May 5, 2010
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Elzé Potgieter and Nazari Urbina with both represent Texas A&M at the NCAA Division I Women's Singles Championships, the NCAA announced today. It marks the first time in school history A&M has sent two players to compete for the national singles title.
"Both Elzé and Nazari have been instrumental in the success we've had all year, and I'm happy for them that they get to continue on and have a shot for All-American honors," A&M coach Bobby Kleinecke said. "They are both very capable, and this is a great opportunity for them.
"This also is historic for Texas A&M, and I'm very proud of them for making it happen. To play in the NCAAs has been a goal of theirs, and I'm pleased they get the opportunity. They just need to continue to work hard, hopefully get a good draw and give it their best shot."
Potgieter, a senior from Bloemfontein, South Africa, and Urbina, a freshman from Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico, also are listed as alternates in the NCAA Division I Women's Doubles Championships.
Sixty-four singles players and 32 doubles teams will compete May 26-31 at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex in Athens, Ga. This is the first year A&M has been represented in the individual championships since 2007, when Anna Lubinsky competed in singles and Sarah Foster and Tiffany Clifford competed in doubles.
Urbina, the Big 12 Conference No. 2 singles champion with a 10-0 record, has been listed in every ITA National Singles Rankings that has been published this spring, having been ranked as high as No. 47 and currently listed No. 51. She leads A&M players with a 31-5 overall record, including 20-2 in dual matches only. Her 31 wins ties for fourth in the A&M all-time season records for singles victories.
The Big 12 Player of the Week on April 13, Urbina is 1-1 at No. 1 singles, 14-0 at No. 2 and 5-1 at No. 3. She is 8-3 against nationally ranked players, including a straight-set 6-3, 6-4 victory over 18th-ranked Nina Secerbegovic of Baylor on April 14, and she enters the NCAA tournament having won each of her last eight matches.
Potgieter is currently ranked No. 56 in the nation in singles and has been ranked as high as No. 33 this season. She played all but three matches at the No. 1 line, where she is 11-10. Potgieter, who opened the spring season with a 7-5, 6-4 victory over then-No. 9 Josipa Bek of Clemson, is 20-14 overall, and her 90 career victories ranks seventh in the A&M records.
In doubles, Potgieter and Urbina have been ranked as high as No. 29 this spring, and the pair is currently No. 34 after going 13-7 at the No. 1 line. They are 16-8 overall, 4-5 against nationally ranked doubles teams, and advanced to the semifinals of the ITA Texas Regional in the fall.
Potgieter and Urbina have led A&M (14-9) to its 11th consecutive bid to the NCAA Women's Tennis Team Championships. The Aggies face the University of South Florida, Friday, May 14 at the Neil Schiff Tennis Stadium on the University of Miami campus in Coral Gables, Fla.
The singles and doubles draws will announced after the conclusion of the team championships.