Nov. 20, 2006

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. ­ - Head women's tennis coach Michelle Dasso announced the signing of Marisa Lambropoulos (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest High School) and Bryce Marable (Darien, Ill./Hinsdale South/University of Tennessee), with Marable set to join Illinois in the spring of 2007, while Lambropoulos headlines the 2007-08 incoming freshman class.

"I'm really excited about bringing in Bryce and Marisa," Dasso said. "These two are both great athletes and students in the classroom. They will be a perfect fit for our program, and both will take us in the right direction of making Illinois tennis one of the top programs in the Big Ten."

Lambropoulos is a senior at Lake Forest High School where she is coached by Brian McNamara. A four-year all-state selection, Lambropoulos has continually led her high school team to state success over her four-year career. Lambropoulos led her team to a third-place state finish as a freshman, followed by back-to-back state runner-up finishes as a sophomore and junior. Individually, she finished eighth as a sophomore in singles and claimed fifth-place honors in doubles as a senior. As a team, she paced Lake Forest to a third-place finish during her senior season. Currently, Lambropoulos is ranked 80th nationally in singles and seventh in doubles, and boasts a ranking of 16th in singles in the Midwest. The Lake Forest product is the daughter of George and Patty Lambropoulos, and has three brothers, Demetre, Bill and Alex, who plays tennis at the University of Kentucky.

"Marisa is an amazing competitor and athlete," Dasso said. "She has the potential to become a great college player. Marisa is very athletic, has a huge forehand and isn't afraid to come to net, something that is rare for a female tennis player. She also is an ideal teammate to have on your team because she is a true team player. She will be a great fit for us when she joins the team, and will bring a lot of life as she plays the game with a lot of spunk."

Marable will join the Fighting Illini this coming spring, bringing with her a wealth of high school and collegiate knowledge as a transfer from the University of Tennessee. As a Lady Volunteer, Marable played as high as No. 2 in singles, and went 17-19 overall in 2004-05. As a freshman at Tennessee, the Darien, Ill., product went on a streak of seven consecutive wins at the No. 3 singles position, dismissing all of her opponents in straight sets. In the fall of 2005, Marable posted a 5-3 mark in singles. Known for her doubles play, Marable registered a 19-15 doubles record in 2004-05, including a 9-1 performance at No. 3 doubles. In high school, Marable finished fourth as a freshman, fifth as a sophomore and second as a senior at the state tournament and garnered was a four straight Academic Excellence Award accolades. Marable is the daughter of Brent and Linda Marable, and has one sister, Taylor.

"I am thrilled to be bringing in Bryce in January as she brings our roster number to eight," Dasso said. "Bryce is a strong player who will be contending for a place at the top of our lineup. She has already had tremendous success while at Tennessee, and will be a great fit with our current roster. The University of Illinois is a good fit for Bryce, and I am looking forward to the immediate impact she will have on our team in the spring."

Illinois kicks off the spring season by traveling to Marquette on January 20.