It looks like women tennis is down this year on an individual basis? I guess we only have one player in the top 50.
From comments I heard last year, we need to recruits stronger more athletic players?

2017 Riviera/ITA All-American Championships Qualifying Singles
First round
#63 Fernanda Contreras (Vanderbilt) def. #45 Lindsey Hodge (Rice) 6-1, 6-2
#104 Wendy Zhang (Rice) def. #89 Anna Rogers (North Carolina St.) 2-6, 6-2, 6-2
#56 Natalie Novotna (Virginia Tech) def. Michaela Haet (Rice) 6-4, 6-4

Second round
#27 Felicity Maltby (Texas Tech) (3) def. #104 Wendy Zhang (Rice) 7-5, 6-1

Having three players make this tournament is pretty impressive. Haet is a freshman - I saw a tweet on her over the summer that said she was playing so well (she's Australian) that the writer speculated she might consider turning pro instead of going to college.

We did lose an assistant coach in women's tennis over the summer (he went to UT) but we hired someone who looks to be a capable replacement. I think the women's program is in much better shape then the men's program (which apparently will play the whole year with only 6 players so if anyone gets hurt, we might not be able to field a full team for a dual meet???).

(10-04-2017 02:28 PM)OldOwl Wrote:  It looks like women tennis is down this year on an individual basis? I guess we only have one player in the top 50.
From comments I heard last year, we need to recruits stronger more athletic players?

2017 Riviera/ITA All-American Championships Qualifying Singles
First round
#63 Fernanda Contreras (Vanderbilt) def. #45 Lindsey Hodge (Rice) 6-1, 6-2
#104 Wendy Zhang (Rice) def. #89 Anna Rogers (North Carolina St.) 2-6, 6-2, 6-2
#56 Natalie Novotna (Virginia Tech) def. Michaela Haet (Rice) 6-4, 6-4

Second round
#27 Felicity Maltby (Texas Tech) (3) def. #104 Wendy Zhang (Rice) 7-5, 6-1

Beginning of last year we had two players in the Top 60, but at the end of the season only had one in the Top 100.
BTW, Michaela is the #1 Freshmen/Newcomer. http://www.itatennis.com/ResultsAndRanki...nkings.htm

(10-04-2017 03:05 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  I think the women's program is in much better shape then the men's program (which apparently will play the whole year with only 6 players so if anyone gets hurt, we might not be able to field a full team for a dual meet???).

I know Hansen transferred, but haven't heard anything about Llamas.

(10-04-2017 03:05 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  Having three players make this tournament is pretty impressive.

Indeed -- Only Duke and North Carolina (4 each) and Stanford (3) had as many or more entries in "this tournament" than the Owls.

But remember, this is the Qualifying Tournament ... with 64 ladies (8 of whom -- including our Wendy Zhang, the only Owl to win a match in the Qualifying Tournament -- having qualified from the 64-entry PRE-qualifying tourney) vying for 8 places in the Main Draw.

Getting three into the Main Draw (ideally seeded, not via qualifiers) would be truly impressive. We'll see later today (or tomorrow) which schools have done that.

(FTR, Syracuse, Georgia, Arkansas, Auburn, Ole Miss, Oregon, UCLA & Northwestern each had two in the qualifying tourney.)

(10-04-2017 03:55 PM)dragon2owl Wrote:  

(10-04-2017 03:05 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  I think the women's program is in much better shape then the men's program (which apparently will play the whole year with only 6 players so if anyone gets hurt, we might not be able to field a full team for a dual meet???).

I know Hansen transferred, but haven't heard anything about Llamas.

It's probably a good thing that nothing was heard about the men's tennis team. Going to be a complete rebuild.

This will be a really good team. We lost two very good seniors and their experience will be missed but all three freshman really look like they can be very successful at this level and by the spring I think we will see some very high performances from them.

I anticipate that Wendy and Lindsey will continue to be top performers but watching Savannah Durkin play last week, I think this will be her year and I would be surprised if she doesnt't emerge as a really, really good player (not that she hasn't helped us win three C-USA championships already).

I really think a reasonable goal would be to host the first round of the NCAA tournament.

Great thanks. Why all the transfers or player losses in the men’s program?

(10-04-2017 04:41 PM)Houston Owl Wrote:  This will be a really good team. We lost two very good seniors and their experience will be missed but all three freshman really look like they can be very successful at this level and by the spring I think we will see some very high performances from them.


I anticipate that Wendy and Lindsey will continue to be top performers but watching Savannah Durkin play last week, I think this will be her year and I would be surprised if she doesnt't emerge as a really, really good player (not that she hasn't helped us win three C-USA championships already).

I really think a reasonable goal would be to host the first round of the NCAA tournament.