EL PASO, Texas – The UTEP tennis team inked transfer Vanessa Valdez, who will join the Miners in the fall season, head coach
Ivan Fernandez announced on Tuesday. Valdez will be transferring from NM State, where she played for Fernandez during the 2016-17 season, his seventh and final year with the program before taking the reigns of the UTEP tennis team. Valdez will have two years of NCAA eligibility left.
"I am really excited to announce the signing of transfer Vanessa Valdez," Fernandez said. "I have known Vanessa for several years, she played for me at NM State. She will bring a lot of experience and leadership to our young team. She has played number one and number two singles the last two years and I am looking forward to having her play for me again. She will help get us to where we want to be in Conference USA."
The sophomore currently holds a 3-14 record, playing primarily the Aggies' no. 1 position in singles play but has a 2-0 mark at the no. 2 spot in the lineup. In her collegiate debut year, she led NM State with 16 singles victories, including a 12-9 record in dual play and 4-1 in Western Athletic Conference matches. Her efforts earned her First-Team All-WAC and WAC All-Tournament honors. Valdez posted 10 wins at the No. 2 double spot for NM State and held a 2-0 mark at the No. 1 spot during dual play in the 2017 season.
The Mazatlan, Mexico native was ranked as high as No. 2 in the under-18 rankings in Mexico prior to her collegiate career and reached round of 16 at the Jalisco Junior Cup.
"I am very happy and grateful for the opportunity that coach Fernandez gave me to be part of the family of UTEP tennis," Valdez said. "It is a team of great level and I am sure that with Ivan as our coach we are going be able to place among the top in our conference. I played for coach Ivan last year and Im looking forward to have him as my coach again."
