Sports Release
April 28, 1999

EASTERN NEW MEXICO WOMEN’S TENNIS TEAM SELECTED FOR 3RD STRAIGHT NCAA REGIONAL
PORTALES, NM — The Eastern New Mexico University women’s tennis team has been selected to compete in an NCAA Division II Regional Tournament for the third consecutive year.

The Zias will travel to Edmond, Okla. for a Midwest Regional hosted by Central Oklahoma, May 7-8. Central Oklahoma, 17-5 overall and ranked #13 in NCAA Division II, is seeded #1 for the Regional. ENMU, 19-8 and ranked #19, is seeded #2. Midwestern State (Texas), 16-6 and ranked #35, is seeded #3. Missouri Southern, 11-3 and unranked, is seeded #4.

The Regional opens Fri., Apr 7 with ENMU taking on Midwestern State and Central Oklahoma playing Missouri Southern. The Regional Championship match will be played on Sat., Apr. 8, with the winner advancing to the 16-team NCAA Division II National Finals, May 13-16 in Pensacola, Fla. ENMU, which enters the Regional with its best dual match record in school history, is led by freshman #1 singles player Layla Turner (Casa Grande, AZ/Casa Grande Union H.S.).

Turner is 28-5 on the season and ranked #27 nationally in singles. Turner and her doubles partner, junior Julie Stiles (Roswell, NM/Goddard H.S.), are 22-10 overall and ranked #24 in the nation. Turner is ranked #5 and Stiles is ranked #17 in the Midwest Region in singles. Stiles is 23-7 overall. Turner and Stiles are ranked #6 in the Region in doubles.

Head Coach Christine Blaeser is in her ninth season at ENMU. She guided the Zias to an NCAA Regional Tournament at Northern Colorado in 1997 and to an NCAA Regional Tournament at Abilene Christian in 1998. The Zias defeated Southern Colorado, 5-1, before losing to Northern Colorado, 5-1, in 1997. ENMU was defeated by top-seeded Abilene Christian, 5-0, in the first round in 1998.