Tigers Sign Stuhlmann and Hacke for 2010-2011
11/24/2009 12:00:00 AM | Tennis
Nov. 24, 2009
Columbia, MO - Rachel Stuhlmann (St. Louis, Missouri) and Marlen Hacke (Hamburg, Germany) have signed NCAA National Letters of Intent to play for the Mizzou Women's Tennis team beginning in 2010-2011, Coach Blake Starkey announced on Friday.
Mizzou continued to focus its U.S. recruiting efforts solely on the Missouri Valley Section, as they have for several years now. The Tigers were happy to secure one of the Valley's most promising and top players in Rachel Stuhlmann. The Tigers were also happy to nab one of the top junior players out of Germany in Marlen Hacke.
"I cannot wait for these outstanding young ladies to make their way to Mizzou's campus", Starkey said. "This is a very strong class, and will allow us to continue moving up in the national rankings. Both Marlen and Rachel have a lot of fight, are very hard workers, and will bring vast tournament experience with them. I have little doubt they will make an immediate impact."
Rachel Stuhlmann is from St. Louis, Missouri. She is a Missouri Valley product and a four-star recruit on tennisrecruiting.net. Rachel is ranked #82 nationally, and was heavily recruited nationally for her obvious athleticism and upside. Standing at six feet, she plays with an aggressive service and groundstroke game. She is fresh off running away with the 2009 Missouri High School State Singles Championship for Kirkwood High School. In the state final, she defeated the defending state champion 6-0, 6-0. This past summer, Stuhlmann was a member of the Missouri Valley's Fed Cup team, and participated in numerous national tournaments. Stuhlmann has been mentored by two respected national coaches in Troy Brey out of St. Louis, and Phil Hendre of the John Newcombe Tennis Academy in New Braunfels, Texas. She will graduate in December, and return to Newks where she will train and play an active tournament schedule leading up to her freshman campaign. At Mizzou, she plans to study education. Describing herself as "tennis-obsessed", her goals include coaching either high school or college one day.
Marlen Hacke hails from Hamburg, Germany. Ranked #18 in the German junior rankings, and #82 in the German women's rankings, she is considered one of the top German players making her way to the U.S. to play college tennis next fall. She will also be the first German to compete for the Missouri Tigers. Marlen is a smart, tenacious, player who moves the ball around the court with deep, precise groundstrokes. She was a quarterfinalist at this year's German National Championships, and a semifinalist finishing third at the North German Championships. She recently won the TC Hiltrup Open, defeating Ohio State signee Tiffany Dittmer 6-3, 6-0 in the semifinals, and Margaret Pelster 6-2, 6-0 in the finals. Marlen is undecided at the moment, but considering studying either journalism or international business. She says, "I am excited about Mizzou's team atmosphere, the beautiful campus, tennis and studying, seeing my first football game, and most of all, I am looking forward to helping my teammates any way I can."
"Besides strengthening our lineup, both Marlen and Rachel are strong students, with a rock-solid work-ethic in the classroom," said Starkey. "Both have great leadership, and our fans in Columbia are going to enjoy watching them battle during their years at Mizzou. We can't wait for them to get here," Starkey said.
