Preseason: Enters the 2001 season ranked 11th nationally as the Tar Heels' top player... sat out most of preseason nursing tendonitis in her shoulder... ITA All-America expected to be one of the best players in the ACC and the country.
Sophomore Year: Had one of the finest season's in recent Tar Heel memory, earning ITA All-America honors... tied for individual ACC championship honors at No. 1 singles spot... named All-ACC for the second consecutive year... overall singles record of 33-10, including a 7-1 record in ACC dual match play... biggest win of the season was a 6-3, 7-6 (8-6) victory over No. 2 ranked Ansley Cargill on April 2... earned ACC player of the week during the first week of April after defeating Cargill, Virginia's Henriette Williams and Maryland's Delila Causevic... finished the year ranked No. 18 in singles... was 17-6 at the No. 1 doubles spot with partner Julie Rotondi... defeated Duke's Kathy Sell and Wake Forest's Maren Haus to advance to the ITA Finals in the Southeast Regional Championship in the fall... the wins allowed Mejia to automatically advance to the ITA National Championships where she was 3-2... advanced to the quarterfinals of the ITA Southeast Regional Championships with doubles partner Julie Rotondi before losing to Tennessee's team of Castellvi/Ojeda... advanced to second round of the T. Rowe Price National Intercollegiate Clay Court Tennis Championships in Baltimore... advanced to the finals of the Carolina Classic... won two matches in the qualifying round for the Riviera All-American Championships... received Wachovia Woman of the Week... became the youngest woman ever to win the ITA National Summer Championship singles title at age 19, which entered her into the U.S. Open qualifying tournament.
Freshman year: Named All-ACC... overall singles record of 22-14... led the team in wins…made it to the finals of the ACC Indoors... ranked as high as No. 52 during the season…played No. 1 doubles with Erin Niebling, compiling a 6-5 record…also played with Jessica Zaganczyk... went 17-15 in doubles overall... went 7-4 in tournament play... won the "A" flight singles at the Fripp Island Invitational... teamed with Jessica Zaganczyk to qualify for the T. Rowe Price National Clay Court Championships in September... was the No. 8 singles seed at the ITA Indoor Regionals... teamed with Niebling to earn the No. 7 doubles seed at the ITA Indoor Regionals... she and Niebling were ranked 15th in fall regional doubles.
Prep: Played four years of tennis at Lansdale Catholic... was a member of the United States National Team from 1997-99... finished fourth in singles and second in doubles at the U.S. Indoor Championships in 1998-99... was third in doubles at the U.S. National Championships and claimed fourth in doubles at U.S. Clay Court Championships at the 18s level... was second in doubles at the U.S. Nationals in 16s in 1997-98... was the U.S. Indoor singles runner-up and doubles champion in 1995-96 while playing at the 14s level... played two years of volleyball in high school.
Personal: Marlene Rivera Mejia was born in Langhorne, Pa. on July 31, 1981... daughter of Lina and Marcelino Mejia... older brother Jojo played No. 1 singles at La Salle University.
Callen on Mejia: "As a returning All-America, Marlene is a force to be reckoned with on the national level. Not only is Marlene an extremely smart player, but one who is incredibly determined and hard-working. She thrives on competition and is constantly looking to improve her game."
Getting to know Marlene
Major: Journalism/Mass Communication
Athletes you most admire: Matt Weiss, Lance Armstrong and Muhammad Ali
Biggest sports thrill: Winning the 2002 ACC Championship along with the men's tennis team
Hobbies: Watching television, listening to music, shopping and playing mini-golf
Favorite TV show: Seinfeld, CrankYankers
Favorite movies: Swingers and The Wedding Singer
Favorite book: Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Favorite food: Hector's double cheeseburger on a pita and chees fries
Favorite musical talent: Enrique Iglesias, Blink 182, Cam'ron
Pre-match routine: Focusing on my match, jump roping and rolling my skirt two times
Ideal vacation spot: Fiji
Interesting fact about myself: I used to play percussion in a band.
Honors: ACC Honor Roll 2000-2002, Dean's List Fall 2001, three-time All-ACC honoree, All-America Honors, Top 50 ACC History Women's Tennis honoree
