Clemson Women’s Tennis Earns #14 Ranking in First ITA Poll

Jan. 5, 2010

SKILLMAN, NJ – The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) released its first rankings of the 2010 season, including Clemson as the number-14 ranked team in the nation. Clemson returns six players from a team that advanced to the Sweet 16 with a 19-8 overall record and a #11 final rank. The ITA also released the regional and national singles and doubles rankings, which included four Tigers.

ITA Rankings Site

2009 All-American Josipa Bek headlines the Tigers with a #9 national ranking and is the #1 ranked singles player in the Carolina Region. The sophomore opens the 2010 slate with a 45-14 career record in singles matches, winning 34 in her freshman campaign. She advanced to Final 16 of the NCAA Singles Championship as a freshman, earning All-America honors on the way.

Bek and doubles partner Ina Hadziselimovic, who advanced to the finals of the Carolina Regional in the fall and the Final Eight of the 2009 NCAA Doubles Championship, are ranked as the fourth-best duo in the nation, and #2 in the Carolina Region in the first poll. The duo went 17-8 overall in 2009 and holds a 27-13 record overall.

Hadziselimovic begins the season ranked for the second consecutive season, starting at #113 nationally. The senior was ranked #99 in the fall, when she posted a 5-3 record. She is listed as the #8 singles player in the Carolina Region to start the year.

Freshman Nelly Ciolkowski made the initial poll after an impressive fall season in which she posted a 7-1 mark, with her only loss coming at the hands of Bek in the ITA Carolina Regional semifinals. She won 83% of her sets played in her first semester, and had an upset win over #34 Katrina Tsang of North Carolina. Ciolkowski is ranked #8 in the Carolina Region as well.

Sophomore Ani Mijacika.

The 2009 team had four all-americans in Bek, Hadziselimovic, Wong, and Mijacika. This was a record for all Clemson tennis teams. The Tigers have advanced in the NCAA tournament each of the past eight seasons, and have reached the Sweet 16 or better in five of the past six seasons, including trips to the Final Four in 2004 and 2005.

The Tigers open their 2010 dual-match slate on Jan. 23 when they take on the College of Charleston at 11:00 am at the Indoor Tennis Center.