The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Women's Tennis To Participate In ITA Southern Regionals
10/12/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Oct. 12, 2005
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ----- The UAB women's tennis team will participate in its second tournament of the fall season this weekend, as the Blazers head to Athens, Ga., for the ITA Southern Regional Women's Tennis Championships Thursday through Sunday hosted by the University of Georgia. The tournament, held at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex, will showcase players from 21 different schools around the South including the nation's top-ranked singles and doubles players.
"This is usually the biggest tournament of the fall," said UAB head coach Mert Ertunga. "It's the toughest competition in the region. I think this tournament will give us a good idea of where we stand among the best in our region. At the same time, I think the girls are ready. We had a very good weekend and Middle Tennessee and I'm expecting some good results."
There will be two flights, an "A" and a "B," which will have a 64-player singles draw and a 32-team doubles bracket with consolation. Four of the nation's top-10 ranked singles players hail from the ITA Southern Region including #1 Jennifer Magley of Florida, as well as four of the top-10 doubles tandems.
The winner and runner-up in flight "A" singles as well, as the doubles winners, will advance to the ITA/National Indoor Championships next month at Ohio State on Nov. 3-6. The ITA Southern Regionals will feature players from the following 21 schools: Alabama, Auburn, Bethune-Cookman, Central Florida, Florida, Florida International, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Georgia Tech, Mercer, Miami (Fla.), Mississippi, Mississippi State, North Florida, South Florida, Southern Mississippi, Southeast Missouri State, Troy and UAB.
The Blazers head into the event after a successful first fall tournament, in which UAB placed first in three separate flights at the Middle Tennessee Fall Invitational October 7-9. Seden Soyalp was the big winner for the Blazers, taking the title in flight "C" singles and pairing with partner Antonia Nugent for the first-place finish in flight "B" doubles. Elsholz and Ornischa Maier-Knapp took the title in flight "A" doubles, while Antonia Nugent and Soyalp tallied a first-place finish for UAB in flight "B" doubles.
