FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU women's tennis team kicks off its season hosting I-75 foe USF for a Sunday matinee meeting beginning at 2 pm at the FGCU Tennis Complex.
The match against the Bulls is part of a five-match homestand the Eagles will host this month and into February.
FGCU capped off the 2018 season going 10-8 overall with a perfect 6-0 league record for a second-straight year. The reigning ASUN Player of the Year
Maja Ornberg (Kil, Sweden/De la Gardiegymnasiet, Lidkoping) produced a 12-1 record on court No. 1 last season as she was one of three Eagles to turn in double-digit wins going 15-3 (19-12 overall) in dual action and posted a 6-0 mark in ASUN play. Senior and three-time ASUN First teamer
Julia Ascúa (Santa Fe, Argentina/Domingo G. Silva) racked up seven wins on court No. 2 (second-most in the ASUN), producing eight dual wins.
All said the Green and Blue bring back a bolstered roster with seven players returning to the mix.
ASUN PRESEASON POLL
The back-to-back ASUN regular season champs collected 52 points and one first-place vote in the ASUN Coaches Poll released Friday afternoon. Atop the poll, conference newcomer Liberty and UNF each garnered 57 points apiece for a first-place tie. The Ospreys came away with four first-place votes compared to the Flames' three.
Lipscomb (37) was selected to finish fourth in the poll, ahead of Stetson (35) and NJIT (24). Kennesaw State (18) and the ASUN's second newcomer team this year North Alabama (8) rounded out the poll.
SCOUTING THE BULLS
USF kicked off its season Saturday afternoon suffering a 4-3 loss to FAU. The Bulls went 12-10 overall in 2018 with a 4-3 mark in the American Athletic Conference (AAC). The squad is led by three seniors in Nicole Dzenga, Vanja Klaric, and Ana Roman Dominguez. Dzena produced a 12-5 record last season highlighted by an eight-match win streak. Meanwhile, Klaric registered a team-best nine-match win streak going 13-8 in singles.
UP NEXT
The Eagles will host Georgia State on Friday, Jan. 18 at 10 am.
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 three-time ASUN Coach of the Year Courtney Vernon, who in her fifth season saw the Eagles claim their second-straight ASUN regular season crown. She has mentored her student-athletes into earning 56 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 and the 2018 Player of the Year. Vernon has led the Green and Blue to a 61-42 overall record (.586) and 27-5 conference record (.827) in her five years at FGCU.
