June 10, 2002

Chapel Hill, N.C. ----- The University of North Carolina women's tennis team finished the 2002 season fifth in the country according to Intercollegiate Tennis Association rankings. It is the highest ranking ever for the Tar Heel program. Carolina was the highest ranking Atlantic Coast Conference team.

Stanford, the NCAA champion, topped the rankings, followed by Florida, Georgia, UCLA, North Carolina, Duke, Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, Arizona State and Texas.

In 2002, Carolina won the ACC Championship, advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament and finished the season with a glittering 25-5 record.

Individually, junior Kate Pinchbeck ended an incredible season with a No. 12 ranking and a 29-3 record. She advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Individual Championships before falling to eventual champion Bea Belik of Wake Forest.

Julie Rotondi and Marlene Mejia finished 28th and 38th, respectively, in the ITA rankings. Rotondi was 26-5 at the No. 3 singles position and Mejia was 15-10 while playing the top singles position.

The doubles tandem of Aniela Mojzis and Kendall Cline finished No. 54 in the country.