Abilene Christian’s Lady Wildcats tennis team is aiming for another trip to the National Tournament after being crowned Lone Star Conference Champions last season. To prepare the team for conference and nationals, the women’s spring schedule will be very competitive and grueling, with matches against four Division I opponents in a mere five days. Both the ACU men’s and women’s tennis teams will travel to Las Vegas over spring break for the Las Vegas Invitational where teams from all divisions will be competing.
“I believe the Lady Wildcats will advance at least to the semi-finals of nationals, and I expect nothing less of the team this year. I think this is the best team we have had since I have been at ACU,” junior Cassie Carver from Oklahoma City said. “Individually, I would like to go undefeated and do my best at my position in doubles.”
Hannah Kelley, a sophomore from Richardson, TX, echoes this sentiment: “We will be playing some tough teams this year but we have a great chance at nationals.”
The home schedule of the Lady Wildcats consists of Louisiana-Lafayette, Tarleton State and New Mexico Military Institute along with a few others.
Throughout the season the Lady Wildcats will face ten Division I opponents.
Rounding out their season they will take on top-ranked Division II schools Columbus State, Alabama-Birmingham and Samford in the southeast.
Hutton Jones has coached the men and women’s tennis teams at ACU for 14 years now. With an enviable record of 582-197, he’s working for a repeat of last year’s success. He hopes to coach the women to a LSC Championship repeat this season.
Kelley said, “Coach Jones makes sure we glorify God whether we win or lose and he makes it a lot of fun.”
Oklahoma City freshman Emily Conrad is enthusiastic about her first spring season at ACU. “I am trying to build chemistry with the other girls. Our team is great so I am really excited.”
The Wildcats finished in eighth place last season at the National Championship tournament. This year the NCAA Tournament will take place in Orlando, FL.
The Wildcats’ first home match is on Friday.
