Athletic Report
December 6,2000

ENMU WOMEN’S TENNIS HONORS PLAYERS AT APPRECIATION DINNNER
PORTALES, NM — The Eastern New Mexico University women’s tennis team held its annual appreciation dinner, Nov. 28 at the Cattle Baron Restaurant in Portales, N.M. Head Coach Christine Blaeser and ENMU Director of Athletics Rosie Stallman honored the Zias for their accomplishments during the Spring 2000 and Fall 2000 seasons.

Heading the list of honorees was this year’s top player, Layla Turner (Jr., Casa Grande, AZ/ Casa Grande Union H.S.), plus student assistant coach Julie Stiles, who played #2 singles for the Zias for four seasons and was Turner’s doubles partner the past two years. Stiles, from Roswell, N.M. (Goddard H.S.) finished her ENMU career with a 70-20 (.778) singles record and a 71-33 (.683) doubles mark. Her overall career record was 141-53 (.727).

Turner is on target to achieve equally impressive career records. Heading into the 2000-01 season, she had a two-year record of 54-10 (.844) in singles to go with a 51-17 (.750) overall record in doubles. She had a combined overall mark of 105-27 (.795).

Turner and Stiles led ENMU to its best season ever in 1999-2000. The Zias finished the year at 16-5 for the top winning percentage in school history (.762). ENMU won the NCAA Midwest Regional in Edmond, Okla., and advanced to the NCAA Division II National Finals for the first time ever.

The Zias finished the season ranked #11 nationally in NCAA Division II. Turner earned a #23 national singles ranking and teamed with Stiles for a #11 national doubles ranking. ENMU took second place in the Lone Star Conference behind 7th-ranked Abilene Christian.

Stiles earned Scholar-Athlete recognition from the Intercollegiate Tennis Association for her success in the classroom, and was also chosen as an ITA Scholar-Athlete All-American. Turner was voted to the LSC South All-Academic Team, and was joined by Stiles on the LSC South Commissioner’s Honor Roll. The ENMU squad was honored as an ITA All-Academic Team for the academic accomplishments of its players. Just 16 teams out of 215 in NCAA Division II received the All-Academic Team distinction.

This fall, the Zias earned a #8 national ranking, the highest ranking in the history of the ENMU women’s tennis team. Turner, who took 4th place at the ITA/Rolex National Tournament for NCAA Division II, earned a #4 national ranking. Turner and freshman Bethanie Nix (Fr., Birmingham, AL/Newman Smith H.S.) finished the fall ranked #13 nationally in doubles.

In the rankings for the NCAA Division II Midwest Region, ENMU is ranked #2 behind Abilene Christian. Turner is ranked #1 in the Region in singles. Turner and Nix are ranked #4 in the Region in doubles.

Turner, Stiles, Sarah Salazar (So., Albuquerque, NM/Saint Pius X), and former player Mandy Wells qualified for the ENMU Athletic Honor Roll both semesters during the 1999-2000 academic year. Sarah Pennington (Jr., Sweetwater, TX/Sweetwater H.S.) qualified for the ENMU Athletic Honor Roll during Fall 1999.

Blaeser concluded the 1999-2000 season with a 87-103 record over 10 seasons as the Zias’ head coach. She had achieved a 78-56 record since 1994-95 (6 seasons).