April 20, 2005

CLEMSON, SC - The reigning tournament champion Clemson Tigers begin defense of their title this weekend at the 2005 ACC Women's Tennis Championships. The team will face the winner of Thursday's first-round match-up between sixth-seeded Wake Forest and #11 seed Virginia Tech. The quarterfinal contest is scheduled for Friday, Apr. 22 at 6:00 pm. Clemson earned the third seed in the tournament after compiling an 8-2 ACC record and a 17-7 overall mark in the regular season.

The Tigers defeated both the Demon Deacons and the Hokies earlier in the season. Clemson handed Virginia Tech a 6-1 loss on Jan. 29 and edged Wake Forest, then-ranked #32, on Mar. 13, 4-3.

Julie Coin leads the Tigers' campaign as the #2 singles player in the nation. She boasts a 31-3 overall record and a 9-1 mark against ACC opponents. She is also 22-1 during the dual season. Coin was the flight one champion in the 2004 ACC Tournament and was named to the All-ACC team last season.

The Tigers are 23-17 all-time in the ACC Tournament, including three victories last season. In their first match, Clemson defeated Maryland, 4-0, and then advanced to the finals after a 4-1 victory over North Carolina. Clemson defeated Duke, 4-2, in the championship match to capture the program's seventh ACC crown.