Women's Tennis Announces 2009-10 Slate
8/31/2009 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S TENNIS
CHICAGO - Head women's tennis coach Mark Ardizzone announced today his team's 2009-10 schedule. The challenging slate includes six teams that participated in the 2009 NCAA Tennis Championships and five home matches at the Lakeshore Athletic Club.
"This year's schedule is our most aggressive ever," Ardizzone said. "After last year's success we really wanted to try and take the next step. We have some great weekends where we will really get a chance to prove if we are a top team. I know the team is really looking forward to the challenge."
DePaul is coming off its most successful season in the program's history in 2008-09. The Blue Demons advance to the BIG EAST Championship round against NCAA Final Four participant Notre Dame while four Blue Demons - Dunja Antunovic, Anna Redecsi, Selma Salkovic, and Katarina Milinkovic all earned All-BIG EAST Conference status. DePaul which was ranked as high as No. 26 in the ITA National rankings finished the season at No. 47 while Redecsi ranked No. 93 in the individual rankings.
The Blue Demons begin their 2009-10 campaign Sept. 25-27 at the Rice Owls Classic in Houston, Texas. The month of October sees DePaul at the Riviera/ITA Women's All-American Championships at the Riviera Tennis Club in Los Angeles, Oct. 3-11. After returning from the west coast the Blue Demons stay close to Chicago and travel the short distance to Evanston for the Wildcat Invite Oct. 9-11 and the Midwest Regional which Northwestern is also hosting Oct. 22-27.
DePaul closes out the fall tournament portion of it schedule at the Bronco Invitational Nov. 6-8.
Following a two month break in the schedule, the duel season gets under way at the Northwestern Invitational Jan. 15-17. DePaul hosts both Villanova and Butler at the Lakeshore Athletic Club on Jan. 23rd before heading to the Indoor Qualifier at Notre Dame Jan. 30-31. DePaul opens the Qualifier against BIG EAST rival Notre Dame and will face either North Carolina or Boise State - both NCAA Championship participants on day two.
The Blue Demons hit the road in February with duels at North Carolina State, Wake Forest, Indiana, Western Michigan, Louisville, BYU and Utah.
The month of March sees the Blue Demons at Iowa on March 6 before heading to Florida for duels with Arkansas State, Florida Atlantic and Florida International March 25-26.
DePaul enjoys a three-match home stand to begin the month of April. DePaul, who finished the its 2009 BIG EAST Conference slate with a 4-1 mark, welcomes league foes Cincinnati and West Virginia April 2 and 4, respectively. The Blue Demons will celebrate Senior Day on April 10 with its final nonconference duel against Akron.
DePaul closes out the season with duels against Rutgers, Notre Dame and Marquette before the BIG EAST Championship April 22-25. This year's league Championship will be played in South Bend at Notre Dame's Courtney Tennis Center.
The NCAA Championship is scheduled to begin May 14 with the Championship May 20 at Georgia's Dan Magill Tennis Complex.