FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU women's tennis team began its 2023 spring season with a strong showing Friday, defeating St. John's 5-2 at the FGCU Tennis Complex – earning head coach Courtney Vernon her 100^th career victory.

"Today was a good start to our season. The ladies were tested because of the wind and also because of the rain delay," Vernon said. "Despite the weather, they competed hard and we will build off today and prepare to play Middle Tennessee (Saturday). We are very grateful for all our fans that came out to support us!"

The day started with three tight doubles matches that came down to the final decision to earn an opening point. Junior Jordana Ossa (Miami, Fla./John A. Ferguson Senior HS/Wisconsin) and sophomore Gabriela Macias (Barranquilla, Colombia/Colegio Fontan) dropped their match at No. 2, 6-4. 

Seniors Ida Ferding (Vasteras, Sweden/Akademi Basted Gymnasium) and Emma Bardet (Vichy, France/Long Beach State) fought back from an early deficit at No. 1 to ultimately prevail 7-6 (7) to keep the Eagles within striking distance. 

Juniors Fanny Norin (Stockholm, Sweden/Thoren Business School) and Isabella Colmenares (San Cristobal, Venezuela/Colegio Juan XXIII) ultimately dropped the No. 3 match 7-6 (7). 

Norin tied the match with a 6-0, 6-1 singles win at No. 3, and Ferding gave Eagles a 2-1 lead after winning 6-1, 6-0 at No. 6. Bardet stretched FGCU's lead at No. 1 by winning 7-5, 6-0.  

The Red Storm tried closing the gap by defeating freshman Amelia Kopel (Wroclaw, Poland, International School of Wroclaw) 6-4, 7-5 at No. 4. 

With the Green & Blue up 3-1 in singles, Ossa clinched at No. 5 with a 7-6 (7), 7-6 (7) victory. 
Colmenares closed out the evening with a hard-fought 6-7 (7), 6-2, 10-8 victory at No. 2.

Singles Competition
1.    BARDET, Emma (FGCU) def. Mouna Bouzgarrou, (SJU) 7-5, 6-0
2.    COLMENARES, Isabella (FGCU) def. Lalita Devarakonda (SJU) 6-7, 6-2, 10-8
3.    NORIN, Fanny (FGCU) def. Jayden Nielsen (SJU) 6-0, 6-1
4.     Yesica de Lucas (SJU) def. KOPEL, Amelia (FGCU) 6-4, 7-5
5.    OSSA, Jordana (FGCU) def. Willa Bay Breunich (SJU) 7-6, 7-6
6.    FERDING, Ida (FGCU) def. Camila Ordonez (SJU) 6-1, 6-0

Doubles Competition
1.    FERDING, Ida / BARDET, Emma (FGCU) def. Jayden Nielsen / Yesica de Lucas (SJU) 7-6
2     Mouna Bouzgarrou /Emilie Haakansson (SJU) def. OSSA, Jordana /MACIAS, Gabriela (FGCU) 6-4
3.    Camila Ordonez/ Willa Bay Breunich (SJU) def. NORIN, Fanny/ COLMENARES, Isabella (FGCU) 7-6 (7)

Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (3,6,1,4,5,2)


The Eagles return to the court Saturday, taking on Middle Tennessee at 9 a.m.  

HEAD COACH COURTNEY VERNON
FGCU's women's tennis team is led by three-time ASUN Coach of the Year Courtney Vernon (10th season) who led the Eagles to back-to-back ASUN regular-season crowns in her fifth season during 2018, adding a third regular-season title in 2022. She has mentored her student-athletes into earning 66 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 an 100-73 overall record (.578) and 44-11 conference record (.800).


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 pledge your gift today to help the Eagles of tomorrow!


#FEEDFGCU
FGCU Athletics sponsors events in November and April to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.


ABOUT FGCU 
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 94 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 15-plus seasons at the Division I level. Additionally, in just 11-plus seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 47 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. In 2022, the men's golf team became the first program to earn an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament. Eight FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport - including women's basketball (No. 20, 2021-22 and No. 25 in 2022-23) beach volleyball (No. 20, 2022) and both men's soccer (2018, 2019) and women's soccer (2018) as four of the most recent. In 2016-17, the Green & 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 3.66 GPA in the classroom in the fall 2022 semester and has outperformed the general University undergraduate population for 27 consecutive semesters. The past seven semesters (Fall 2019 – Fall 2022) saw another milestone reached as all 15 programs achieved a 3.0-or-higher cumulative 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.
 
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