FORT MYERS, FL – The FGCU women's tennis team was settling into conference play before its season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Newcomers Making an Impact
With only three returners entering the 2019-20 season, five newcomers joined the squad and combined for 20 overall dual wins. Freshman
Ida Ferding (Vasteras, Sweden/Akademi Bastad Gymnasium) led the way and the team with six dual victories as five of those came on court no. 5. Meanwhile, another freshman in
Alba Retortillo (Leon,Spain/ La Anunciata) was right on Ferding's heels with five wins, placing her second on the team.
ASUN Players of the Week
Junior and one of the five newcomers to the roster,
Satomi Momose (Tokyo, Japam/St. Petersburg) took home the first weekly conference honor after claiming a straight-set win (6-4, 6-4) in the season-opener against SEC foe Kentucky. Despite the loss to the No. 2-ranked Florida State Seminoles on Feb. 28, senior
Sofia Perez (Alajuela, Costa Rica/Florida Virtual School) took down the No. 83rd-ranked singles player in the country on court No. 3 (6-4, 2-6, 1-0 (10-6)).
Conference Action
FGCU opened league play at home for a second-straight year against Lipscomb, collecting a 6-1 win over the Bisons. The Green and Blue swept doubles play and captured all but court No. 3 in singles competition as two matches went into a third set tiebreaker. FGCU was the only ASUN team to record a conference win before the remainder of the season was canceled.
Coach Vernon
A three-time ASUN Coach of the Year,
Courtney Vernon wrapped up her seventh season at the helm with a 77-57 (.575) overall record with an outstanding 32-8 (.800) mark in conference action.
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.
E.A.G.L.E. CAMPAIGN
IT TAKES A TEAM to achieve our newest goal - a $10 million campaign to address student-athlete needs in continued academic success, life skills, mental health, nutrition, and strength and conditioning as well as departmental needs in facility expansion and improvement as well as mentoring and leadership training for coaches and staff. The name embodies our mission and the purpose of the E.A.G.L.E. Campaign - Eagle Athletics Generating Lifetime Excellence. Join Our Team and
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HEAD COACH COURTNEY VERNON
FGCU's women's tennis team is led by three-time ASUN Coach of the Year Courtney Vernon (entering 7th season)
who led the Eagles to back-to-back ASUN regular-season crowns in her fifth season in 2018. She has mentored her student-athletes into earning 59 ASUN All-Conference and All-Academic honors, including 2014, 2016 and 2017 ASUN Freshman of the Year as well as the 2016, 2017 and 2019 Scholar-Athlete of the Year and the 2018 Player of the Year. Vernon has led the Green and Blue to a 77-57 overall record (.575) and 32-8 conference record (.800).
ABOUT FGCU
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 82 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 12-plus seasons at the Division I level. Additionally, in just eight-plus seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 38 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. Seven FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport – including women's basketball (2019-20) and both men's soccer (2018, 2019) and women's soccer (2018) as three of the most recent. In 2016-17, the Green and Blue posted a department-best sixth-place finish in the DI-AAA Learfield Directors' Cup and top-100 showing nationally, ahead of several Power-5 and FBS institutions. In 2018-19, the Eagles had an ASUN and state of Florida best seven teams earn the NCAA's Public Recognition Award for their Academic Progress Rate in their sport. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.35 GPA in the classroom in the spring 2018 semester and has outperformed the general University undergraduate population for twenty-one consecutive semesters. The 2019 Fall semester saw another milestone reached as all 15 programs achieved a 3.0-or-higher team GPA. The Eagles also served an all-time high 7,200 volunteer hours in 2017 – being recognized as one of two runners-up for the inaugural NACDA Community Service Award presented by the Fiesta Bowl.
