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The Michigan women's tennis team enters this weekend's Big Ten Tournament as the top seed, relying on chemistry rather than a big-name line-up. (University of Michigan photo)
There may have been a point earlier this season when the
Michigan women's tennis team could have flown under the radar.
The Wolverines lineup boasts only three nationally-ranked players and, unlike many of the nation's other top-ranked teams, doesn't include any foreign-born players.
But the Wolverines aren't secrets anymore. They're ranked No. 4 in the country, regular-season Big Ten champs and the top seed entering this weekend's conference championships at Iowa.
How the Wolverines got here speaks to the way they jelled, rather than lean on the same ingredients as other top-shelf programs.
"Tennis is such an individual sport, but I feel like these girls are very comfortable with each other and they want to do it for each other," third-year coach Ronni Bernstein said. "There's no inner-competitiveness. When they go the court wherever they're playing, they want to come off the court with a win for the team and for Michigan.
"Us being ranked where we are is a total team effort. It's definitely not one player that has gotten us to No. 4 in the country or the Big Ten championship. This team - top to bottom - is contributing."
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Michigan has compiled a 20-3 record despite only having one nationally-ranked singles player, Denise Muresan, who is ranked 20th. (University of Michigan photo)
Michigan finished the regular season with a 20-3 record and won all 10 of its Big Ten matches. In the process, the Wolverines ended Northwestern's 81-match Big Ten win streak and knocked off Baylor, which now sits atop the national polls.Â
The Wolverines haven't lost for two months and ride a wave of momentum into the Big Ten championships, at which they'll face eighth-seeded Wisconsin on Friday morning.
While some of the components that go into building a championship-caliber team existed from the start, other facets were developed over time, making Michigan's climb up the national rankings even more special for those inside the program.
"We've proven ourselves a lot this year," said junior Whitney Taney, who along with doubles partner Rika Tatsuno, is ranked No. 23 in the country. "We're a team that's going to come out and compete and fight and show what we can do."
Perhaps no other win this season showcased Michigan's can-do attitude than its 4-3 victory over then-No. 4 ranked Northwestern. The win over the Wildcats was Michigan's first since 1997.
It provided a groundswell of confidence that led to Michigan's unblemished conference run that now has the Wolverines believing they can compete for an NCAA championship.
Now, a team that was unsure of at the start of the season is playing its best tennis, confident that its regular-season conference title is just the beginning.
"I don't know if other teams were expecting us to be ranked so high, but that just goes to show just how hard every single person on the team has worked," junior Denise Muresan said.
Unlike other title contenders, Michigan has built its team from the ground up, relying on freshman Mimi Nguyen to anchor its singles line-p while more experienced players have filled out the rest of the Wolverines' lineup.
Muresan is Michigan's only nationally-ranked singles player, holding down the 20th spot while needing only two wins to set a new single-season school record for victories (34). Despite their lack of star power, the Wolverines have remained focus on their own development rather than how is stacks up against the nation's best.
"It's a special team," Taney said. "That's more of what it is - every single court competes and we're just all kind of grinders that will give it our all when we're out there."
Bernstein agreed.
"We want to go far," Bernstein said. "The second round (of the NCAA Tournament) is the farthest we've gone, so we want to push farther and I think we've got a shot. We need to make sure everyone's playing their best.
"It just can't be three (players). It has to be all six. But we have to play in that moment and I don't think after the year we've had and the teams we've beat, when we get to that position, we're not going to be scared. I think we're going to believe."
Jeff Arnold covers sports for AnnArbor.com and can be reached at (734) 623-2554 or by e-mail at jeffarnold@annarbor.com. Follow him on Twitter @jeffreyparnold.
Comments
Rick
Fri, Apr 30, 2010 : 7:58 a.m.
The tournament is at Iowa this year.
Geoff Larcom
Thu, Apr 29, 2010 : 3:52 p.m.
Does this story mention where the Big Ten Tournament is being played?