CSU Tennis Signs Two Players for 2011; Completes Fall Season

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Charleston Southern women’s tennis team completed its fall season, vying in five individual tournaments in preparation for team competition during the 2011 spring season. In addition, CSU tennis has announced the signing of two student-athletes for the 2011-12 academic year. The Buccaneers will add Yvonne Hübler from Nordenham, Germany, and Angelica Sidorenko of Toronto, Canada.

Head Coach Mike Baker said, “We had a really good fall. The girls worked hard and got better. They played a lot of matches this fall, which was what we were hoping to accomplish to get us ready for the spring and our first match. They’re going to be ready to play in the spring.”

CSU opened its fall schedule with a tournament Sept. 17 through Sept. 19, hosted by College of Charleston. The Lady Buccaneers each faced opponents from the Southern Conference, among other leagues. A pair of CSU student-athletes earned semifinal appearances at CofC.

The Buccaneers then traveled to the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y. Oct. 9 through Oct. 11 to compete in the USTA Women's Collegiate Invitational. CSU’s student athletes faced top competition from the Ivy League, along with NC State and Boston College. Olga Makhova earned a berth in the semifinals in singles action.

Following a tournament at the University of North Florida, CSU took two players, Makhova and Maria Dzakovic, to the USTA/ITA Carolina Regional. The tournament, hosted by University of North Carolina Oct. 21-25, featured a strong field of competitors. Makhova faced a top player from Clemson, while the pair of Makhova and Dzakovic played against a team from UNC.

The fall season concluded where it began, at College of Charleston, Oct. 29 through Oct. 31.

Coach Baker has announced the signing of Angelica Sidorenko and Yvonne Hübler from Germany.

“I’m really excited to have Angelica and Yvonne on our team next year. With the addition of those two girls, I feel like we’re going to have a really great team next year.”

Yvonne Hübler, Nordenham, Germany (Gymnasium Nordenham)
Yvonne Hübler comes to CSU from Gymnasium Nordenham in Nordenham, Germany. She has competed in regional and national tournaments. She has been rated as highly as 168th in the women’s rankings in Germany. Hübler earned first place at the Bremen girls U21 Championship during the summer of 2009. Additionally, she placed second at the Bremen Women’s Championship twice, in 2009 and 2010.

Angelica Sidorenko, Toronto, Canada, (William Lyon Mackenzie Collegiate Institute)
Angelica Sidorenko has competed at a high level in Canada, and is currently a senior at William Lyon Mackenzie Collegiate Institute, coached by Andrew Sznajder. She has been ranked in the top three in Ontario, the top 30 nationally, and among the best 1,000 in the world. Sidorenko has earned first or second in over 30 events, including a championship at the 2008 U16 Outdoor Junior Closed Provincials and the Women’s Unionville Open.

CSU opens the 2011 spring schedule Jan. 22 at NC State, a team which is ranked No. 47 in the nation. They follow that match by playing at No. 11 Clemson Jan. 25. The Buccaneers open the home season Feb. 24 against North Florida.