This Week in WAC Women's Tennis - April 21
This Week in WAC Women's Tennis - April 21
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WEISS, MAKANTASI AND AGUILAR NAMED PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Grand Canyon's Jana Weiss and Tarleton doubles team Martha Makantasi and Jemi Aguilar have been named the TicketSmarter Western Athletic Conference Tennis Athletes of the Week for April 13 through April 19.
Weiss, a junior from Klagenfurt, Austria, moved her singles match winning streak to nine matches as she was perfect in WAC play last week. On Friday, Weiss earned a 6-0, 6-1, win over Chicago State's Katarina Drazic. She then followed Friday's showing with a 6-1, 6-0 victory over NM State's Miranda Bishard.
Makantasi, a freshman from Metamorfosi, Greece, and Aguilar, a junior from Orlando, Fla., had an outstanding week as they were perfect in top-flight action against WAC opponents and added wins against UT-Permian Basin and UTEP. Tuesday, the tandem earned a win over UTPB's Anaya Singh and Krystal Smith and continued their strong start with a win over UTEP's Thassane Abrahim and Veronika Lebisova. Makantasi and Aguilar closed their week with a win over Dixie State's Kyra Harames and Sabrina Longson (6-3) before prevailing over Seattle U's Hannah Giannan and Jillian Rasmussen (6-2) on Saturday.
Other women's singles nominees: Tarleton's Martha Makantasi put an exclamation point on a stellar freshman season as she earned wins in WAC play against both Dixie State and Seattle U… UT Rio Grande Valley's Isabelle Bahr helped UTRGV to a pair of wins as she earned match victories at the No. 1 spot against Seattle U and Dixie State.
Other women's doubles nominees: Grand Canyon's Emilia Occhipinti and Autumn Prudhomme capped off a 10-match winning streak as they defeated teams from Chicago State and NM State last week… UT Rio Grande Valley's Isabelle Bahr and Katarina Sasaroga improved to 9-5 as a duo, earning back-to-back wins in top-flight action against Seattle U and Dixie State.
UP NEXT
With only nine days until the WAC Tournament gets underway, Chicago State and Grand Canyon will look to tighten the screws in their final non-conference matchups. The Lopes will head to Flagstaff, Ariz., to take on Northern Arizona on Friday while the Cougars will play host to Saint Louis on Sunday.
BY THE NUMBERS
Entering the wek, Grand Canyon holds the best team winning percentage with a record of 10-7. Individually, Tarleton's Martha Makantasi has put together a singles record of 16-2 to lead the league in singles play. UT Rio Grande Valley has the top doubles team as Lea Karren and Valeria Montero hold a doubles record of 7-2.
In WAC play, Grand Canyon finished as the only undefeated team as the Lopes concluded their season with a 6-0 record against WAC opponents. Individually, six different players went unbeaten in conference singles matches. Each with a record of 6-0, Tarleton's Celia Vaudiau is joined by Grand Canyon's Joely Lomas, Natasha Puehse, Emilia Occhipinti and Jana Weiss to lead the way. Meanwhile, Grand Canyon's Emilia Occhipinti and Autum Prudhomme pace the conference in doubles play, posting a 6-0 record.
PRUDHOMME COLLECTS WIN NO. 150
In his 14th season at the helm of the Grand Canyon tennis program, Head Coach Greg Prudhomme tallied his 150th win. The benchmark win came as the Lopes swept Chicago State and place GCU on track to earn the WAC regular seaon title.
IT'S BIGGER IN TEXAS (AND UTAH)
On Jan. 14, the WAC announced the addition of five new schools in the upcoming years. Abilene Christian, Lamar, Sam Houston, Stephen F. Austin and Southern Utah were all offered and accepted membership invitations. With the addition, the WAC will have six schools in Texas, more than any other conference in the country, and three schools in Utah, also a national best. The four Texas schools will join the league on July 1, 2021 and Southern Utah will follow 365 days later, officially joining the WAC on July 1, 2022.
WAC CHAMPIONSHIP HEADED TO NEW MEXICO
The 2021 WAC Tennis Championships will be headed to the campus of NM State with both the men and women competitng for a title in Las Cruces, N.M. Play is set to begin on April 30 with the final day of matches scheduled for May 2.
Grand Canyon earned the regular season title and the No. 1 seed after ending WAC play with a perfect 6-0 record. The Lopes will await the winner of the match between the No. 4 and No. 5 seed.
NM State is headed straight to the semifinals with a No. 2 seed and 4-2 record. The Aggies will face the third seeded Seattle U Redhawks.
UT Rio Grande Valley enters the tournament with a 3-3 record in conference play, earning the No. 3 seed.
Taking the fourth seed is Chicago State. The Cougars will matchup with No. 5 Seattle U on April 30 in the lone quarterfinal contest.
The tournament begins Friday, April 30, with the Cougars and Redhawks set to begin play at 9 a.m. local time.