Sept. 19, 2013
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame women’s tennis team opens its 2013-14 season with a pair of tournaments this weekend, as the Irish will be represented at both the Wolverine Invitational (Ann Arbor, Mich.) and the Ball State Fall Invitational (Muncie, Ind.).
A total of six teams are scheduled to compete in the Wolverine Invitational at the University of Michigan Varsity Tennis Courts. Joining host Michigan and Notre Dame in the field is Arizona State, DePaul, Purdue and Tulane.
Friday’s first day of play will feature six singles matchups, with each team in the tournament field playing a total of two matches. The first teams will take the court at 9:30 a.m. (ET). Doubles action will open play on Saturday, with three doubles matches to begin at 9:30 a.m. After a second three-match wave of doubles play at 11 a.m., the first singles showdowns of the day will follow at approximately 1:30 p.m. The final day of the tournament will feature doubles at 9:30 a.m. and three singles matches beginning at 11 a.m. on Sunday.
Notre Dame is making its first appearance in the Wolverine Invitational since 2007, when Cosmina Ciobanu and Katie Potts each earned victories in their respective flights in the singles draw. Kali Krisik and Kelcy Tefft claimed the overall doubles draw.
Live results from the Wolverine Invitational will be available at .
The Irish will also send select players to the Ball State Fall Invitational at the Cardinal Creek Tennis Center. Notre Dame is one of 12 teams participating in the tournament, with play scheduled to begin each day at 9 a.m. Play will transition from one doubles and two singles competitions Friday, a pair of doubles and one singles match Saturday, and one doubles and singles match, respectively, on Sunday.
Notre Dame returns eight monogram winners from last season’s 18-9 team that won the program’s sixth straight BIG EAST Conference Championship during the program’s final season in the league.
Britney Sanders was named the 2013 BIG EAST Player of the Year and the BIG EAST Championship Most Outstanding Player, and closed her junior campaign with a 24-14 overall mark in singles play and a 24-13 ledger in doubles matches. Jennifer Kellner (18-13 overall singles, 22-10 overall doubles) and Quinn Gleason (team-best 25-8 overall singles, 22-11 doubles) joined Sanders as all-BIG EAST team selections.
Head coach Jay Louderback won BIG EAST Coach of the Year honors for the fifth straight season and the 11th time during his career at the helm of the Irish in 2013. Louderback led Notre Dame to 13 BIG EAST Championship titles during the program’s 18 seasons as a league member.
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