Athletic Report
April 26, 2000

ZIA TENNIS TEAM SELECTED FOR
4TH STRAIGHT NCAA TOURNAMENT
ENMU is Seeded #1 for Regional in Edmond, Oklahoma
PORTALES, NM — The Eastern New Mexico University women’s tennis team, ranked #18 nationally, has been selected for the NCAA Division II National Tournament for the fourth consecutive year. The Zias are seeded #1 in the four-team Midwest Regional to be held May 5-6 or May 6-7 in Edmond, Okla. Dates and times have not been finalized.

ENMU, 12-3, will open the tournament against the host team, 4th-seeded Central Oklahoma. The other semifinal match in the Regional Tournament will pit Truman State (Mo.) against Northern Kentucky. The semifinal winners will meet in the Regional Championship match, with the winner advancing to the 16-team National Finals, May 11-14 in Pensacola, Fla.

The National Tournament will include a maximum of 64 teams. Each of 16 Regionals will have three or four teams. There will be five South Regional sites, four Midwest Regional sites, four East Regional sites and three West Regional sites.

NCAA Tournament bids were awarded today in the Midwest, East and West Regions. South Region selections will be announced on Monday, May 1.

ZIAS TO COMPETE AT LSC CHAMPIONSHIPS ENMU
will compete at the Lone Star Conference Tennis Championships in Wichita Falls, Texas, this weekend. ENMU is seeded #2 behind #1 seed Abilene Christian. Action gets underway on Thursday, Apr. 27 and continues on Friday, Apr. 28.

The Zias have received a first round bye at the LSC Championships, and will play in the quarterfinals at 2:00 p.m. (CDT) on Thursday, against the winner of the first round match between Harding University (Ark.) and Texas Woman’s University. The semifinals are set for 9:00 a.m. (CDT) on Friday, with the championship match scheduled for 2:00 p.m. (CDT) on Friday.

ENMU, which enters the Regional Tournament with a .750 dual match winning percentage, the best in school history, is led by sophomore #1 singles player Layla Turner (Casa Grande, AZ/Casa Grande Union H.S.). Turner is 21-5 on the season and ranked #29 nationally in singles. Turner and senior Julie Stiles (Roswell, NM/Goddard H.S.), are 21-2 and ranked #12 in the nation.

Head Coach Christine Blaeser is in her 10th season at ENMU. She has guided the Zias to NCAA Regional Tournaments at Northern Colorado in 1997, at Abilene Christian in 1998, and at Central Oklahoma last year. The Zias were defeated in the first round in 1998 and in the Regional Championship match in 1997 and 1999.