NORFOLK, Va. -- The No. 57 Old Dominion women’s tennis team is set to host No. 38 Florida State at the Folkes-Stevens Tennis Center on Saturday, Jan. 16 at 10:00 a.m. to commence the 2016 season.
One of just three Conference USA teams listed in the preseason ITA rankings, the Lady Monarchs enter Saturday’s season opener after finishing the 2015 year with a 16-6 overall record, which included wins over nationally ranked No. 61 VCU and No. 48 Marshall. Old Dominion ended last season ranked No. 56, which is the highest season-end ranking for the program since 2001. ODU head coach Dom Manilla returns all six starters for the 2015-16 season.
Individually, Old Dominion boasts five different Lady Tennis Monarchs who raked in all conference honors last season. Borislava Botusharova made First Team for singles and was named the C-USA Freshman of the Year. Ingrid Vojcinakova joined Botusharova on First Team for singles, while Nikol Hristova and Marijana Novakovic garnered Second Team accolades. Ivana Vukovic claimed a spot on the Third Team for singles and the Botusharova/Hristova tandem teamed up to make Third Team All Conference USA for doubles. Additionally, freshman Nataliya Vlasova has already earned a No. 10 ranking in the ITA Atlantic Regional rankings.
The Florida State Seminoles enter the 2016 season after going 16-11 in 2015 and posting a 6-8 record en route to reaching the ACC Semifinals. During the year, the Seminoles defeated five ranked teams, including No. 36 Notre Dame and No. 15 Miami. Daneika Borthwick was named the ITA Southeast Region Most Improved Senior of the Year, and Gabby Castaneda led the Seminoles with 26 wins on the season as just a freshman.
LOOKING AHEAD FOR THE LADY TENNIS MONARCHS
Next up the Lady Monarchs hit the road to play Tulane on Friday, Jan. 22 at 9 a.m. and either Georgia or Wyoming on Sunday, Jan. 24 at 1 p.m. in Athens, Georgia.
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