TEMPE - Mark those calendars, the Sun Devils are returning to the courts.
The 20th-ranked Sun Devil women's tennis team is slated to play in the ITA Kickoff Weekend Jan. 23-24 in Austin, Texas, the ITA announced Monday. ASU will join No. 4 Texas, No. 21 LSU and No. 26 Baylor. Competition will take place at the University of Texas.
"We're excited. Austin's always a really nice spot to go to," head coach Sheila McInerney said. "We like that there's four teams in that regional that we don't typically play. Especially in this COVID year where we've had some nonconference matches canceled, it's really important for us to have this opportunity to compete and play some nonconference matches. This is also really good for the players. Some of this group has never been to Austin and they've never played these teams before so it's great and it should work out well for us."
ASU was No. 18 in the country and on a three-game winning streak before the spring season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 12-5 Sun Devils' shortened season included wins over No. 9 Vanderbilt and No. 38 Kentucky, and ASU was 8-1 at home.
McInerney's squad returns its top two players in two-time doubles All-American Ilze Hattingh and Sammi Hampton, both of whom recorded nine singles wins in 2020. Hattingh's doubles partner, Tereza Kolarova, also returns. The pair held a 8-1 recorded at No. 1. ASU has since welcomed freshmen Marianna Argyrokastriti and Natasha Hill along with UCF transfer Domenika Turkovic to the roster. No. 44 junior Giulia Morlet, who signed her national letter of intent in November, joins the program in January too.
The 20th-ranked Sun Devil women's tennis team is slated to play in the ITA Kickoff Weekend Jan. 23-24 in Austin, Texas, the ITA announced Monday. ASU will join No. 4 Texas, No. 21 LSU and No. 26 Baylor. Competition will take place at the University of Texas.
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"We're excited. Austin's always a really nice spot to go to," head coach Sheila McInerney said. "We like that there's four teams in that regional that we don't typically play. Especially in this COVID year where we've had some nonconference matches canceled, it's really important for us to have this opportunity to compete and play some nonconference matches. This is also really good for the players. Some of this group has never been to Austin and they've never played these teams before so it's great and it should work out well for us."
ASU was No. 18 in the country and on a three-game winning streak before the spring season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 12-5 Sun Devils' shortened season included wins over No. 9 Vanderbilt and No. 38 Kentucky, and ASU was 8-1 at home.
McInerney's squad returns its top two players in two-time doubles All-American Ilze Hattingh and Sammi Hampton, both of whom recorded nine singles wins in 2020. Hattingh's doubles partner, Tereza Kolarova, also returns. The pair held a 8-1 recorded at No. 1. ASU has since welcomed freshmen Marianna Argyrokastriti and Natasha Hill along with UCF transfer Domenika Turkovic to the roster. No. 44 junior Giulia Morlet, who signed her national letter of intent in November, joins the program in January too.
?? Austin, Texas
— ITA (@ITA_Tennis) December 7, 2020
?? January 23 - 24, 2021#ITAKickoff pic.twitter.com/xrhmbqpR9y