Tennis 2014 | Syracusefan.com

Tennis 2014

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http://cuse.com/news/2014/6/24/TENNIS_0624143530.aspx?path=Tennis#.VCFXZLktC1s

6/24/2014 2:28:00 PM
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Syracuse University Director of Athletics Dr. Daryl Gross announced on Tuesday that Younes Limam has been named head coach of the Orange women's tennis program. A respected coach and recruiter, he comes to Syracuse after serving as assistant coach at Rice University the last five seasons.

"Coach Limam has an incredible reputation as a rising superstar in NCAA tennis coaching," Dr. Gross said. "He comes to us highly regarded by his peers with a superb reputation in coaching, recruiting and building championship programs. His global approach to every aspect of tennis has helped lead Rice University to recent success. His reputation as a wonderful character person and teacher is obvious. We believe he will be outstanding in growing Syracuse tennis and competing for championships while graduating our student-athletes."

The 2011 ITA Assistant Coach of the Year in the Texas Region, Limam played a vital role in turning Rice into a national power over the course of the last five seasons as the Owls went from being unranked to being consistently ranked in the top 20 nationally, winning back-to-back Conference USA titles, and reaching at least the NCAA round of 32 each of the last three years, including a Sweet Sixteen appearance in 2012.
Limam_300_web.jpg

Younes Limam

"I am honored to become Syracuse's head women's tennis coach and join an athletic department full of hall of fame coaches and an amazing staff," Limam said. "I want to thank Dr. Gross and Dr. Baumgartner for this opportunity. They made me feel at home from the moment I arrived on campus."

As Rice's recruiting coordinator, Limam was responsible for bringing top talent – regionally, nationally and internationally – to the Owls. His recruits included 2013 All-American and two-time NCAA qualifier Natalie Beazant (England), 2013 NCAA singles qualifier and Canada's No. 2-ranked junior Dominique Harmath, No. 35 world junior ranked Katherine Ip (Hong Kong), and five-star recruit domestic recruits Savannah Durkin (No. 19 nationally ranked) and Alison Ho (No. 26 nationally ranked).

Rice compiled a combined record of 85-40 (.680) in Limam's five seasons in Houston, including a stellar 57-21 (.731) over the last three campaigns, each of which included NCAA victories.

Limam is coming off an 18-8 season with the Owls in 2014 in which they were ranked in the top 20 nationally, won the Conference USA Championship in decisive fashion and recorded a victory in the NCAA Championship to reach the second round.

In 2013, Rice went 21-5, its most wins in 31 years, was ranked in the top 20, won the C-USA title, advanced to the NCAA second round and had a singles player (Beazant) reach the NCAA quarterfinals.

In 2012, Limam's third season at Rice, the Owls went 18-9 and after winning its NCAA first round match, upset No. 16 Ole Miss to reach the Sweet Sixteen.

The 2011 Rice Owls went 14-10 with Limam winning the ITA Texas Region Assistant Coach of the Year honor in his second season with the program after helping lead the Owls to a 14-9 mark and season-high ranking of No. 31 in his first season in 2010.

Prior to being hired at Rice in 2009, Limam served as assistant coach at Texas-Arlington from 2007-09 and was a graduate assistant at Central Oklahoma from 2004-06. In his last season with the Mavericks in 2009, they went a perfect 11-0 to win the Southland Conference title and advanced to the NCAA Championship.

An accomplished player, Limam played at Drury University from 2000-03, posting an 87-17 singles record, placing him second in victories in school history. He helped lead the Panthers to an NCAA Division II runner-up finish in 2002 and was a three-time All-Heartland Conference selection (2001-03). Drury finished in the top five in Division II all four years of his career.

Limam also has experience playing on both professional and junior circuits. He was ranked in the top three in Morocco junior categories and was a member of the Moroccan Junior National Team from 1994-98.

Limam graduated from Drury University in 2003 with a degree in business administration. He received his Master's Degree in 2006 in business administration from Central Oklahoma in 2006.

Syracuse is coming off a 5-15 season in 2014 in which 18 of its 20 matches were against ITA ranked teams, including a 5-9 mark in its first ACC campaign. The Orange, under interim head coach Shelley George (who will remain on staff), set a program record with four wins over ITA top 75 teams, including the program's second win over a top 25 team since 2000.

"Together, Shelley (George) and I will work tirelessly to provide our student-athletes a positive environment that will not only help them succeed on the court and in the classroom, but also prepare them to become successful in their endeavors after college," Limam said. "My family and I cannot wait to meet the team and call Syracuse our new home."
 
http://cuse.com/news/2014/9/19/TENNIS_0919142917.aspx?path=Tennis#.VCFXubktC1s


9/19/2014 2:16:00 PM
The tennis team begin its fall season this weekend, when a pair of student-athletes head to Amelia Island, Fla. for the first tournament of the fall.

Seven different tournaments highlight the fall slate beginning this weekend and ending with the Harvard Invitational Nov. 7.

Sophomore Rhiann Newborn and Senior Amanda Rodgers will be starting off the season for the Orange at Amelia Island on Sunday. The rest of the team will begin competition the following weekend at the West Point Invitational in New York.

"The fall season is a great opportunity to get as many competitive matches as possible, and work on things that need to be improved," said head coach Younes Limam. "The ladies have worked extremely hard the last few weeks, and they cannot wait to start competing."

The Orange will head to the ITA Northeast Regionals in Connecticut beginning Oct. 16, travel north to Toronto Oct. 25 before heading to Texas on Halloween for the Houston Classic.

Pending fall results, a few 'Cuse student-athletes may compete the USTA/ITA National Indoor Championship in New York on November 6 before SU closes out its schedule at the Harvard Invitational on November 7.

The Orange return six student-athletes from last year's team and welcome freshman Nicole Mitchell to the roster for the 2014-15 campaign.
 
Tennis Sweeps Singles at West Point Invite
Orange combine for a 22-2 record on the weekend
Syracuse found its way to the top of the podium often at this weekend's Army Invitational, with four members of the Orange taking the crown in the four singles flights and the doubles tandem of senior Komal Safdar and sophomore Valeria Salazar winning the first doubles flight.

Syracuse went a combined 22-2 on the weekend, with a member of the Orange winning each of the singles flights along with one of the two doubles flights.

In addition to her doubles win, Salazar also took the first singles flight after being seeded second in the bracket, by rolling through all five matches while only dropping two sets.

Breanna Bachini, who was slotted as the fifth seed entering the tournament, won the second singles by defeating the top-two seeds (Yana Kikolaeva of Stony Brook and Ana Yrazusta of UMass) in consecutive matches to finish off the weekend.

In addition to her success in doubles, 'Cuse's Komal Safdar took the third singles by defeating Cassandra Dix of Stony Brook (4-6; 6-1; 10-7) in the championship, before freshman Nicole Mitchell completed the Orange's singles sweep by running through all-five of her matches in straight sets.

"It was great to see their hard work pay off this weekend," said head coach Younes Limam. "They played with so much heart and passion. Breanna and Valeria saved several match points before ending up winning their flights. Komal came back from a set down in the final to win her flight, and Nicole being a freshman and dominating her draw was impressive. In doubles, seeing Komal and Valeria playing together for the first time and winning the tournament was great.

"As coaches we could not be more proud of their effort this weekend."

The Orange will return to action at the ITA Northeast Regionals in Connecticut on Thursday, Oct. 16.
 

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