Stephenson Ranks Eighth; Four Players Ranked Nationally
1/11/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
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The Intercollegiate Tennis Association released its pre-season rankings on Tuesday and the University of Alabama women’s tennis team landed two individuals in the singles rankings, two doubles teams in the doubles rankings as well as a No. 32 team ranking.
“This is good motivation for us to begin the season,” Alabama head coach Jenny Mainz said. “It is a great way to start and now we have to follow through with it.”
Junior Robin Stephenson is Alabama’s highest ranked player and holds the eighth spot in the ITA’s first ranking of 2005. Not only is this the highest ranking of Stephenson’s career, it is also the highest in the history of Alabama tennis. Stephenson tied the school’s highest singles ranking in September by climbing to No. 16. However, after winning the consolation draw at the ITA National Indoor Championships on November 7 she has jumped eight places into the top ten.
Ashley Bentley, who finished the 2004 season at No. 73, begins 2005 ranked at No. 75.
Bentley and Stephenson, who were 23-8 in 2004 as a team, also appear at No. 12 in the doubles rankings and are just one of Alabama’s two ranked doubles teams. Junior Melissa Day and sophomore Mari Muller have earned their first career ranking at No. 50. Day and Muller played together for the first time this past fall and posted an 8-4 record.
“It’s great to have the recognition this early in the season,” Mainz said, “but we know what our team goals are and what we have to do to achieve those goals. We have a lot of work ahead of us.”
Alabama will open its season on Saturday, January 22 at home against the Denver Pioneers.
