Weekly Release #11
4/3/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Upcoming Schedule
Saturday, April 7 -- at Purdue (West Lafayette, Ind.), 11 a.m.
Sunday, April 8 -- at Illinois (Champaign, Ill.), Noon CDT
Sunday, April 15 -- vs. Michigan State (Varsity Tennis Center), 1 p.m.
This Weekend: U-M Looks to Extend Seven-Match Winning Streak
The No. 23-ranked University of Michigan women's tennis team (10-5, 4-1 Big Ten) hits the road this weekend to face Purdue and Illinois. The Wolverines will take on the Boilermakers on Saturday (April 7, 11 a.m.) at the Schwartz Tennis Center in West Lafayette, Ind., and finish the trip with a meeting against the Fighting Illini on Sunday (April 8, noon CDT) at the Atkins Tennis Center in Champaign, Ill.
Scouting the Opponents
Purdue -- The No. 46-ranked Boilermakers (10-3, 3-1 Big Ten), who play at Notre Dame on Tuesday (April 3), enter the week having won eight of their last nine matches. Purdue's only setback during that period came in their last outing on April 1, a 7-0 loss at Northwestern. The Boilermakers are led by junior Brooke Beier and freshman Neela Vaez. Beier holds a 12-2 overall record, including a 10-2 dual match mark at Nos. 2 and 3. Vaez carries a 13-3 overall mark, including an 11-2 dual match record at Nos. 2-4. Beier and sophomore Mallory Voelker have tallied a team-best 9-5 overall doubles record, including am 8-4 dual match mark at No. 1. The pair is ranked 45th nationally. Head coach Mat Iandolo is in his 16th season at Purdue. The Boilermakers return eight letterwinners from last year's team, which finished at 14-11 overall and 6-4 in the Big Ten Conference. Michigan leads the all-time series with Purdue by a 25-11 margin, but the two teams have split the last six meetings dating back to 2001. Purdue on the Internet: www.purduesports.com.
Illinois -- The Fighting Illini (5-10, 1-3 Big Ten), who host Penn State on Saturday (April 7), enter the week looking to build off their 4-3 road win over Wisconsin this past Sunday (April 1). Freshman Megan Fudge leads the team with an overall singles record of 18-12. Head coach Michelle Dasso is in her first season at Illinois after spending three seasons as an assistant at Notre Dame. The Illini return four letterwinners from last year's team, which finished at 8-15 overall and 2-8 in the Big Ten Conference. Michigan leads the all-time series with Illinois by a 19-11 margin, but the Illini have won four of the last seven meetings dating back to the 2000 season. Illinois on the Internet: www.fightingillini.com.
Last Weekend: U-M Pushes Home Winning Streak to Six Matches
Michigan extended its winning streak to seven matches and remained near the top of the Big Ten Conference standings thanks to home victories over Minnesota and Iowa this past weekend (March 30-April1).
In Friday's 7-0 sweep of the Golden Gophers, the Wolverines earned a doubles sweep and surrendered just one set in six singles matches en route to their fourth straight win over Minnesota. Saturday's 6-1 triumph over the Hawkeyes saw U-M pull off its second straight doubles sweep before claiming straight-set victories at the top five singles positions.
Delicata Looks to Finish Career on High Note
Senior Kara Delicata (LaSalle, Ontario/Sandwich Secondary School) has been a valuable contributor to the singles lineup in her final dual match season. After splitting her first six matches to start the dual match campaign, Delicata has reeled off wins in eight of her last nine outings. Ten of her 11 dual match wins (11-4) have come in straight sets, and she needs just one more victory to match her career-best total of 17 overall wins (17-8) set as a freshman in 2003-04. Delicata's 6-1, 6-3 triumph over Wisconsin's Chelsea Nusslock on March 11 gave her 50 singles wins for her career, while her win at No. 2 doubles against Alabama on March 17 put her at 80 for her career.
Sugiyama Continues to Shine
Sophomore Chisako Sugiyama (Parsippany, N.J./The Montclair Kimberley Academy) has shown no signs of slowing down since her arrival on campus in 2005. After a 6-0, 6-0 win over Alabama's Shelley Godwin at No. 2 on March 17, Sugiyama became the first Wolverine this year to reach 20 overall singles wins. She holds a team-best mark of 24-6 and needs just four wins to surpass her freshman total of 27.
