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UNIVERSITY PARK – When SMU tennis player Marta Lesniak first arrived in Dallas from her native Poland last fall, she had two major adjustments to make.

"It was so humid; I've never sweated so much in my life," she said.

Second: "We don't have so many highways as here," she said. "I got a few tickets, but no accidents."

The actual tennis? It's translated well.

Lesniak's arrival helped lift the Mustangs to a 27-2 record, a current 17-match winning streak, their first Conference USA title and a berth in the NCAA Championships.

SMU opens first-round play against Texas A&M today at Baylor. Round 2 is Sunday.

Lesniak, SMU's No. 1 player and the CUSA freshman of the year, is 13-1 and qualified for the NCAA individual championships later this month in singles and with doubles partner Aleksandra Malyarchikova.

Lesniak, 21, made an immediate impression by beating nationally ranked No. 2 Aurelija Miseviciute of Arkansas in her first match. Lesniak is No. 59 in ITA singles rankings.

"She's the best tennis player that's ever come to SMU," coach Lauren Longbotham Meisner said.

Where's that story from?

Hope Coach Meisner is right and this kid turns out to be "the best player that's ever come to SMU," but that's a big statement considering players like Svetlana Kouzmenko and Jennifer Santrock in years past. They were awesome.

the rest of the statement that qualified the fact that Santrock and other earlier players could not be compared was left out. Classic case of the total answer not being there for lack of room.

Well, Coach Neufeld told me the same thing - and he's seen quite a bit of tennis at SMU.

Regardless of whether she's the best ever, she's off to one hell of a start for the Ponies. Good luck at NCAAs.