Sullivan Adds Savva to Cougar Tennis Roster
11/14/2014 12:00:00 AM | Tennis
Nov. 14, 2014 
Savva signs her National Letter of Intent alongside Tyler Junior College head coach Dash Connell (Courtesy TJC Athletics)
HOUSTON - Head Coach Patrick Sullivan is proud to announce that Joanna Savva, the top-ranked player in all of junior college tennis, has signed a National Letter of Intent to join the University of Houston women's tennis program. Savva will compete for the Cougars beginning with the 2015 fall season.
"We're all very excited to welcome Jo to the Houston Tennis family," said Sullivan. "Our recruiting philosophy is to find high-character people who love to work hard and are passionate about becoming better tennis players and Jo's scores are off the charts in all of those areas."
A rising junior from Nicosia, Cyprus, Savva brings an impressive résumé of international and collegiate experience to the Houston squad. Currently, Savva stars at nearby Tyler Junior College, where she holds the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's No. 1 National Junior College Athletic Association ranking in both singles and doubles play.
Last month, Savva captured both the singles and doubles titles at the USTA/ITA National Small College Championships in Sumter, S.C.
Led by Savva, Tyler JC finished as NJCAA national runners-up in 2014, and they are ranked second in the preseason ITA team poll.
"Jo is one of the most enthusiastic people and relentless competitors I have ever been around and those are both qualities that we value in our program," Sullivan added. "She has been very well-coached by my good friend Dash Connell at TJC, and it's great to know that she comes to us from a national championship program with a strong set of core values very similar to ours."
"Jo is going to be a big-time contributor on championship teams for the Cougars, and we can't wait to get her on campus."
Prior to embarking on her collegiate career, Savva rose as high as No. 356 in the ITF world rankings. She is a veteran of the international tennis circuit and has represented her native Cyprus in eight different Fed Cup ties. She earned her first ever Fed Cup victory as a 16-year-old on April 20, 2012, when she knocked off Namibia's Lesedi Sheya Jacobs, 7-6 (6), 6-3. One day later, she earned her second Fed Cup point, a 6-0, 6-0 sweep of Kenya's Caroline Odour.
Savva is expected to represent Cyprus again when they resume Fed Cup play in 2015.
With Savva on the roster, Sullivan's club now features five players with national team experience.
UP NEXT FOR THE COUGARS
HOUSTON - Head Coach Patrick Sullivan is proud to announce that Joanna Savva, the top-ranked player in all of junior college tennis, has signed a National Letter of Intent to join the University of Houston women's tennis program. Savva will compete for the Cougars beginning with the 2015 fall season.
"We're all very excited to welcome Jo to the Houston Tennis family," said Sullivan. "Our recruiting philosophy is to find high-character people who love to work hard and are passionate about becoming better tennis players and Jo's scores are off the charts in all of those areas."
A rising junior from Nicosia, Cyprus, Savva brings an impressive résumé of international and collegiate experience to the Houston squad. Currently, Savva stars at nearby Tyler Junior College, where she holds the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's No. 1 National Junior College Athletic Association ranking in both singles and doubles play.
Last month, Savva captured both the singles and doubles titles at the USTA/ITA National Small College Championships in Sumter, S.C.
Led by Savva, Tyler JC finished as NJCAA national runners-up in 2014, and they are ranked second in the preseason ITA team poll.
"Jo is one of the most enthusiastic people and relentless competitors I have ever been around and those are both qualities that we value in our program," Sullivan added. "She has been very well-coached by my good friend Dash Connell at TJC, and it's great to know that she comes to us from a national championship program with a strong set of core values very similar to ours."
"Jo is going to be a big-time contributor on championship teams for the Cougars, and we can't wait to get her on campus."
Prior to embarking on her collegiate career, Savva rose as high as No. 356 in the ITF world rankings. She is a veteran of the international tennis circuit and has represented her native Cyprus in eight different Fed Cup ties. She earned her first ever Fed Cup victory as a 16-year-old on April 20, 2012, when she knocked off Namibia's Lesedi Sheya Jacobs, 7-6 (6), 6-3. One day later, she earned her second Fed Cup point, a 6-0, 6-0 sweep of Kenya's Caroline Odour.
Savva is expected to represent Cyprus again when they resume Fed Cup play in 2015.
With Savva on the roster, Sullivan's club now features five players with national team experience.
UP NEXT FOR THE COUGARS
Houston will open their spring championship season on Jan. 17, 2015, when they host UTSA at the John E. Hoff Courts.
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