A National Reputation
Like a child who goes through the many stages of life, the Wake Forest women's tennis program has steadily matured and is now at the point where it is recognized as one of the nation's best.
Regular appearances in the Rolex Collegiate Rankings Top 25, coupled with consistently high finishes in the rugged Atlantic Coast Conference, have made the school a recognized name in tennis circles throughout the country.
The credit for Wake Forest's rise goes to head coach Lew Gerrard, who has upgraded the program from one that got little notice to one that now annually contends for national honors.
"Wake Forest sells itself from an athletic and academic standpoint," begins Gerrard. "My job is to try and get some of the top players from around the country to visit our campus. If I can do that, I feel my chances are pretty good because the facilities we have here are among the best in the nation.
"We've been fortunate to have some outstanding players come into our program the last couple of years," adds Gerrard, who was named the ACC's Coach of the Year in 1995 and 1997. "The major task ahead of us now is trying to remain competitive on the national level."
Prior to Gerrard's arrival in 1987, Wake Forest had never been ranked as a team, and had little representation in either the ITA singles or doubles poll.
That all changed dramatically over the last six years as players like Celine Tournant, Dana Evans, Liz Barker, Terry Ann Zawacki, Patty Murren, Cristina Caparis, Maggie Harris, Lule Aydin, Nicola Kaiwai, Amy Jensen, Caroline Ullring and Annemarie Milton have all been ranked in singles or doubles.
In the last six years alone Wake Forest has been represented in all four major tournaments on the collegiate level. The National Clay Court, Riviera All-American, Rolex National Indoors, and NCAA Championships make up the collegiate grand slam.
That's a major achievement considering the fact Wake Forest had never been represented in the NCAA Championships, either as a team or by an individual, until Gerrard's arrival. Evans and Barker cracked that barrier in 1992 by becoming the first Wake Forest representatives, a feat they achieved three straight years. Terry Ann Zawacki was in the singles main draw four consecutive times, and the Deacons as a team are coming off their fourth consecutive NCAA appearance.
"Making it to the NCAA Championships is extremely difficult, but we've worked hard to reach this point," says Gerrard, who has produced four All-Americans. "Now we have to continue our improvement because there are still higher goals to reach."
MILESTONES
Wake Forest women's tennis has become recognized as one of the fastest rising programs in the country. The past seven seasons have seen a number of firsts, including the first national ranking, first NCAA individual and team qualifier, and first All-Americans.
March 26, 1991
The Demon Deacons gain their first-ever Intercollegiate Tennis Association national ranking as they appear in a tie for the 25th spot with South Carolina.
May 18, 1992
The doubles team of Dana Evans and Liz Barker become the first players in school history to compete in the NCAA Championships.
May 22, 1992
Wake Forest finishes the season ranked in the Top 25 for the first time in school history, coming in at No. 22.
May 17, 1993
Freshman Terry Ann Zawacki becomes the first player in school history to compete in an NCAA Championship singles match.
May 13, 1994
The Deacons beat Virginia 5-4 in their first team appearance in the NCAA Championships. They lost to fourth-ranked California in the second round.
June 14, 1994
Terry Ann Zawacki, Dana Evans and Liz Barker are named the first All-Americans in the program's history.
March 21, 1995
After getting off to a 9-2 start, Wake Forest gains its highest Rolex Collegiate Ranking when it appears fourth in the nation for a two-week period.
May 31, 1996
Senior Terry Ann Zawacki becomes the program's first two-time all-American, finishing the season ranked #12.
