Ohio State Picks Up a Pair of Recruits – Ohio State Buckeyes
11/23/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Nov. 23, 2004
Columbus, Ohio – Chuck Merzbacher, Ohio State women’s tennis head coach, announced the signing of two student athletes, Julie Blackmore, a senior at Cardinal Gibbons High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Julie Voss, a senior from San Angelo, Texas, who attends St. Stephen’s Episcopal School in Austin, to NCAA National Letters of Intent to attend Ohio State and join the Buckeyes tennis team beginning in Fall 2005.
“We are really excited to sign this pair because they are not only fantastic tennis players, but they also have strong academic backgrounds,” Merzbacher said.
Blackmore currently is ranked No. 47 in the nation and No. 11 in Florida in the Girls’ Under-18 USTA rankings. She is a three-time state champion in singles and doubles in Division 2A and reached the Round of 16 in singles and the quarterfinals in doubles at the National Clay Courts meet in Memphis, Tenn., earlier this year. Blackmore, whose father, Bob, is an Ohio State alumnus, also is on the honor roll.
“I am pleased to announce Julie Blackmore has decided to be a Buckeye,” Merzbacher said. “Julie comes from one of the most competitive tennis states in the country. Her experience playing in such a competitive environment will enable her to compete for the Buckeyes at the top of our line-up. Obviously, being ranked so high nationally, she has proven she can win at the junior tennis level. I believe her game will only get stronger in college.”
Voss, who plays for St. Stephen’s Tennis Academy, has been ranked in the Top 10 in Texas since age 10 and currently is ranked No. 9 in the state in the Girls’ Under-18 age group. She has been ranked as high as No. 14 nationally and recently advanced to the round of 16 of the International Tennis Federation tournament in El Paso, Texas. Voss also is a top student and a talented musician.
“Julie Voss comes from one of the top tennis academies in the nation,” Merzbacher said. “She has played nationally competitive tennis since age 8 so she certainly brings a lot of experience to the program. Julie has a tremendous work ethic and enthusiasm for the game. I expect her to make an immediate impact to our lineup.” The Buckeyes begin the spring schedule Jan. 21 with a pair of home matches against Notre Dame and Xavier at the Jesse Owens West Recreation Center in Columbus, Ohio.
