DULUTH, Minn. (
csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica women's tennis team begins its season Friday night against College Street rival University of Minnesota-Duluth. The Saints then have their NCAA Division III opener against Concordia College-Moorhead on Saturday.
Where:
Duluth Indoor Sports Center (formerly the Arrowhead Tennis Center) – Duluth, Minn.
When:
Friday vs. Minnesota-Duluth – 7 p.m.
Saturday vs. Concordia – 4:30 p.m.
Social Media:
Twitter:
www.twitter.com/CSSsaintstennis
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/csssaintstennis
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/css.saints
St. Scholastica Saints
2017 Stats
2017 Record: 18-6, 9-1 UMAC
Upper Midwest Athletic Conference: Standings | Stats
Season Outlook: The Saints welcome back 12 of 16 players from last year's team that captured its first Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Tournament title since 2013 … However, CSS will be without departed seniors
Jessica Solberg (Bemidji, Minn./Bemidji HS) and
Madeleine Scanlan (St. Albans, England/Loreto College), who have been at the top of the lineup consistently over the past four seasons … That means junior
Elise Hauer (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS) will likely make the jump … The two-time All-UMAC selection has recorded 16 victories at the No. 3 singles spot over the past two seasons … Senior
Daniela Rojas (Monterrey, Mexico/Universidad Tecmilenio) may also see some action towards the top of the lineup … Rojas is a two-time All-UMAC performer and has 27 career singles victories … The program's all-time leader in singles wins is senior
Sarah Coryell (Golden Valley, Minn./Armstrong HS) … Coryell has 62 career wins and became the first player in program history to record back-to-back 20-wins seasons … She enters 2018 with an 11-match winning streak … Junior
Katelyn Rice (Eveleth, Minn./Eveleth-Gilbert HS) was an All-UMAC selection for the first time last season … Rice won seven matches at the No. 2 doubles spot … Rice's doubles partner, sophomore
Elizabeth Fink (Rochester, Minn./Rochester Century HS), also saw plenty of action as a freshman and will be a key piece this season.
Coach Patten: Head Coach
Wells Patten enters his 22
nd season guiding the St. Scholastica women's tennis program … Patten has led the Saints to six NCAA Division III Tournament appearances, including each of the last three seasons … His teams have won at least 18 dual matches 11 times.
AQ on the Line: For the first time, the winner of the UMAC Tournament in May will receive an automatic qualifier into the NCAA Division III Tournament … With Crown College and University of Wisconsin-Superior adding tennis, the conference now has enough teams to gain an automatic qualifier.
New Postseason Format: With the automatic qualifier now at stake, the UMAC Tournament will now be hosted by the top-seeded team. The semifinals will take place mid-week at the higher-seeded team followed by the championship match on the weekend by the highest remaining seed.
Top 5 Matches to Watch
3/3 – vs. Luther
The Norse captured the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) Championship in the fall.
3/29 at Concordia Wisconsin
The Falcons placed first in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) in the fall and played in the NCAA Tournament the past two seasons.
4/12 – vs. UW-Superior
The first-ever meeting between the Bridge Rivals
4/14 – vs. UW-Eau Claire
The Blugolds were runner-up in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) standings in the fall.
4/19 at Northwestern (Minn.)
The Saints and Eagles split during the regular season last year, but this will be the only regular season meeting between the two rivals.
UMAC Preseason Poll
1. St. Scholastica - 47 points (5 First Place Votes)
2. Northwestern - 45 points (3 First Place Vote)
3. Martin Luther - 35 points
4. Bethany Lutheran - 32 points
5. Minnesota Morris - 21 points
6. Wisconsin-Superior - 20 points
7. North Central -13 points
8. Crown - 11 points
What You Need to Know about Minnesota-Duluth:
-The Bulldogs are coming off a 9-13 campaign in 2017.
-The nine wins were the most by the Bulldogs since the 2009 season.
-UMD made its first Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Tournament in seven years before being ousted by top-seeded Augustana College (S.D.).
-The Bulldogs will be led by senior Shelby Benkofske, who was an honorable mention All-NSIC selection last year in doubles.
-Benkofske has played in the No. 1 singles spot the past two seasons.
-Elsa Erickson is also back after leading the team with 12 singles wins in 2017.
-Sophomore Megan Anderson won 11 singles matches and seven doubles matches in her freshman season.
-Minnesota-Duluth is guided by third-year Head Coach Jessica (Rich) Worden.
-Worden, then Rich, played for the Saints from 2004-07 and was named the UMAC Player of the Year in 2007.
Series Record: CSS leads 9-8
(Last Meeting: 6-3 CSS – 1/27/2017)
Series History: The Saints have won the last nine in the series … Last year's three matches won by the Bulldogs were the most in the series since the 2012 season.
What You Need to Know about Concordia:
-The Cobbers finished 2-14 last season with the two wins coming against UMAC programs.
-Concordia did not have a single senior on last year's roster.
-Lisa Neumann and Kendra Stoick each won three singles matches at the top of the lineup.
-Stoick and Mikaila Carney each led the team with three doubles wins.
Series Record: CSS leads 7-4
(Last Meeting: 8-1 CSS – 1/28/2017)
Series History: The Saints have won five straight over the Cobbers … In that span, last year's dual at Concordia was the first time the Saints dropped a match.
Looking Ahead: The Saints remain at home when they host Saint Mary's University on February 3 at the Duluth Indoor Sports Center.
