Ball State University Athletics
Blanco Joins Women's Tennis Team For 2015-16 Season
June 19, 2015 | Women's Tennis
MUNCIE, Ind. - Ball State women's tennis third-year head coach Max Norris announced Friday that Carmen Blanco (Caracas, Venezuela/Mater Salvatoris HS) has committed to play at Ball State for the 2015-16 season.
"I am so happy to have Carmen join our program," Norris said. "I have known her (from my time recruiting and coaching her at Alabama) for over two years. As a person, Carmen is very unselfish and loyal. As a player, she is an extremely hard worker, very passionate and has many weapons. She is coming to us with two years of experience at the highest level. She has been on a SEC championship team and has played with and against the best players in college tennis. In Carmen, we are getting a person who truly understands the professionalism, focus, sacrifice and commitment needed to be successful on and off the court."
Blanco will join early signees Audrey Berger (Arlington, Ohio/Upper Arlington), Peyton Gollhofer (Cartersville, Ga./Laurel Springs Academy) and Isabelle Dohanics (Cranberry Township, Pa./North Catholic Central) for the 2015-16 season.
Blanco transferred to Ball State from Alabama and will be a junior next season for the Cardinals. She attended Mater Salvatoris High School and is originally from Venezuela, where she was a member of the National Team from 2007-13. Blanco was also a member of the Fed Cup Team in 2013. She represented Venezuela at the South American Championships from the ages of 12 to 18, totaling 36 singles wins and only four losses. Blanco was ranked 127th in the International Tennis Federation Juniors and 901 in the world Women's Tennis Association rankings in 2012. She won the singles title of Copa Mundo Maya at the International Tennis Federation Tournament in 2010.
At Alabama, she was ranked as high as No. 44 in doubles her freshman season. Blanco went 9-13 in singles and 12-11 in doubles from 2013-15. She was a member of the 2014 Southeastern Conference championship team and helped Alabama reach the NCAA championship quarterfinals.
Off the court, Blanco was an Intercollegiate Tennis Association Scholar-Athlete in 2013-14 and was a member of the 2014 Southeastern Conference First-Year Honor Roll.
The daughter of Pina and Carlos Blanco, Carmen plans to major in accounting at Ball State.
