Athletic Report
June 4, 2001

LAYLA TURNER NAMED ALL-AMERICAN BY INTERCOLLEGIATE TENNIS ASSOCIATION

PORTALES, NM — Eastern New Mexico University women’s tennis player Layla Turner (Jr., Casa Grande, AZ/Casa Grande Union H.S.) has been named to the 2001 NCAA Division II All-American Team by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. Turner was one of just 27 athletes named to the team.

Players named to the All-American Team had to be ranked in the Top 20 in singles or the Top 10 in doubles in the final NCAA Division II Rankings for the 2000-01 season. Turner was ranked #18 in singles. Turner became Eastern’s first ever on-the-court All-American in women’s tennis.

Last year, Julie Stiles (Roswell, NM/Goddard H.S.) completed her senior season by being selected as an ITA Scholar-Athlete All-American for her efforts both on the court and in the classroom. Turner will be eligible for a similar honor as a senior in 2001-02.

Turner was ranked as high as #4 in singles after placing fourth at the ITA/Rolex National Tournament in Memphis, Tenn., last fall. Turner and doubles partner Bethanie Nix (Fr., Spring, TX/ Newman Smith H.S.) were ranked #13 nationally following the fall season, and finished the year ranked sixth in the Midwest Region.

During the 2000-01 season, Turner went 17-4 in singles and 13-7 in doubles. She achieved an 11-6 record paired with Nix and was 2-1 paired with Lisa Weinman (So., Albuquerque, NM/ West Mesa H.S.). Turner helped the Zias finish the season with a 10-8 dual match record, while earning their fifth consecutive NCAA Division II National Tournament berth and claiming fourth place at the LSC Tournament.

ENMU competed at the Midwest Regional in Topeka, Kan., where the Zias defeated Washburn University, 5-1, before losing to Ferris State University (Mich.), 5-0, in the Regional championship match. In three seasons, Turner has produced a 71-14 (.835) career record in singles and a 64-24 (.729) career record in doubles.

She has been nationally ranked all three seasons, and has qualified for the prestigious ITA/Rolex National Tournament twice.In 1999-00, she placed fifth in doubles and sixth in singles at the National Rolex. This past fall, she not only placed fourth in singles at the National Rolex, but also paired with Nix to reach the championship match of the ITA/Rolex Regional Tournament.

ENMU Head Coach Christine Blaeser, who has coached the Zias for 11 season, has guided Eastern to an 88-64 (.579) record the past seven years. The Zias have earned a 46-22 (.676) record since Turner’s freshman year in 1998-99.