Women’s Tennis Inks Two Student-Athletes – Ohio State Buckeyes
6/21/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
June 21, 2001
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State Women’s tennis coach Chuck Merzbacher has signed prep standouts Lindsey Adams (Mercer Island, Wash./Mercer Island) and Lindsay Bryan (New Orleans, La./Ursuline Academy) to National Letters of Intent for the 2001-02 season. These two players bring a plethora of talent and experience to OSU’s already skilled squad.
Adams is a standout student-athlete. She is a member of National Honor Society, National Charity League and the Senior Service Club, but in between all those activities she still manages to be one of the best tennis players in the Northwest. This year she finished third in the Washington State High School 3A Tournament after placing third as a junior. She was named Team MVP her junior year on a team that was the state champion her first three seasons. She served as captain her junior and senior seasons and claimed the 3A state doubles championship her freshman and sophomore years. She was Mercer Island’s female nominee for the Wendy’s High School Heisman that recognizes athletics, academics and community involvement. In 2000 Adams was ranked No. 2 in the Pacific Northwest in 18s by the USTA and she has been in the Top 5 in the PNW for the last four years. She was nationally ranked in 14s-18s. Her parents are Brian and Kathy Adams.
“I chose Ohio State for a whole bunch of reasons,” Adams said. “OSU has strong academics and the highly regarded Fisher School of Business, since I am interested in majoring in business. When I visited last January, I was impressed with the campus and I felt comfortable with all the people there. Everybody was really friendly. The tennis program is at a highly competitive level nationally and coach Merzbacher has the right coaching personality for me. I can’t wait to get back there this September.
“When I met the girls on the team, they made me feel really comfortable. I was impressed by how hard they worked on the court and how much fun they were having. I am so excited to be a new member of their team.”
“Lindsey Adams has an aggressive type game that will enable her to play at a high level in college,” Merzbacher said. “She has a great work ethic and she will absolutely help the Buckeyes gain the much needed depth to compete at the national level. She also comes from a tennis family, her father was once a teaching pro.”
Bryan has tennis in her blood. She recently was crowned as the 4A Louisiana State Champion for 2001, but she was not the only Bryan family member to take home a piece of hardware this year. Her brother, Danny, also won a state championship – marking the first time a brother and sister both won state tennis championships in the same year in Louisiana. Lindsay Bryan was ranked No. 1 in the state at the end of 2000 and was No. 7 in the tennis-laden south. In addition, Bryan was No. 60 nationally. She was a Louisiana Davis Cup participant for three-consecutive years and her family was named the 1997 Louisiana Tennis Association Family of the Year as well as the Southern Family of the Year. Her parents are Bill and Glenda Bryan.
“I can’t wait to get there,” Bryan said. “Columbus reminded me of a big city. It never looked boring. I did not want to go to a small city and wanted something a little different from where I live. I really like coach Merzbacher and the girls on the team. It looked like they worked very well together and in tough situations I know they will be able to come through.”
“Lindsay Bryan is one of the best players in the south,” Merzbacher said. “She comes from a tennis family and she really knows the game. She is a very smart player and will be a tough person to beat, because she never beats herself. She should make an immediate impact for the Buckeyes, as we look to improve our depth.”
The Buckeyes, who finished the 2000-01 season with a No. 33-ranking, were 17-11 overall and 7-3 in the Big Ten. They lose only two seniors – Kristy Dascoli and Laura Maloney.
