Tiger Women’s Tennis Team Ranked Seventh In Most Recent ITA Poll

April 20, 2004

CLEMSON, SC – The Clemson women’s tennis team is ranked seventh according to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association poll released on Tuesday. The Tigers improve from a ranking of ninth in the Apr. 13 poll after winning the ACC Championship last weekend with a 4-2 upset over then-fifth-ranked Duke. The national ranking of seventh is the highest for a Clemson women’s tennis team in 18 years, as the Tigers were ranked sixth in the poll released on May 13, 1986.

So far this season, Clemson is 22-3 overall, after claiming the ACC Tournament crown last weekend with wins over #45 Maryland (4-0), #14 North Carolina (4-1) and #5 Duke (4-2). It was the seventh conference tournament title in history for the Tigers and the first since the 1987 season. The team also finished atop the regular season conference standings this season, for the eighth time overall and the first time since 1986, after completing regular season play with a perfect 8-0 record in the league. The Tigers have now won 11 consecutive matches, which is the longest winning streak since the team won the first 11 matches of the 1986 season.

The Tigers’ Julie Coin is ranked eighth nationally according to the ITA singles poll. The junior from Amiens, France was recently named the 2004 ACC Women’s Tennis Player of the Year after compiling a 7-1 record in conference play at the flight one singles position. Coin is 24-7 overall in singles this season and has an 18-4 record in dual match play.

Daniela Alvarez is ranked 78th by the ITA in singles, while Maria Brito is 102nd in the poll. Alvarez, a sophomore from Santa Cruz, Bolivia was named to the 2004 All-ACC team and has a 24-8 overall record, including a 17-5 record in dual matches on the season. Brito, a freshman from Mexico City, Mexico, was also named to the all-conference team, and is currently 28-9 overall and 19-6 in dual singles play.

The Tigers’ Alix Lacelarie enters the singles rankings for the first time this season with a ranking of 117th. The senior Villeneuve-Les-Beziers, France-native was sidelined by injuries for the first half of the season but has posted a 10-2 record in dual matches and a 7-0 mark in league play since Mar. 3. Lacelarie was recently named the ACC Tournament MVP after helping the Tigers to the conference championship title last weekend with three victories in singles and two in doubles.

In the ITA doubles poll, Brito and Coin are ranked 14th with a 24-5 overall record, a 13-2 record in dual match play and a 3-0 conference mark. Alvarez and Lacelarie are ranked 25th by the ITA, after compiling a 7-3 overall record, including a 4-2 mark in dual play and a 3-0 league record. The Tigers’ pair of Alvarez and Brito is currently 32nd in the ITA doubles poll, and has an 8-1 record in dual matches and a 4-1 mark in conference doubles play.