June 17, 2005

CORAL GABLES, Fla. - All-American tennis standout Audra Cohen will transfer to the University of Miami for the 2005-06 season, head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews announced on Friday. South Alabama transfer Ana Rupic and incoming freshman Monika Dancevic round out the Hurricanes' 2005 recruiting class.

Cohen, a sophomore transfer from Northwestern, had a remarkable freshman season where she earned All-American honors in both singles and doubles and was named the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Rookie of the Year. In her inaugural collegiate campaign, Cohen reached the finals of the NCAA Singles Championship as well as the semifinal of the NCAA Doubles Championship.

"Cohen is one of the most dynamic players in college tennis," said Yaroshuk-Tews. "I'm excited to have an addition that possesses so much positive energy and fire."

Cohen, who was ranked No. 1 in singles and doubles at various points throughout the season, finished ranked No. 3 in the final ITA singles rankings behind the Hurricanes' Megan Bradley and Clemson's Julie Coin, both seniors. In doubles, Cohen finished ranked second by the ITA alongside former teammate Cristelle Grier.

The Plantation, Fla. native, opened her collegiate career winning her first 23 singles matches and posted a 51-7 overall singles record this season. Cohen became one of only eight players to record at least 50 victories in the modern era of NCAA Division I Women's Tennis (since 1988) and her 51 wins ties her for third all-time.

Cohen captured the Riviera/ITA All-American singles title in October and teamed with Grier to win the doubles title at the ITA National Indoor Championships in November. Among her many accolades this season, Cohen was named the ITA Midwest Regional Rookie of the Year, an All-BIG Ten selection and the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and Athlete of the Year.

Also transferring to Miami is Ana Rupic who comes to Coral Gables via South Alabama where she spent her first two seasons.

Rupic, a native of Split, Croatia was the only USA player to be named to the All-Sun Belt team. She posted 18-15 singles record and an 8-6 doubles mark her sophomore season and was ranked as high at 78^th by the ITA.

During the fall, Rupic advanced to the finals of the "B" Singles Draw in the ITA South Region Championships. She also had wins over opponents ranked in the ITA's Top 75 at the No. 1 and No 2 positions in the lineup.

As a freshman, Rupic compiled a 22-11 overall record playing in the No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6 positions.

Rupic was ranked as high as second in Croatia during her junior career where she competed in various tournaments in her native Croatia and places like Austria and Yugoslavia. She held a career-high world International Tennis Federation (ITF) ranking of 760. During her junior career, Rupic claimed a victory over a player ranked in the Top 100.

Incoming freshman Monika Dancevic brings to Coral Gables an impressive junior resume. In 2002, the Niagara Falls, Ontario native, was ranked No. 1 in Canada in juniors and in the under 18 group. Over the past year, Dancevic has competed and won open tournaments in Canada and has gained valuable experience playing in the ITF circuit in Europe and in Latin America.

In 2002, Dancevic claimed the Girl's 18-under singles and doubles titles at the Canadian Outdoor Championships. In 2003, she won the doubles title and reached the singles final again in the Girl's 18 group.

Dancevic holds a career-high world ranking of 755 and junior ranking of 225.

"This is probably the most significant recruiting class that I have had since taking over at Miami," concluded Yaroshuk-Tews. "Their talent is evident, but what I'm most excited about is that these young women are hungry. They have personality, drive and vision. They will not settle for anything less than success."