Clemson Women’s Tennis Ranked No. 11 in ITA Preseason Poll

Jan. 4, 2011

SKILLMAN, N.J. – The Clemson women’s tennis team has been ranked No. 11 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) preseason rankings, announced on Jan. 4. Head Coach Nancy Harris’ team will begin the 2011 campaign in the same slot in which they ended the 2010 season, after advancing to the NCAA Sweet 16.

The Tigers return five full or part-time starters for last year’s team, which went 24-6, and fell in the NCAA third round to eventual national champion Stanford. Clemson is one of seven ACC schools in the top 25, behind No. 6 North Carolina and No. 7 Duke. Nine of Clemson’s 2011 opponents appear in the first top-25 poll.

Top returners include 2010 All-ACC selections Josipa Bek and Keri Wong. The duo enters the season ranked second in the nation in doubles after an outstanding fall in which they advanced to the finals of two major national championship events. Bek will start the season as Clemson’s highest-ranked player, as she comes in at No. 12 in the nation, while Wong earned a spot as the #48 player nationally.

In singles, five Clemson players appear among the top-20 players in the Carolina Region rankings, including Bek (#3), Wong (#11), Maria Belaya (#19). Bek and Wong claim the region’s top spot in doubles as well.

Clemson has one senior on the 2011 roster, Laurianne Henry, who has clinched numerous big-time matches throughout her career.

The Tigers open play on Jan. 21 as they play host to Troy University at the Indoor Tennis Center at 2:00 pm.