Los Amigos’ Graham Set for Stanford : Top-Ranked Player Signs Letter of Intent, Will Compete in Tennis

Debbie Graham of Los Amigos High School, the country’s No. 5-ranked junior tennis player, said Friday she has signed a letter of intent to attend Stanford.

Graham, who lives in Fountain Valley, is the top-ranked player in the Southern California Tennis Assn. in the girls’ 18-and-under division. She reached the final of the Easter Bowl tournament earlier this month in Miami.

Stanford, the No. 2-ranked women’s team this season, has won the National Collegiate Athletic Assn. team title the last two years. And a Cardinal player has won the individual singles title in three of the last four years. This year, Stanford has three players ranked among the top 15 individuals.

“I’ve always wanted to go there since I was 6 or 7,” Graham said. “I never thought I would be going there for tennis. I always thought it would be just for school.”

Graham also received an offer from California, and USC showed some interest, although the Trojans didn’t have an available scholarship. But she never had any doubts about wanting to play for Stanford. Her doubles partner, Sandra Birch, is a freshman there this year, and Graham has played on national teams with some of the other Stanford players.

“They’re all really competitive,” Graham said. “It’s going to be tough for me to get my act together against them.”