Women's Tennis 6/21/2007 1:00:00 AM Wichita State

Tennis Season in Review

A memorable 2007 season ended this week for Wichita State, but Friday's release of the final national poll provided another record. Following their 27-3 season, the Shockers finished No. 31 in the final ITA/FIla National Rankings. Unranked in the preseason top 75, the Shockers have made one of the biggest leaps in college tennis history during the spring campaign. Climbing over 45 spots, it is believed to be one of the greatest moves since the rankings included the 75 teams. “There are many great teams playing women's tennis across the country, so to enter the national rankings is tough, but to make the jump we did is special,” Director of Tennis Chris Young. “I didn't realize how significant our move was until I was told it is believed to be one of the greatest leaps in history. I doubt we were even close to the top 75 at the beginning of the season, but I am proud of what our girls accomplished and proud to represent Wichita State on a national level.”

Prior to the 2007 season, the Wichita State women had never received a national ranking in the program history. Not only had the program not received a national ranking, but they had failed to defeat a nationally ranked program. After losing seven opportunities against nationally ranked opponents in 2006, the Shockers made history on January 28^th with a 6-1 victory over then No. 46 Nebraska. The January 30^th poll saw the Shockers climb to No. 62, setting the mark for the first national ranking. Following the win over Nebraska, Wichita State won eight straight matches in the month of February, knocking off six ranked opponents, and finishing the month at No. 46. The first computer poll released in March saw the Shockers rise to No. 20, and then on March 13^th, Wichita State was ranked #16 in the nation while sporting a perfect 13-0 record. The ranking was not only the highest national ranking in school history, but it surpassed the March 2001 ranking of #18 by the men of Indiana State and became the highest ranking ever received by a school from the Missouri Valley Conference. The Shockers were ranked in the top 30 for five consecutive weeks and ranked No. 31 twice, including the final ranking. Two of the three loses by Wichita State came to teams which finished the season in the top 10 (#7 Notre Dame, #9 Miami).

Not only were the national rankings worthy of school and conference records, but several other records fell as the Shockers dominated their opponents. The 27 wins surpassed the previous program high of 21 set in 1982. Winning 27 of 30 matches gave the Shockers a .900 winning percentage, shattering the previous mark which had stood for over 20 years as well. Wichita State defeated ten opponents who were nationally ranked at the time of their match, and seven opponents who finished the season with a national ranking.

After dominating non-conference opponents, the Shockers turned their attention to the Missouri Valley Conference and displayed a dominance unseen in the 100-year history of the league. Wichita State won all eleven matches played by a combined score of 66-3, winning 96 of their 100 singles and doubles matches played. Wichita State has won 18 straight conference matches and 22 of their last 23. For the second consecutive season, the Shockers won both the regular season and conference tournament championships and made their second straight appearance in the national tournament. Because of their dominant conference play, a record seven Shockers took home all conference honors, five players for both singles and doubles. Senior Madina Rakhim was named the 2007 Missouri Valley Player of the Year, and Chris Young received his second consecutive Valley Coach of the Year honor.

The highlight of the season came on May 12^th, as the Shockers defeated No. 25 South Carolina in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, 4-3. The victory was the first national tournament victory for a women's team from the Missouri Valley Conference. “Winning a match in the tournament is something special. If you are not the top seed in a regional, it is not easy to accomplish. South Carolina came into the match in the top 25 and having been the #4 seed in the SEC Tournament, so we saw it as an opportunity to show how far our program had come and make a statement as a representative of the Valley,” Young said. “It was a marathon match that we fought hard to win, and it was fitting for such a monumental accomplishment to come in dramatic fashion.”

Individually, the Shockers also accomplished many things both on and off the court. Five Shockers won at least 20 singles matches, with a sixth player just one short at 19. Senior Madina Rakhim led the team with a 27-2 record, and became just the second Shocker and second representative from the Valley at the NCAA National Singles Championships. Former Shocker Sandy Sadler was the last to accomplish the feat in 1984. Rakhim finished her Shocker career with a 48-5 singles record and a 49-5 doubles mark. Rakhim was nationally ranked over 20 times, including a high of #47, (a mark she might also top when the final singles rankings are released on June 1). After going 11-1 against opponents in the central region, Rakhim was named the ITA Central Region Senior Player of the Year. Four freshman players accounted for over 70 singles victories during the 2007 season, highlighted by Lenore Lazaroiu who won a combined 39 matches in singles and doubles action. Lazaroiu clinched the final point in three ranked wins for the Shockers and was named the ITA Central Region Rookie of the Year. Off the court, the Shockers have maintained at least a 3.4 GPA in every semester since Chris Young's arrival. Senior Jackie Richey received Valley honors as a Scholar Athlete for the third straight season, while sophomore Anna Egorova received a first team Scholar Athlete honor.

Prior to the arrival of Chris Young, the Wichita State women endured a 7-12 season in 2004, and were the 8^th seed in the conference tournament. After a 13 win season in 2005 and a fifth place finish, the Shockers made their ascension to the top of the Valley, winning 17 matches and both the regular season and conference titles. The 2006 season was also the first time in school history the women had received a bid to the national tournament. Although the 2006 surpassed the expectations of many and provided several accomplishments, nothing could prepare the program for the success of the 2007 season. During the past three seasons, Coach Young has won 95 matches leading the Shocker programs as the Director of Tennis, and has a 57-24 mark leading the women's program. In conference action, the women are 27-5 over that time, earning Young the top coaching honor in the league for two straight seasons. During the past year, Young has received awards for his accomplishments on and off the court as well. In December, Young received the USTA/ITA National Community Service award, given annually to a coach for their contribution to the game of tennis and their community. For his coaching efforts on the court Young won the Valley Coach of the Year honor for a second straight season, and the ITA honored him with the 2007 Central Region Coach of the Year honor as well. "I have been very blessed since my arrival at Wichita State. I have tremendous support from our administration and have been blessed to coach wonderful players. Winning these awards is a very humbling experience, as I know how talented other coaches are in our league, this region, and how many coaches are making a difference in their communities across the country," Young commented. Each year the Shockers have made tremendous strides in taking the program to a national level. In 2008, they will look to continue their growth as a program, returning six of their eight players from the '07 campaign. Four freshman and two sophomores will return with the experience gained during this season's run, and will look to take the program one more step. The Shockers will face another demanding schedule, highlighted by road matches against two top 10 programs and five nationally ranked opponents who will travel to Wichita. “I am excited about the foundation we have laid and the future of the program. With the number of players we have coming back, our expectations will be high going into next season. We have returned the excitement surrounding tennis to the community of Wichita, and I am excited to watch Shocker fans support our programs over the coming years.” Young concluded.

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Anna Egorova: PLAYER; 5' 4"; Sophomore

Lenore Lazaroiu: PLAYER; 5' 5"; Freshman

Jackie Richey: PLAYER; 5' 6"; Senior

Players Mentioned

Anna Egorova
: 5' 4"; Sophomore
: PLAYER

Lenore Lazaroiu
: 5' 5"; Freshman
: PLAYER

Jackie Richey
: 5' 6"; Senior
: PLAYER

Wichita State Athletics

Events

Tennis Season in Review

Players Mentioned

Anna Egorova

Lenore Lazaroiu

Jackie Richey

Players Mentioned

Anna Egorova

Lenore Lazaroiu

Jackie Richey