USC women's tennis was in need of a big time recruiting class to refresh the ranks, and head coach Richard Gallien delivered with the No. 2 ranked group in the country. The Women of Troy's new trio is headlined by Meredith Xepoleas, the No. 5 ranked player in the nation, as well as Gabrielle Smith, the best player in Nevada, and Madison Westby, the top prospect in Oklahoma.Click here for the complete rankings.
For three successful seasons, the Trojans have been dependent on the 2011 trio of Sabrina Santamaria, Zoe Scandalis and Gabriella DeSimone, which is heading into its senior year. Now, reinforcements are on the way as Xepoleas, Smith and Westby are all in the Top 20 nationally.
Xepoleas (pictured) is also expected to follow in Scandalis' path as a dynamic scholar-athlete. She graduated a year early from high school and is already an accomplished writer working on her second novel.
"We are extremely thrilled that Meredith has decided to accept a scholarship to USC and play for our team," Gallien said of Xepoleas. "Meredith is definitely one of the top three recruits in the country. She's a great singles player, a great doubles player and a great student. More importantly she's a terrific young lady whose character is beyond reproach. She comes from a marvelous family, with a sister who is already doing great in college tennis."
