Sept. 10, 2009
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina women’s tennis team will open its 2009 fall campaign Friday in Nashville, Tenn., when it begins play in the SEC Fall Coaches Classic.
South Carolina looks to continue the momentum it gained during last season’s NCAA Championships when it reached the team quarterfinals, sent two players to the NCAA Singles Championship and one duo to the NCAA Doubles Championship. Senior Ana Marija Zubori headlines the Gamecocks’ three returners from last year and earned a No. 29 national ranking this fall. Zubori went 23-4 playing No. 2 singles in the lineup last year and earned All-SEC First Team honors. Overall, Zubori went 31-7 in singles and 20-16 in doubles.
Miljana Jocic returns for her junior campaign after a strong finish to the 2009 season. Jocic ended the season winning six of nine singles matches and posted a 6-4 record in SEC contests. In doubles, she and 2009 senior Gira Schofield won eight straight to end the season and were a perfect 4-0 in the NCAA Championship at the second position. She and Schofield earned a No. 72 national ranking in doubles at season’s end. Jocic recorded a 16-16 overall record in singles and was 22-13 in doubles.
Dijana Stojic is South Carolina’s lone sophomore and played a key role in the team’s run to the quarterfinals last season. After a slow start during the spring, Stojic won 13 of her final 15 matches to post a 15-6 record in singles. Stojic played primarily at No. 3 singles and No. 3 doubles with 2009 senior Suzanna Mansour. Stojic and Mansour posted an 8-4 record together and were 4-0 in the NCAA Championship. Stojic earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors once last spring and is ranked No. 114 this fall.
Four newcomers are on the Gamecocks’ roster this season including three freshmen who are Josefin Andersson of Sweden, Adriana Pereira of Paraguay and Marharyta Maisak of Belarus. Sophomore Anna Morgina from Russia is a transfer who spent the 2008-09 season playing for Indiana State.