Sugiyama has won 12 of 15 dual matches at Nos. 1 and 2 this season with all but three of those victories coming in straight sets. She has won seven straight matches, dating back to March 10, and has been victorious in 15 of her 18 matches in the calendar year. Sugiyama has been nearly flawless against opponents from the Midwest Region in 2006-07 at 13-1.
Sugiyama's spectacular individual tournament season included singles titles at the Wolverine (Sept. 29-Oct. 1) and Michigan (Jan. 12-14) invitationals, as well as a trip to the semifinals at the Wilson/ITA Midwest Regional Championships on Oct. 20-24. Sugiyama's strong play this year has propelled her into second place on U-M's all-time singles winning percentage list at .742 (46-16).
Sugiyama compiled a team-best 27-10 singles record as a freshman in 2005-06, including a 9-1 mark in Big Ten play. Her 27 victories tie her for fourth place on Michigan's all-time single-season wins list, and she became the 15th freshman in school history to gain at least 20 victories in a season. Sugiyama also posted a team-best 24-10 overall doubles mark in her first season.
Mahtani Stellar in Singles
Freshman Tania Mahtani (Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif./Palos Verdes Peninsula HS) continues to prove that she is one of the Big Ten Conference's brightest young players. She is tied with sophomore Chisako Sugiyama for the best dual match record on the team at 12-3. Mahtani stands at 21-9 overall, making her the 16th freshman in program history to reach at least 20 overall singles wins in a singles season. She holds a team-best eight-match winning streak, and nine of her 12 dual match victories have come in straight sets. Mahtani's most important win in 2007 came on March 16, as her 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 triumph over Western's Michigan's Noriko Saruta at No. 4 clinched a 4-3 team win for the Maize and Blue. She has been victorious in 15 of 18 matches in the calendar year and has recorded five match-clinching wins during the dual match season.
Exon Hitting Mid-Season Stride
Senior Elizabeth Exon (Irvine, Calif./Woodbridge HS) is returning to true form just in time for the heart of the Big Ten Conference season. After starting the dual match season 1-7, Exon has picked up straight-set victories in six of her last seven outings, dating back to March 10. Exon needs just one more singles win to reach 80 overall and 50 for her dual match career. She is on pace to finish in the top 5 on Michigan's all-time singles wins list.
Dudhela Picks Up First Career Dual Match Win
Freshman Tanvi Dudhela (San Jose, Calif./Archbishop Mitty HS) picked the perfect time to record her first career dual match singles victory. With Michigan and Western Michigan tied at 2-2 on March 16, Dudhela stepped up and completed a 7-6(1), 6-2 win over Emily Dudzik at No. 6 to give the Wolverines their first lead of the match. Dudhela holds an overall record of 9-11 in her first season at Michigan, including a 2-2 dual match mark at No. 6. She has been in the singles lineup in four of U-M's last six matches.
A Perfect Pair
Graduate senior Jenny Kuehn (Leipzig, Germany/Sportgymnasium Leipzig) and sophomore Chisako Sugiyama have proven to be Michigan's most reliable doubles team in 2006-07. The pair has won 12 of 14 matches overall and remain undefeated at No. 1 during the dual match season at 7-0. Kuehn and Sugiyama have surrendered just a combined total of 15 games in their seven dual match victories, including a pair of shutout wins over Marquette (March 10) and Western Michigan (March 16).
Kuehn Hits Century Mark in Doubles
Graduate senior Jenny Kuehn's 8-0 win with sophomore Chisako Sugiyama over Marquette's Shannon Brown and Lauren Little on March 10 put Kuehn at 100 victories for her collegiate doubles career. Kuehn, who played her first three years of collegiate tennis at Tulane University, holds a remarkable career record of 106-31 (.774). She holds a team-best 19-10 overall record this season.
Exon and Shafner Elected Team Co-Captains for 2007
Head coach Amanda Augustus announced that senior Elizabeth Exon and junior Allie Shafner (Englewood, Colo./Cherry Creek HS) were voted as co-captains by their teammates to lead the Wolverines in 2007. Both student-athletes are carrying the honor for the first time in their careers.
