Feb. 15, 2011
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Texas A&M sophomore Nazari Urbina is ranked a career-high No. 11 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) national singles rankings, released on Monday.
The No. 11 singles ranking is the highest by an A&M player since All-American Lynn Staley was ranked No. 10 on Sept. 18, 1991. In addition, the No. 11 ranking currently makes Urbina the highest ranked singles player in the Big 12 Conference.
Urbina (Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico), whose previous career high was No. 17 in the Jan. 4 preseason rankings, is riding a four-match winning streak and is 16-4 overall, including 4-1 in dual matches all at the No. 1 line. She is 10-4 against nationally ranked players in 2010-11, with three of her four losses coming against players who are currently ranked in the top seven.
"Nazari is having a great season and she is still early in a career in which she has the chance to go down as one of the greatest players in A&M history" Aggie head coach Bobby Kleinecke said. "Right now she is still competing even when she is not at the top of her game, and she is able to overcome the adversity. She is very balanced and humble and understands that hard work pays off. And although the high ranking is fun, it is definitely not what is driving her."
The Aggies (3-2) remain No. 33 in the ITA team rankings, which are determined by a committee vote until the first computerized ranking is released on March 1.
A&M defeated No. 54 TCU, 6-1, on Saturday and doesn't return to action until Thursday, Feb. 24 when the Aggies host No. 62 Fresno State. First serve against the Bulldogs is set for 6 p.m. at the George P. Mitchell Tennis Center.