WILMINGTON, North Carolina - Many of the top collegiate players in the country convene at Empie Park this weekend when the UNCW men's and women's tennis teams play host to 13 schools and 95 players in the UNCW Collegiate Tennis Invitational at the Althea Gibson Tennis Complex.
The tournament will be the first collegiate event held at the sparkling new facility, with play beginning at 8:30 a.m. daily, Friday through Sunday. Admission is free.
The talented field includes players from 22 countries, including Spain, France, Romania, Sweden, Finland, Israel, Argentina and Poland.
It also marks the 2011-12 season debut for UNCW's highly-successful teams. The Seahawks compete in bracketed tournaments during the fall before embarking on their dual match schedule in the spring. Both squads were nationally ranked one year ago.
"I know our team is really looking forward to playing at the new facility and participating in the first collegiate tennis event at the Althea Gibson Tennis Complex," said Jenny Garrity, UNCW's 12-year women's coach.
The women will be joined by players from Furman, Georgetown, Virginia Tech and West Virginia in the 39-player field. Seniors Christina Lee and Casey Dashiell are set to lead the Seahawks after Garrity's club went 22-5 and enjoyed one of the best seasons in the history of the program.
"Christina and Casey have done a tremendous job of leading this team through tough preseason training sessions," Garrity said.
Lee, a First-Team All-CAA selection and the circuit's Scholar Athlete-of-the-Year last year, amassed a 20-4 singles record and was unbeaten in 12 matches at No. 2 singles. Along with Dashiell, Lee helped the women post a 103-42 (.710) record in singles and 47-15 (.758) ledger in doubles. Dashiell was a CAA Scholar-Athlete in 2010-11.
Garrity, the 2011 CAA Coach-of-the-Year, said the nine members of her team will be severely tested this weekend with the caliber of players competing at Empie Park.
"We're really looking forward to opening the fall season, especially with the high level of competition we will face. We have another deep squad this year and I know our three freshmen are looking forward to competing for the Seahawks for the first time.
"It's a tough field with numerous NCAA teams right out of the gate. Our team is ready to go and we're eager to start play on Friday."
Lee (Charlotte, N.C.) and Dashiell (Norfolk, Va.) head UNCW's women's lineup. Christina Riley (Plainfield, Ind.) is the lone junior on the club and Kelly Cameron (Hilton Head, S.C.) and Angie Sekeley (Mississauga, Ontario) represent a pair of promising sophomores. Newcomers Miller Hales (Wilmington, N.C.), Hamilton Lovett (Raleigh, N.C.) and Alyssa Ritchie (Franklin, Ohio) make their collegiate debuts this weekend.
On the men's side, nine teams with 56 players are set to battle at Empie Park. For UNCW, it's an opportunity to play against challenging competition early in the year after climbing as high as No. 38 in the ITA rankings last spring.
In addition to the Seahawks, the men's draw features players from Campbell, UNC Charlotte, Coastal Carolina, Old Dominion, South Carolina, Tulane, VCU and William & Mary.
"We're very excited about getting things under way; it's one of the best and deepest draws since I've been here," said Mait DuBois, the reigning ITA's Carolina Region Coach-of-the-Year. "To be able to put on such a great community event makes it special. We're very fortunate to have such an active and energetic tennis community here in Wilmington and the number of volunteers and people wanting to get involved make it a very unique setting for college tennis."
The Seahawks return four players - juniors Chris Cooprider (Denver, Colo) and Kosta Blank (Kfar Sava, Israel) and sophomores Rafael Aita (Lima, Peru) and Pedro Mol (The Netherlands) - from their second CAA championship team in three seasons. DuBois and his club closed out the year with a 21-5 record and a narrow loss to Auburn in the NCAA Regionals.
The men's roster also has three freshmen: Zach Hublitz (McLean, Va.), Michael Reilly (Raleigh, N.C.) and Sam Williams (Bristol, England).
Cooprider and Blank will anchor the team. Cooprider posted an 18-5 record last season and was named the Most Outstanding Player in the 20111 CAA Championships. Blank, meanwhile, went 10-8 and teamed with Illia Ziamtsou for a 17-4 mark in doubles.
Conference rivals Old Dominion, VCU and William & Mary are sending players to the event, giving the Seahawks an early look at league competition. "With three other CAA teams participating, the quality of tennis is going to be extremely high. I know it will be a great opportunity to watch some exceptional tennis."
Fans will not only have a chance to watch great tennis, they can win a 42-inch flat screen television in a special contest open to everyone. Land Rover of Wilmington and Two Guys Grille are teaming up to fill a Land Rover with tennis balls. The individual guessing the number of balls in the automobile will win the new television that will given away Sunday afternoon.