Michigan Team, Kuehn, Sugiyama in ITA National Rankings
After a pair of dominating Big Ten home victories last weekend, Michigan jumped 12 spots to No. 23 in the 11th edition of the Fila Collegiate Tennis Rankings, administered by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Tuesday (April 3). The Wolverines, who ended last season with a final national ranking of No. 28, are the second Big Ten Conference team in the poll, behind No. 11 Northwestern. Defending national champion Stanford occupies the top spot.. Michigan will be tested from start to finish this season as 11 of its 20 opponents were listed in the first national rankings.
Graduate senior Jenny Kuehn and sophomore Chisako Sugiyama represent the Maize and Blue in the national singles rankings, listing No. 84 and No. 85, respectively.
Wolverine Trio Earn Fall Regional Rankings
Three Michigan student-athletes were awarded with regional rankings at the conclusion of the 2006 fall season. Sophomore Chisako Sugiyama is the top Wolverine in the Midwest Region singles rankings at No. 8 after going 9-3 during the fall and claiming the 32-player crown at the Wolverine Invitational on Sept. 29-Oct. 1, 2006. Sugiyama also reached the semifinals in the 64-player main draw at the Wilson/ITA Midwest Regional Championships on Oct. 19-24, 2006. Graduate senior Jenny Kuehn, who is listed at No. 16, competed in qualifying at the Riviera/ITA All-American Championships on Sept. 30-Oct. 8, 2006 and finished the fall at 4-4. Kuehn and senior Kara Delicata are the lone U-M doubles team in the regional rankings (No. 7) after participating in qualifying at the Riviera/ITA All-American Championships and recording a 2-2 mark during the fall.
The Wolverine Seniors
Michigan's true senior class of Kara Delicata and Elizabeth Exon will look to guide the Wolverines one step further in its final season at Michigan. Delicata, who was named to the All-Big Ten Conference team for the first time last season, is the most experienced doubles player for Michigan. She holds a career record of 83-51 overall and a 51-28 dual match mark at the top doubles position. Delicata is a two-time NCAA doubles qualifier (2004-05) and has consistently been ranked among the nation's top doubles players during her first three seasons at Michigan. Exon, a two-time All-Big Ten selection (2004, '06) and 2007 team co-captain, is the most accomplished singles player returning for the Wolverines as she holds a career record of 79-57 overall and 49-34 in dual match play. The 2004 ITA Midwest Rookie of the Year, Exon moved into sole possession of seventh place on Michigan's career singles wins chart (79) after earning a 6-1, 7-5 triumph over Iowa's Kelcie Klockenga this past Sunday (April 1).
Graduate senior Jenny Kuehn joined Michigan after playing her first three years of collegiate tennis at Tulane University. Kuehn, who holds remarkable career records of 91-37 in singles and 106-31 in doubles, was a 2003 All-American in doubles after claiming the doubles crown at the ITA National Indoor Championship in the fall of 2002. She was also named the Conference USA's Player of the Year twice (2003-04) and Freshman of the Year (2003) during her illustrious career at Tulane.
The Lone U-M Junior
Junior Allie Shafner, who is serving as a team captain for the first time in her career, entered her third dual match season on a high note after posting career-best numbers in singles (14) and doubles (21) wins as a sophomore in 2005-06. Shafner and Chisako Sugiyama proved to be one of the most reliable doubles teams for U-M last year as the pair finished the dual match season at 11-5 at Nos. 2 and 3 (7-3 in the Big Ten).
Sophomore Class Making an Impact
Michigan's sophomore class of Lindsey Howard (Richmond, Va./Mills E. Godwin HS) and Chisako Sugiyama has already accomplished great things on the court in a short time in Ann Arbor. Sugiyama led the team in both singles (27) and doubles (24) victories as a freshman with the 27 singles victories tying her for fourth place on U-M's all-time single-season wins list. She is already listed in first place on the Wolverines' career winning percentage list (minimum of 40 matches played) at .761 (51-16). Sugiyama is a two-time Wolverine Invitational singles champion; she advanced to the singles semifinal at the Wilson/ITA Midwest Regional Championships this past fall on Oct. 19-24.
