FORT MYERS, Fla. – Having already clinched a share of the ASUN regular-season title and the #1 seed in next week's conference tournament, the FGCU women's tennis team (9-7, 5-0 ASUN) will host its last regular season home match against Stetson (11-7, 3-2 ASUN). With a victory, the Eagles can clinch the outright ASUN regular-season title for a second-consecutive season.

The match is slated for a 5 p.m. start and after the doubles portion, the Eagles will honor their lone senior on the squad Julianna Curtis (West Des Moines, Iowa/Allendale Academy) for all her accomplishments during her career with the Green and Blue.

"We are looking forward to hosting Stetson in our last home match of the season!" said head coach Courtney Vernon. "We are so thankful to honor Julianna and all of her accomplishments on the court and off of it as a student-athlete."   

MATCH HISTORY
Despite trailing the all-time series 8-6 versus the Hatters, the Eagles have come out on top the last six of seven matches, including ending Stetson's season for a third-straight year in the semifinals in last year's ASUN Tournament.

SCOUTING THE HATTERS
The Hatters will enter The Nets with an 11-7 overall record, going 3-2 thus far in conference play. Most recently, the Hatters are coming off a split in which they defeated Kennesaw State (6-1) but then fell to Lipscomb in tight-contested 4-3 battle. In singles play, Brooke Milner has paved the way going 12-3 in dual action this season and holds a 4-0 mark in ASUN play. Arijana Korac has seen the most action as the Hatter's #1 court player picking up seven victories this season.

In doubles competition, Milner and Lucie Renault have teamed up to go 8-3 this spring, going 8-2 in the #2 spot. Meanwhile, Danel Ashirova and Korac are 2-2 in conference action.  

ASUN SUCCESS
After claiming their first regular-season crown in program history last season and at least a share of it this spring, the Eagles continue to march ahead under the guidance of head coach Courtney Vernon in her fifth season at the helm. A two-time ASUN Coach of the Year, the Green and Blue have posted a 26-5 record over conference foes under Vernon and have advanced to three-straight ASUN Championship Finals.

After being named the ASUN Freshman of the Year in 2017 –  becoming the third Eagle in the last four years and second straight to earn the recognition –  Maja Ornberg (Kil, Sweden/De la Gardiegymnasiet, Lidkoping) is 13-3 overall this year in dual action, going 10-1 in the #1 position. She joins Sofia Perez (Alajuela, Costa Rica/Florida Virtual School) and Bridget Forster (Boca Raton, Fla./Florida Virtual School) as the trio is 5-0 in conference play.

In doubles play, Madison Gallegos (Denver, Colo./Colorado Connections Academy) and Patricia Villar (Logrono, Spain/Bachillerato Santa Maria/Louisiana Monroe) are 4-0 in ASUN competition, while Perez and Forster are 2-0.

LAST TIME OUT
The Eagles clinched a share of the regular-season title and the #1 seed in next week's ASUN Championship Tournament as FGCU rallied from a 3-0 deficit to take down rival UNF 4-3 Thursday evening.

After falling behind 1-0 at the conclusion of doubles play, the Eagles soon stared at a 3-0 hole, before reeling off three straight victories all culminating on court #5 where Perez picked up a 6-2 third set giving FGCU a 4-3 triumph.

PRESEASON FAVORITES
The Eagles 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.

UP NEXT
FGCU will head up to Jacksonville, Fla., for the 2018 ASUN Championship Tournament as the #1 seeded team. The Championships are set to take place beginning with the quarterfinals on Friday, April 20, followed by the semis and finals Saturday and Sunday.  

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 60-41 overall record (.586) and 26-5 conference record (.827) in her four years at FGCU.