Reigning Big Ten champs serve notice

After claiming the school's first Big Ten title since 1998, the IU women's tennis team returns to the court this fall to prove last season was no fluke. \nThe Hoosiers followed a 1-9 Big Ten record in 2003 with a 180 degree rotation that left them on top of the Big Ten with a conference record of 9-1, an overall record of 17-8 and a share of the regular season league title last spring. \nAfter such a staggering turnaround, the team's season came to an abrupt halt as the then-No. 21 Hoosiers fell to Arizona in the first round of the NCAA tournament. This year's team hopes to use last season as a stepping stone to continued success throughout the 2004-05 campaign.\nWhile hopes are high in Bloomington, the Hoosiers said they know the road ahead of them is a tough one.\n"We had a great year last year -- co-Big Ten champions, a top 25 finish, two All-Big Ten selections, two All-Americans, the Midwest Coach-of-the-Year award and the National Assistant Coach of the Year award," IU coach Lin Loring said. "It would be very hard to repeat those results if everyone was returning, but we lost three seniors who were great players and team leaders."\nAs past leaders move on, new faces are forced to step up and steer the Hoosiers toward the top of the Big Ten. Senior Dora Vastag, the team's returning No. 1 singles player, brings experience and senior leadership to a young squad. Last season was Vastag's first at IU following her transfer from Michigan State. While she was able to taste success last season both as an individual -- closing the year ranked No. 54 in the nation in singles -- and as a crucial part of a Big Ten champion, Vastag said she knows this year's Hoosier team must build on its past accomplishments.\n"We have to continue to raise the bar for ourselves," Vastag said. "While making the tournament was a nice accomplishment for us last year, a primary goal now is to advance through the draw."\nOne player who found herself advancing deep into the tournament last season was junior Sarah Batty. As part of a doubles tandem with then-senior Linda Tran, Batty reached the quarterfinals of the 2004 NCAA Doubles Championship before losing in three sets. Batty and Tran both earned All-American honors in doubles, the first time a Hoosier has been selected as an All-American since 1993. Now a junior, Batty said she has high hopes that IU will be able to build on last season.\n"With the class we have coming in and the team's accomplishments last year, I am confident that we can build off of the foundation we have made," Batty said.\nThe same architect has been laying down the initial building blocks of that foundation for over 25 years, and this year will be no different, as Loring returns as IU's head coach.\n"It's great to work with someone who is so knowledgeable about the game and respected in the NCAA," Vastag said. "He runs a very high-caliber program."\nWith more wins than any other coach in women's collegiate tennis history, Loring not only has seen his share of dominant IU teams, but also knows what it will take to keep this year's squad at a high level.\n"We have the toughest schedule in school history," Loring said. "Over two-thirds of the teams on our schedule made the NCAA tournament last year. We will need to work really hard and show tremendous improvement over the course of the first semester if we are going to be competitive during the dual match season in the spring."\n-- Contact staff writer Nick Caponigro at ncaponig@indiana.edu.