Howard, who did not compete in the fall while recovering from right shoulder surgery, went 12-12 in singles and 18-12 in doubles during her freshman year in 2005-06. Howard and Nina Yaftali (2005-06) went an impressive 16-8 in dual match play at Nos. 2 and 3 doubles. Howard also went 8-5 at the No. 6 singles position, with her biggest victory coming against Nebraska (May 12, 2006) in the first round of the NCAA Championship to help Michigan clinch a 4-3 comeback triumph.
Welcome to Ann Arbor
Michigan welcomed freshmen Tanvi Dudhela and Tania Mahtani to the 2006-07 roster. Dudhela was ranked as high as No. 2 in the USTA Northern California section for Girls' 18's and was the West Catholic Athletic League and Central Coast Section CIF singles champion as a junior at Archbishop Mitty High School. Mahtani, who finished as the singles runner-up at this past fall's Wolverine Invitational on Sept. 29-Oct. 1, 2006, was ranked as high as No. 23 in the nation for Girls' 18's. Mahtani attended Palos Verdes Peninsula High School, the same high school from which U-M head coach Amanda Augustus graduated. Mahtani guided her team to the California Interscholastic Federation Division I championship as sophomore.
2006-07 Tournament Season Review
Michigan began the 2006 fall season on a bright note, as the Maize and Blue won 20 of 30 matches and placed two players in the championship final of the 32-player singles draw at the Wolverine Invitational on Sept. 29-Oct. 1, 2006. Sophomore Chisako Sugiyama claimed a singles title at the tournament for the second straight year, as she defeated freshman teammate Tania Mahtani by a score of 6-3, 6-1 in the championship match.
Sugiyama led the Wolverines once again at the Wilson/ITA Midwest Regional Championships on Oct. 19-24, 2006, as she won four straight matches en route to a semifinal finish in 64-player main singles draw and teamed with senior Jenny Kuehn to reach the semifinal round in the 64-team doubles competition.
Sugiyama's performance marked Michigan's best singles finish at the regional tournament since 1998, when Danielle Lund (1997-2000) reached the championship match. Sugiyama and Kuehn's finish marked Michigan's second appearance in the regional doubles semifinals in three years, with then sophomore Kara Delicata and Michelle DaCosta (2002-05) reaching the semifinals in 2004.
The Wolverines wrapped up the fall season at the Thunderbird Invitational on Nov. 3-5, 2006, led by Mahtani's quarterfinal berth in the 32-player main singles draw.
Michigan concluded the tournament portion of its 2006-07 schedule, hosting Denver, Duke and Louisiana State at the Michigan Invitational on Jan. 12-14. The Wolverines earned overall records of 13-8 in singles and 4-5 in doubles during the three-day event.
Sugiyama carried her spectacular play in the fall over to the new year as she was one of two Wolverines to go undefeated in three singles matches at the tournament. She was named the Michigan Invitational singles champion based on the event's point system. Also finishing the weekend with an unblemished singles record was Mahtani.
Kuehn and junior Allie Shafner both went undefeated in doubles play and paired together for a perfect 2-0 mark. The highlight in doubles saw the Wolverine tandem upset Duke's 29th-ranked tandem of Melissa Mang and Jessi Robinson by a score of 8-3.
The Leader of the Wolverines
Head coach Amanda Augustus is in her first season at the helm of the U-M women's tennis program. Augustus served as U-M's assistant coach last season under Bitsy Ritt, who retired from coaching after 22 seasons to take an associate athletic director role at U-M.
A former collegiate standout at the University of California from 1996-99, Augustus was a two-time NCAA doubles champion (1998-99) and earned All-America honors in each of her four seasons. During her junior campaign, Augustus advanced to the quarterfinal round at the NCAA Singles Championship. She was named to the All-Pac-10 Conference team all four years and achieved career-high national rankings of No. 1 in doubles and No. 4 in singles by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. Augustus served as a team captain for three seasons, leading Cal to NCAA Championship appearances each year. As a senior, Augustus guided the Bears to the NCAA semifinals and a program-best No. 4 final ITA ranking.
