Women have 8 scholarship players for first time since '98

After a season of grinding through overmatched squads with injured players, the historically dominant IU women's tennis team is reloaded and ready for action in its 2003 campaign.\nComing off a disappointing 9-16 season in 2002-2003, the Hoosiers have returned with a balanced combination of seasoned upperclassmen and promising freshmen, a recipe which Coach Lin Loring has guided to 15 Big Ten Championships in 25 years.\n"We've got our top players back from last year and we've got some very good players coming in," Loring said. "This will really be the first time since '98 we've been playing with all 8 scholarship players."\nHeading the charge for the cream and crimson will be the trio of senior co-captains Martina Grimm, Karie Schlukebir, and Linda Tran.\nTran, the returning No. 1 singles and doubles player brings experience and leadership to a squad that has taken some lumps over the past few years. The Grand Rapids, Mich., standout arrived back to campus after an impressive showing at the ITA Summer Championships, where she teamed with Florida's Trey Johnson to win the mixed doubles title.\nPairing with Tran in women's doubles competition at the ITA Championships was fellow classmate Schlukebir. The duo made a strong run in the tourney to finish runner-up for the second straight year, losing 8-4. But regardless of the outcome of the match, the Hoosier captains know their summer competition will help them greatly in returning IU tennis to dominance.\n"We had six girls on the team playing in the Summer Nationals," Loring said. "I think we did very well, and the girls are coming back in great tennis shape. So, I'm really excited about what's ahead."\nThe third captain donning cream and crimson this year hails from Ellwangen, Germany. Grimm, a senior telecom major returns from a season of playing No. 3 singles and No. 2 doubles. Also coming off an impressive summer of competition, Grimm finished in the doubles semifinals at the ITA Championships with teammate Sarah Batty, and hopes to continue her success in Big Ten play. \nDuring the 2001-2 season, Grimm played at the No. 6 singles position. But because of a squad riddled with injuries in 2002-3, Grimm moved up to No. 3, where she held nearly the same record she posted one year earlier.\n"That is such a tough jump to make (from No. 6 singles to No. 3)," said Loring. "Martina improved tremendously, even though it was a tough season.The girls that were healthy played really well. We just didn't have enough people to put on the court to win a match."\nThis year, Loring's personnel problems have been solved with the arrival of four strong hitters. At the top of the incoming class is sophomore Michigan State transfer Dora Vastag. Vastag, the former No. 1 Spartan singles player, enters into her sophomore season of eligibility and hopes to add both strong singles and doubles play to the Hoosier squad.\n"We have the people that should have been numbers one through five last year back," Loring said. "And we have four new players who are all capable of being starters. So we should have a real dogfight at positions four, five and six."\nHoping to battle for these positions are incoming freshmen Laura McGaffigan, Kara Zeder and Cecile Perton.\n"We're going to have to show improvement over the year in singles competition. Our doubles play has been strong, but if we're a better singles team in April than we are in November, we will have a real good chance of competing for the Big Ten title. We have to show steady, constant improvement in singles. That will be the key," Loring said.\nContact staff writer Jeff Fuldauer at jfuldaue@indiana.edu.