Women's Tennis Preseason Coaches Poll: Whitman Predicted to Snap Wildcats' Streak
|
Team
|
Pts.
|
'19 NWC finish |
|
Whitman
|
63 (7)
|
2nd
|
|
Linfield
|
56 (2)
|
1st
|
|
Whitworth
|
48
|
3rd
|
|
Puget Sound
|
41
|
4th
|
|
Lewis & Clark
|
36
|
5th
|
|
George Fox
|
30
|
6th
|
|
Pacific (Ore.)
|
22
|
8th
|
|
Pacific Lutheran
|
16
|
9th
|
|
Willamette
|
12
|
7th
|
(Points awarded on an 8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. Coaches could not vote for their own teams; numbers in parentheses indicate first place votes)
HILLSBORO, Ore. – The Whitman Blues women's tennis team has been selected by conference coaches as the predicted top team for the 2020 season. The Blues earned 63 points and seven first-place votes.
In the 2019 season, the Blues were runner-up to Linfield both in regular season final standings and at the NWC Championship. With a conference record of seven wins and just one loss, the Blues earned the #2 seed entering the Championship, advancing to the finals after defeating Lewis & Clark, 5-0. In a close finals match, the Whitman women fell to Linfield, 5-4, ending their 2019 run.
The Blues named three to the All-NWC team, including first team selection and returner Andrea Gu, who claimed the ITA Northwest Regional doubles title alongside teammate Andei Fukushige in the fall. Fukushige also claimed the singles title as a first-year student-athlete. Also returning for the Blues is junior Anastasiya Redkina, who recorded an undefeated singles record of 7-0 against conference opponents last season. The Blues will seek to snap the Wildcats' streak and reclaim the NWC title as Head Coach John Hein enters his 12thseason at the helm of the program.
Ranking second in the poll is Linfield with 56 points and two first-place votes. The Wildcats are after their fourth consecutive NWC title in the 2020 season, most recently claiming the regular season and NWC Championship titles at home in the 2019 season. Linfield returns several key players, most notable the 2019 NWC Player of the Year Michelle Uyeda. Uyeda enters her junior season to lead the Wildcats' efforts alongside teammates and fellow All-NWC honorees Riley Clayeux and Haley Fujimori. The trio combined for a 44-8 singles record last season, led by Fujimori's undefeated 16-0 slate. Led by 2019 Coaches of the Year Lisa Macy-Baker and Carl Swanson, the Wildcats are poised for another postseason run in the 2020 season, earning a 33rd-place rank in the Oracle/Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Preseason Poll.
Whitworth ranks third in the poll with 48 points. The Pirates were part of a three-way tie at the conclusion of the 2019 season with a conference record of 5-3 but fell just short of an NWC Championship appearance due to conference tiebreaker regulations. In good shape for a comeback in the 2020 season, the Pirates return All-NWC first team selection Erica Lee and second team choice Avery Leining as they seek to return to the NWC Championship.
Puget Sound earns 41 points in the poll to rank fourth. The Loggers anchored an NWC Championship appearance with a share of third place at the end of the 2019 regular season but fell to eventual champion Linfield in the NWC semifinals. All-NWC first team selection Lisa Owen returns for her senior season with the Loggers as the team seeks to build on last season's finish.
Lewis & Clark ranks fifth in the poll with 36 points. With a 5-3 conference record and a share of third-place final standing last season, the Pios were seeded fourth entering the NWC Championship, where they fell in the semifinals to Whitman. NWC Freshman of the Year Rachael Rice and All-NWC second team selections Riley Hanks and Madelyn Landerfelt return for the 2020 season to lead the Pios as they chase another NWC Championship appearance.
With 30 points, George Fox ranks sixth in the poll. Wrapping up the 2019 season in sixth with a 3-5 NWC record, the Bruins aren't expected to move up in conference standings. With key returning players such as Sophia Lawrence and Taylor Morris on a roster with primarily upperclassmen, the Bruins will seek to build upon last season's finish in 2020.
Pacific earns 22 points to rank seventh in the poll. The Boxers improve one spot from last season's finish, after earning a 1-7 conference record. Senior team leaders Taylor Smallwood and Johanna Wilson return this season along with Sydnie Binder, who advanced to the ITA Northwest Regional semifinals in the fall will lead the Boxers.
Pacific Lutheran ranks eighth with 16 points. Despite not earning a conference win last season, the Lutes move up one spot from their ninth-place finish in 2019. With just two first-year student-athletes and a roster of upperclassmen, the Lutes welcome back team leaders in doubles play, Lauren Kearney and Kylie Rademacher as the team seeks to improve upon last season's finish.
Willamette rounds out the poll in ninth place with 12 points. The Bearcats are predicted to drop two spots from last season's seventh-place finish despite recording a 2-6 conference record in 2019. The team will be led by returning #1 singles and doubles player Sarah Dean, as well as lone senior Alyssa Oberg in the 2020 season as the Bearcats play under Head Coach and alumnus Rick Wood in his first season.
To view the complete 2020 Northwest Conference women's tennis schedule, click here.