Head coach Sam Poole has been busy this summer recruiting and his hard work paid off on the international front as the second-year women's tennis coach announced the signings of three student-athletes for the upcoming season in Raina Halabi (Beamsville, ON/Niagara Academy of Tennis), Julia Fernandes (Mississauga, ON/ John Fraser) and Elena Strakhova (Penza, Russia/#216 “Didakt”).

“All three of these ladies were able to compete and succeed at a very high level in junior tennis,” said Poole. “They are hard workers who will look to come in and keep the Titan program on top in the Horizon League and take that next step in winning a championship.”

The first two additions come by way of Canada in Halabi and Fernandes. Halabi played juniors in the Ontario Tennis Association, winning several U-18 and U-16 three-star events. Fernandes was ranked in the top 25 at U-16 and the top 45 at the U-18 in the Ontario Provincial rankings.

Strakhova arrives at UDM from Russia where she played a number of years on the junior tennis circuit, winning five titles in 2009.

The three newcomers will join four returning starters in HL Newcomer of the Year and first-team All-League selection Carolina Salas Espinosa, a second-team honoree in junior Amanda Cornwell, senior Erin Weldon and junior Melanie Capuano.

The Detroit women's tennis team has reached new heights in the last two years, setting a school record with 15 wins and their first Horizon League Championship appearance in 2009, while returning to the conference's title match in 2010.