MCC's LeMerle inks with Univeristy of Tennesse-Martin

MARTIN, Tenn. --- University of Tennessee-Martin tennis coach Dennis Taylor has signed two-time National Junior College Athletic Association finalist Alycia LeMerle to a national letter of intent.

LeMerle, originally from Melbourne, Australia, will transfer to UT Martin for the fall 2008 semester from Meridian (Miss.) Community College. She recently played in the NJCAA ITA Southeast championship where she advanced to the semifinals in both singles and doubles.

She is currently ranked No. 22 in the nation in singles and No. 19 in the nation in doubles.

"Alycia has a lot of junior college experience and she has played at the national level," Taylor said. "She is exactly what I was looking for."

Taylor said his goal was to find someone who could come in and immediately handle the pressure of playing at the Division I level. "I think with all of her national experience, Alycia will be able to make an immediate contribution to our team."

As a freshman, LeMerle advanced to the finals in both singles and doubles of the Mississippi Junior College Athletic Association state championship and the NJCAA Region XXIII tournament.

She has a career record of 31-7 in singles and 30-7 in doubles for Meridian.

LeMerle plans to major in sports medicine.