Aug. 22, 2016
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Coming off another exceptional year on court, the Vanderbilt women’s tennis team kicks off its fall tournament schedule on September 23rd and rounds off the season in early November following a competitive and educational trip to Puerto Rico.
Head coach Geoff Macdonald and the Commodores begin the fall at one of their favorite tournaments, the Furman Fall Classic. Hosted by Furman University in Greenville, S.C., the ‘Dores will face some of the best collegiate teams in the southeast. Last season recent grad, Frances Altick, won her flight championship at the FFC to begin one of the best seasons in Vanderbilt history.
“Furman is a surprisingly strong tournament,” said head coach Geoff Macdonald. “I’d say six of the eight teams in attendance are in the top-25. There’s great early match play, and I also like it because the whole team goes together. We’re there together all day, so there’s nice bonding and really really good tennis.”
On the first of October, select Commodores will be in Pacific Palisades, Calif. competing in Riviera ITA All-Americans, the first championship of the 2016-17 season. Following All-Americans, Vanderbilt plays host to the squad’s annual June Stewart Invitational for one last tune-up before the USTA/ITA Ohio Valley Regionals.
Hosted this season by MTSU in Murfreesboro, Tenn., the ‘Dores will compete against all 24 regional teams, with individual winners advancing to national indoors in New York.
Three Commodores made regional final four in singles last season, as Altick took home the hardware after defeating Sydney Campbell in the championship match. Courtney Colton and Astra Sharma represented VU in the doubles final, falling to UK’s Sutjiadi/Adachi.
“The winner of regionals gets an invitation to New York to compete at National Indoors. They play in Flushing Meadows on the indoor courts. It’s a great chance to go to the Big Apple, and they’re competitors. They want to compete and do their best.”
Following regionals the ‘Dores travel south, way south, to Palmas del Mar, Puerto Rico for the Puerto Rico College Challenge.
“This trip was put together by the University of Virginia, the University of Georgia and Old Dominion. So, it’s just a chance to compete and travel to a place that not many people have had the chance to go.”
Depending in regional results, up to three Vanderbilt student-athletes could travel to New York for national Indoors. In 2016, VU sent Altick and Campbell to the national competition. Both ‘Dores retuned home to Nashville as quarterfinalists after defeating two of the top-five tournament seeds.
