Jan. 27, 2004

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The goals for Maryland women's tennis coach Martin Novak are very simple this season: bring his team onto the national scene and establish Maryland women's tennis as a power in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

The task may seem daunting with a schedule that includes 14 nationally-ranked teams by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA). The Terps conference stretch will prove to be difficult with the ACC boasting numerous national tennis powerhouses. "Our schedule is as strong and challenging as any. We have to step up and compete well every time out," says Novak.

Now in his third year as the Terps head coach, Novak looks to mold his group of talented women into a unit capable of challenging some of the nation's toughest teams both in the conference and around the nation.

"The team knows more what to expect and what it will take to be successful in the ACC and nationally," said Novak.

With a core of five experienced and motivated returnees from the 2002-03 campaign, along with a solid addition of three talented and eager freshmen, the Terps are poised to build upon strides made during the spring and fall season.

The Terps are coming off of a strong fall season which saw a number of winning combinations through out various tournaments. The Terrapins have good depth in both singles and doubles and are overall a more mature, skilled and competitive team than in previous years.

The freshmen class, consisting of Marianne Baker (Glenelg, Md.), Brooke Rogers (Timonium, Md.) and Masha Senic (Glenmont, N.Y.), made an immediate impact during fall play. Baker's play lived up to her billing. She wasted no time capturing her first career singles title in her first collegiate tournament. She clinched the Flight B singles title at the Maryland Invitational, as well streaking to five straight doubles wins with partner Emily Marker.

Rogers and Senic are ready to prove themselves in singles and doubles action and have added depth to the Terrapin lineup throughout the fall season. Both made appearances in the doubles lineup at the ITA East Regional.

Maryland looses just one player form the 2002-2003 squad and returns instrumental senior leaders Chloe Chavardes (St. Noblabreteche, France) and Emily Marker (Ann Arbor, Mich.). "Our seniors are good leaders and have a strong influence on all of us," speaks Novak about his co-captains for the 2004 season.

Chavares is back for her final season as a Terp. She participated with the team in two tournaments this fall, and found success at the Maryland Invitational where she claimed the flight B singles backdraw and the flight A backdraw with doubles partner Brooke Rogers.

The trio of Jennifer Dent (Safety Harbor, Fla.), Andreea Fusea (Bucharest, Romania) and Ramona But (Timisoara, Romania) now have an important year of experience under their belt and will be instrumental in producing positive results in the Terp lineup. Dent has much improved since her first season as a Terp, and has spent time in the top half of the Terrapin lineup. She finished the fall season with a 4-3 record. Fusea finished third in Flight B at the Maryland Invitational, as well as representing the Terps in the singles line up at regionals.

Taking the ACC by surprise in 2003 was newcomer Ramona But. The All-ACC selection posted a team-high 19 singles victories during her freshman year. After achieving an ITA ranking of 61 in the fall, she advanced to the semifinals of the ITA East Regional tournament. The sophomore played as one of the top players in the nation with her No. 11 seeding at regionals. Heading into the spring she is ranked No. 58 nationally.

The Terps made a strong showing at regionals with But and Marker being two of the four players contending for the regional title. Senior Emily Marker made it to the finals, but was forced to settle for second place. With her appearance in the title match, Marker also qualified for National Indoors.

Because Marker started out her senior year with a preseason ranking of 71, she was also invited to participate in the Riviera/ITA Women's All-American Championships.

The Riviera which is the premier hard court event of the fall season, along with National Indoors, make up two of the three national collegiate tennis tournaments during the 2003-04 tennis season. The third national tennis championship tournament is the season ending NCAA Championships held in May. Marker ended the fall season with an 11-5 mark.

Expect Marker, ranked No. 44 nationally this spring, and the rest of Maryland women's tennis team to turn heads this season in the face of a challenging schedule.

Maryland opens their spring season ranked No. 75 by the ITA. The Terps' sights are set on two days full of competitive tennis action in Lexington, Kentucky this weekend.

The Terps begin their 2004 schedule on the road, facing off against No. 24 Texas A&M on Saturday, January 31, at 11 a.m., before meeting host No. 15 Kentucky, on Sunday, February 1, at 2 p.m. All matches will take place at UK's Hilary J. Boone Tennis Complex.