This Week in WAC Women's Tennis - May 4
This Week in WAC Women's Tennis - May 4
GRAND CANYON CROWNED WAC TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS
The WAC Tournament Championship was claimed by Grand Canyon this past weekend. The Lopes earned the title by way of back-to-back sweeps, taking down Seattle U in the quarterfinals and NM State in the championship match. This marks the first time in program history that the Lopes have won the WAC Tournament.
GRAND CANYON TO BATTLE NO. 4 UCLA IN NCAA TOURNAMENT
It was today announced that Grand Canyon will head to Los Angeles to take on No. 4 UCLA in the first round of the NCAA Women's Tennis Tournament.
The Lopes (12-8) will be making their first-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament in program history, earning the WAC's automatic qualification by defeating NM State in the WAC Tournament Championship. They punched their ticket after completing the 4-0 sweep of the Aggies this past Sunday.
Grand Canyon takes on UCLA (19-4) which heads to the NCAA Tournament as an at-large after falling to California in the Pac-12 title match. The Bruins are one of just two programs to qualify for every NCAA Women's Tennis Tournament, claiming the national title in 2008 and 2014.
First- and second-round competition takes place May 7-8 and features four teams playing in a single-elimination format. The winner of each site advances to the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Florida, where the 16 teams will compete for the national championship May 16-28.
BY THE NUMBERS
Following the regular season, Grand Canyon held the best team winning percentage with a record of 10-8 (.556). Individually, Tarleton's Martha Makantasi put together a singles record of 16-2 to lead the league in singles play. UT Rio Grande Valley had 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.