May 31, 2000
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. - The United States Tennis Association (USTA) and Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) today announced the twelve top American men's and women's collegiate tennis players who will make up the 2000 USA Tennis Collegiate Team. The team includes both NCAA singles winners Alex Kim and Laura Granville of Stanford, two of five Cardinal players named to the squad. Kim and Granville are joined Geoff Abrams, K.J. Hippensteel, and Marissa Irvin.
Abrams, 22, played on three NCAA title teams in four years with the Cardinal. He capped his career by earning ITA All-American honors in singles and doubles. Abrams turned in a 45-7 senior season in singles and was named Pac-10 Conference co-Player of the Year (with Kim). He owns fourth best win percentage in Stanford men's tennis history.
Hippensteel, 20, along with Abrams and Kim helped Stanford to its 17th NCAA title in school history. He reached the semifinals of last week's NCAA singles tournament before falling to Kim. Hippensteel captured the ITA All-American Championships singles title, the second leg of the ITA Grand Slam, last October and moved to No. 1 in the WingspanBank.com Collegiate Tennis Rankings for two months.
Kim, 21, became the 14th Stanford player to win the NCAA singles title on Sunday when he beat Kentucky's Carlos Drada 6-1, 6-1 in the final in Athens, Ga. He was named Most Outstanding Player of NCAA team tournament as the Cardinal captured the title. He finished the season with a 48-7 record and was named Pac-10 Conference co-Player of the Year (with Abrams). His NCAA title earns him a wild card into this year's U.S. Open.
Irvin, 19, reached the NCAA singles final for the second straight season last week, falling to Granville in the final. Irvin, who was also named to last year's USA Tennis Collegiate Team, gained notoriety during the spring for moving to No. 1 in the collegiate rankings while maintaining a Top 100 WTA Tour Ranking.
Granville, 19, became the ninth Stanford women's player to win the NCAA singles title when she beat Irvin 6-0, 6-4 in last week's final in Malibu, Calif. Granville, who won the Rolex National Indoor singles title in February, finishes the season at 47-2. Like Stanford's Kim, she earns a wild card into this year's U.S. Open.
Named to the 2000 USA Tennis Collegiate Team are:
Men: Geoff Abrams Newport Beach, Calif. Sr. Stanford K.J. Hippensteel Roanoke, Va. So. Stanford Alex Kim Potomac, Md. Jr. Stanford Jeff Morrison Huntington, W.Va. Jr. Florida Ryan Sachire Canfield, Ohio Sr. Notre Dame Brian Vahaly Atlanta, Ga. Jr. Virginia
Women: Adria Engel Glenn Ellyn, Ill. Fr. Wake Forest, Marissa Irvin Santa Monica, Calif. So. Stanford Laura Granville Chicago, Ill. Fr. Stanford Kristina KraszewskiTorrance, Calif. Jr. Univ. of Washington Whitney Laiho Newport, R.I. Jr. Florida Sara Walker El Paso, Texas Fr. UCLA
The women's team will be coached by Shiela McInerney of Arizona State and the men's teams by Tim Cass of Texas A&M.
The USA Tennis Collegiate Team, an elite training program for the top American collegiate tennis players, is administered by the USTA and ITA and is designed to provide players with valuable exposure to the professional circuit in a team oriented environment.
The 2000 men's team begins play June 12 in Berkeley, California and the women's team June 15 in Easton, Md. They will also play in four additional tournaments and have the option to play in the August 9-13 ITA National Summer Championships.