June 10, 2011

MEMPHIS, Tenn.-- Memphis sophomore Courtney Collins finished the 2011 season ranked as the 116th singles player in the country, according to the season-end Intercollegiate Tennis Association polls released this week.

Collins, a native of Fulton, Miss., also was ranked eighth in singles in the Ohio Valley region, while teammate Mariya Slupska, from Kiev, Ukraine, broke into the regional rankings at No. 14. Collins and Slupska both garnered Conference USA post-season accolades with Collins being selected to the All-C-USA first team and Slupska to the third team in addition to being named the league's Newcomer of the Year.

"Having Courtney finish in the national rankings is very important for next year's pre-season rankings," head coach Lee Taylor Walker said. "She and Masha could both be automatic qualifiers into All-American national championships in the fall and that's something we have never had a guarantee of in the past."

Having started the 2011 season ranked ninth in the Ohio Valley region, Collins became the first nationally-ranked women's netter in school history at the U of M when she entered the ITA rankings on Feb. 14 and climbing as high as No. 106.

She is currently getting ready to travel to China as a member of Team USA competing at the World University Games this August, wrapped up 2011 with an 18-6 note and improving her to a 35-15 career singles mark at Memphis.

Slupska lead the squad in singles wins with her 19-6 overall record and her biggest win came against then 57th-ranked Shinann Featherston of No. 5 UNC in Chapel Hill.

"Our team is getting better and better," Coach Walker said. "We are returning our starting lineup and adding two more student athletes so if the team works hard and continues to enjoy improving, next year we will be at spring NCAA team and individual championships in May. I am proud of the entire team and happy for Courtney and Masha."