranked Diane Hollands of Arizona 7-6(2), 7-6(5) in opening round action, but eventually lost to Nebraska's Gitte Osterman (6-4, 6-4) in the round of 16. DaCosta and Kara Delicata advanced to the doubles quarterfinals by upsetting Arizona's No. 4-seeded Maja Mlakar and Hollands (8-1) in the opening round of the 16-team field. The U-M tandem then dropped an 8-6 decision to UCLA's No. 17-ranked duo of Daniela Bercek and Riza Zalameda in the quarterfinals. It was Michigan's first-ever appearance in the tournament's women's singles and doubles quarterfinals.
On the Horizon ...
The Wolverines hope to advance to next weekend's (May 19-22) NCAA Team Championship, held at the University of Georgia's Dan Magill Tennis Complex in Athens, Ga. Michelle DaCosta and Kara Delicata will compete in the NCAA Doubles Championship the following week (May 23-28) at the same facility. The final bracket for the doubles competition will be announced next Sunday (May 22), following the official coaches meeting.
Contact: Marc Ressler (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