Augustus captured 20 professional titles during her stint on the WTA circuit and achieved career-best world rankings of No. 82 in doubles and No. 304 in singles. She competed in the main draw at all four Grand Slam events, most recently the 2004 Wimbledon Championships. She reached the second round in both the French Open and U.S. Open, and was a semifinalist at the Bank of West Classic.
Ashley Joins Coaching Staff in 2006-07
Teryn Ashley is in her first season as an assistant coach with the Michigan women's tennis program. Ashley arrives at U-M after a successful professional playing career on the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Tour.
Ashley was a three-time NCAA All-American and four-time All-Pac-10 Conference selection during her career at Stanford University (1997-2000). A member of the Cardinal's 1997 and 1999 NCAA championship teams, Ashley served as a team captain during her junior and senior seasons. She was ranked as high as No. 4 in singles and No. 1 in doubles during her career and is listed in a tie for 10th place on the school's all-time dual match singles wins list (84-17). Ashley earned the Pac-10's indoor singles championship in 1999 and indoor doubles crown in 2000.
Following her illustrious collegiate career, Ashley enjoyed a five-year stint on the WTA Tour from 2001-06. Ashley captured the doubles title at the 2003 ASB Bank Championships in addition to four singles titles and 13 doubles crowns on the International Tennis Federation (ITF) circuit. She holds career records of 118-103 in singles and 145-68 in doubles as a professional, and has achieved career-high world rankings of No. 95 in singles (7/5/04) and No. 59 in doubles (10/27/03). Ashley competed in the main draw at all four Grand Slam events during her career, reaching the second round in singles at the 2004 Wimbledon Championships.
Michigan Inks Four Standout Recruits for 2007-08
The Michigan women's tennis program announced the Dec. 4, 2006, signing of Denise Muresan (Lincolnshire, Ill./Adlai E. Stevenson HS), Rika Tatsuno (Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif./Palos Verdes Peninsula HS), Whitney Taney (Edina, Minn./Edina HS) and Kari Wig (Cochrane, Alberta/Cochrane HS) to National Letters of Intent to attend U-M and play for the Wolverines in the 2007-08 season. The four signings make up Amanda Augustus' first recruiting class as head coach at Michigan. NLI Release
2005-06 Season Review
The Wolverines finished the 2006 dual match season with a 17-8 overall record and a third-place finish in the Big Ten Conference at 8-2. The 17-win season tied for the most victories since the 1997 campaign, while U-M's record of 8-2 in league play was its best since the Wolverines claimed their first and only conference crown with an undefeated mark of 10-0 in 1997.
The Maize and Blue closed the regular season by winning five straight matches, and then posted victories over Wisconsin (4-1) and Iowa (4-3) en route to its second consecutive trip to the Big Ten Championship final. Despite a 4-2 loss to Northwestern in the title match, the Wolverines were still awarded with their fifth straight bid to the NCAA Championship.
After a thrilling 4-3 comeback triumph over Nebraska in the first round, Michigan's season ended with a 4-0 defeat to No. 2-ranked host Notre Dame. It marked the final career match for 22-year head coach Bitsy Ritt.
U-M ended the year ranked No. 28 nationally and No. 3 regionally. Kara Delicata and Debra Streifler (2003-06) finished the year ranked No. 25 in the national doubles poll after going 15-4 overall and a perfect 10-0 in the Big Ten at the No. 1 position. Delicata and Elizabeth Exon were named to the All-Big Ten team at the conclusion of the season.
Four Wolverines were named to the Academic All-Big Ten team in 2005-06, while Streifler and Lindsey Howard were named ITA Scholar-Athletes for the first time in their careers. Streifler also garnered the ITA's Cissie Leary Sportsmanship Award for the Midwest Region.
On the Horizon ...
The Wolverines close out their home schedule next Sunday (April 15) with a 1 p.m. match against intrastate rival Michigan State at the Varsity Tennis Center. Michigan will honor its three seniors, Kara Delicata, Elizabeth Exon and Jenny Kuehn, prior to the match against the Spartans.
Contact: Marc Ressler (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
