FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU women's tennis team (1-2) returns home for the second time this spring season as the Eagles welcome Middle Tennessee (7-3) Saturday morning at the FGCU Tennis Complex. Doubles are slated to begin at 11 a.m., followed by singles play.

"We're excited to welcome Middle Tennessee this weekend," said head coach Courtney Vernon. "It should be a really fun match against a quality opponent and it gives us another opportunity to keep growing."

LAST TIME OUT
With weather forcing a change to the schedule, the FGCU women's tennis team went on the road to face the #17 Miami Hurricanes, falling 6-1 last Saturday afternoon in Coral Gables, Fla. The Eagles (1-2) were tasked with a pair of nationally-ranked singles opponents and a nationally-ranked doubles team from Miami (2-1).

The pairing of Julia Ascúa (Santa Fe, Argentina/Domingo G. Silva) and Julianna Curtis (West Des Moines, Iowa/Allendale Academy) faced the #33 doubles team in the country in Ana Madcur and Estela Perez-Somarriba, dropping a 6-0 decision. Soon after, the Hurricanes would go on to take the final doubles with a pair of 6-2 decisions.

FGCU's victory on the day came from Madison Gallegos (Denver, Colo./Colorado Connections Academy) as the newcomer took down Daniella Roldan 7-6 (12-10), 7-5 at No. 3. With her play against Miami, Gallegos was named the ASUN's women's tennis players of the week. The award becomes the first of her career and the first time an Eagle has been honored this season.

RECAPPING AN HISTORIC 2017 SEASON
FGCU's 2016-17 season was its most successful to date, claiming the ASUN regular season title for the first time in program history. Led by the ASUN Freshman of the Year Ornberg, FGCU went 6-0 in conference play and 15-5 overall. The Eagles' run to an NCAA Tournament fell short, however, as FGCU dropped a heartbreaking 4-3 decision to UNF in the final.

PRESEASON FAVORITES
The reigning regular season champions, the FGCU women finished the poll with 44 points matching the reigning ASUN Tournament champions UNF. However, the Ospreys received four first-place votes while the Eagles received three. FGCU and UNF finished the regular season as the top two teams and met in the tournament final, with the Ospreys narrowly defeating the Eagles 4-3.

Stetson (32 points) is expected to finish third according to the preseason poll, just ahead of Lipscomb (29). NJIT (25), Kennesaw State (14), and USC Upstate (8) round out the preseason poll.

SCOUTING MIDDLE TENNESSEE
The Blue Raiders will come into Fort Myers with an overall 7-3 record. MTSU is coming off two-straight victories at home against UT-Martin (7-0) and Samford (4-3).

In singles play, Kim Kermet leads the team with an 8-1 record and also holds a 5-2 record in doubles action. Kermet's teammate Zani Barnard is has yet to suffer a loss going 5-0 this season.

This will be the first meeting between the Eagles and the Blue Raiders since their last matchup in 2015, where the Green and Blue fell to MTSU 7-0.

FOLLOW ALONG
For up-to-date coverage of FGCU women's tennis, follow us on Twitter @FGCU_WTEN and visit www.FGCUAthletics.com where full recaps and results will be available.

HEAD COACH COURTNEY VERNON
FGCU's women's tennis team is led by two-time ASUN Coach of the Year Courtney Vernon, whose fourth season under the helm saw the Eagles claim their first ASUN Championship in program history. She has mentored her student-athletes into earning 43 ASUN All-Conference and All-Academic honors, including the 2014, 2016 and 2017 ASUN Freshman of the Year as well as the 2016 and 2017 Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Vernon has led the Green and Blue to a 52-36 overall record (.600) and 21-5 conference record (.808) in her four years at FGCU.