Sisk Inks Two for 2015-16 Class
Nov 18, 2014 | Women's Tennis
NEW ORLEANS - This past summer, Tulane women's tennis head coach Terri Sisk put the finishing touches on a 2014 recruiting class that ranked 23rd in the country, her highest while with the Green Wave. On Wednesday, Sisk kept the youth movement and positive momentum rolling with the signings of Sofia Kurtz (Atlanta, Georgia) and Elena Muller (Dallas, Texas).
"To say we are excited about the addition of Elena and Sofia to the class of 2015 is an understatement," Sisk stated. "Both of those ladies have had tremendous junior careers, and when you take the tennis part out of it, both girls are amazing young women."
A five-star recruit from Atlanta, Sofia Kurtz is ranked 64th in the country and sixth in the state of Georgia by TennisRecruiting.net. Kurtz was a two-year letter-winner in tennis and soccer at North Atlanta High School, where she made school history in both, reaching the quarterfinals of state as a team in tennis and the round of 16 in soccer.
| Sofia Kurtz is ranked 6th in the state of Georgia  | |
More impressively is the fact that Kurtz went undefeated at No. 1 singles in her two seasons at North Atlanta, being named MVP both years. In her junior year, Kurtz played center back for her high school soccer team, taking them to a Regional title.
"I've been recruiting Sofia for over a year, watching her grow," Sisk said. "Sofia is going to make an immediate impact on our lineup. She also comes from a great family who's really into tennis. We're really excited about Sofia."
Last summer, Kurtz was a finalist at the Girls' 18s Colonial Family Practice Regional Tournament in Sumter, South Carolina, and a consolation finalist at the Southern Closed in Mobile, Alabama. Then at the start of 2014, Kurtz produced quite the hot streak in doubles, winning the 18s Southern Winter Closed Level 1 Championship in January, the USTA Southern Level 1A championship in February, then the USTA National Selection Tournament in Ft. Myers, Florida in May.
"I chose Tulane because I really like the team, coaches, and the balance between tennis and academics that the school offers," Kurtz said. "When I came to visit the campus and stay with the girls on the team I knew right away it was the place I wanted to spend my next four years."
A four-star recruit from Dallas, Elena Muller is ranked 71st nationally with a career high ITF Juniors ranking of 704 set back on June 1 of this year. Muller has also been ranked in the top-10 in the state of Texas for the past few years, currently sitting at No. 4 according to TennisRecruiting.net
"What can I say about Elena," Sisk said. "The upside for her is so big. A great kid, great family. Her next year is going to be through the roof."
| Elena Muller is ranked 4th in the state of Texas | |
Most notably, Muller captured the doubles title at the Bahamas ITF last November and also reached the finals in the singles draw. In addition, Muller reached the Round of 16 at the Girls' 16s U.S. Junior Hardcourts in both 2012 and 2013.
"I chose Tulane because of the awesome team and coaching staff," explained Muller. "I really liked the team dynamic when I went on my official visit. The girls work really hard but have fun at the same time. I was also looking for a school with a great balance of academics and tennis and I found that at Tulane."
Both girls have found tremendous success on and off the court. In the USTA Girls' 18 category, Muller (39-34) and Kurtz (41-27) rank 141 and 144, respectively, out of 1,473 eligible players. Meanwhile, Kurtz has maintained a 4.0 GPA while taking all International Baccalaureate classes. Completing her high school education with Laurel Springs Online School, Muller has made the honor roll every year, currently boasting a 4.2 GPA.
"I expect both of these girls to continue to climb over the next year, possibly pushing Blue Chip status. Having that coming into our lineup with the strong additions we had last year has me thrilled," Sisk concluded.
