May 28, 2005
Cardinal claims record-tying fifth NCAA doubles crown
With the all-Stanford matchup in the final, the Cardinal took home its fifth doubles title, matching UCLA for the most ever by one school. Stanford also won the doubles title in 1984, 1985, 1990 and 2002. Stanford now has supplied 12 doubles finalist teams in the 24-year history of the NCAA Tennis Championships. Every doubles final since 1982 has had a team from either the Pac-10 or SEC. For the fourth straight year, the doubles title was decided in straight sets. Student-athletes from 10 different schools have won an NCAA doubles title.
Burdette does better as unseeded doubles performer, picks up title
Stanford senior Erin Burdette, one of the nation's top doubles players during her collegiate career, captured an NCAA title today with junior Alice Barnes. As a freshman in 2002, Burdette and Lauren Barnikow were unseeded but advanced to the quarterfinals. In 2003 and 2004, Burdette and Barnikow were the top-seeded team in the NCAA draw but lost in the quarterfinals and first round, respectively.
Unseeded Stanford vs. Unseeded Stanford matchup set
Most of the talk entering the individual portion of the NCAA Championships involved Stanford supplying a record-tying seven entrants in the 64-team singles draw. At the end of the tournament, the Cardinal will be best remembered for its intrasqaud matchup in the doubles championship. This year marks the third time that one school has supplied both doubles duos in the championship match. In 1990, Stanford's Meredith McGrath and Teri Whitlinger defeated Sandra Birch and Debbie Graham. In 1982, UCLA's Heather Ludloff and Lynn Lewis topped teammates Kathy O'Brian and Helena Manset.
No seed a rarity for Stanford
For only the second time in 24 editions of the NCAA Tennis Championship, Stanford did not have one of the top eight seeds in the doubles draw. Still, the result will be the fifth unseeded doubles champions in NCAA history. Stanford's teams of Alice Barnes and Erin Burdette and Amber Liu and Anne Yelsey become the 11th and 12th unseeded doubles teams to reach the NCAA final. Along with this year's champions of Barnes/Burdette, the other unseeded NCAA champions are: UCLA's Daniela Bercek and Lauren Fisher in 2004, Cal's Amanda Augustus and Amy Jensen in 1998, Arizona's Alix Creek and Michelle Oldham in 1993 and Stanford's Elise Burgin and Linda Gates in 1984.