Three Tigers Selected to NCAA Singles Championships

CLEMSON, SC – Three members of Clemson’s 11th-ranked women’s tennis team have earned at-large bids to the 64-player field at the 2013 NCAA Women’s Tennis Singles Championships. All-ACC selections Yana Koroleva, Beatrice Gumulya, and Liz Jeukeng will compete at the event, which takes place May 22-27 at the Khan Outdoor Tennis Complex in Urbana, IL.  The Tigers were named the No. 13 overall seed and a regional host in the NCAA team Tournament as well, which begins May 10-11 at the Hoke Sloan Tennis Center.  Each of the three Tigers selected are ranked among the top-40 players in the nation in the ITA singles poll. It marks the second time in school history that three players have earned bids to the NCAA Singles Tournament. The first time was in 1986, when Nicole Stafford, Cathy Hofer, and Ingelise Driehuis were admitted to the field.  Koroleva will be one of 16 national seeds, as she boasts a top-15 national ranking in her first collegiate season at Clemson. Koroleva is 22-7 on the year, and has a 14-6 record against ranked opponents this season. All seven of her losses came against players selected to the field, compared to eight wins against players in the field.  Freshman Liz Jeukeng will be the youngest player in the field, with her 17th birthday falling on the day of the semifinal round. The January enrollee compiled a 17-5 record overall, and a 10-1 mark in the ACC. Nine of her wins came against ranked players, and she has been ranked as high as 24th in the nation this season.  Beatrice Gumulya has quietly been one of Clemson’s most consistent players, leading the team with a 23-4 record in singles this season, playing primarily at the No. 3 position. Gumulya has won 34 of her last 38 matches overall, and is 19-2 in her career against ACC competition. Gumulya has been ranked as high as 33rd during the season, and will be making her first trip to the singles championships.  Combined, the three players have won .795 percent of their matches, including a 29-3 (.906) mark in ACC dual match play this season.  Clemson opens the 2013 Women’s Tennis Team Championships on May 10 at 1:00 pm with OVC Champion Eastern Kentucky at the Hoke Sloan Tennis Center. The winner of that match will go on to play the winner between Vanderbilt and Indiana on May 11. Regional winners will go on to the third round, also held at the Khan Outdoor Tennis Complex from May 16-21.