NORFOLK, Va. – The Old Dominion women’s tennis team is set to serve up 2019 spring action by hosting a double-header on Sunday, Jan. 13, when the Monarchs welcome Temple for a 10:00 a.m. start and then Hampton for a 1:00 p.m. start. Both matches will be held at the Folkes-Stevens Tennis Center and admission for all is free.
“Please come out and support our team on Sunday, as we kick off what has the makings of a very memorable season,” said ODU head coach Dominic Manilla. “We have many new faces in our program and we are only at home for 11 matches. The rest of the time we are on the road in some very tough environments. Let’s kick off this season by showing our new faces the support our community has always shown to our program and let them know that the Folkes-Stevens Tennis Center is the best place to compete in the country!”
In his seventh season at Old Dominion in 2017-18, Manilla was named the ITA Atlantic Region Coach of the Year, as well as the VaSID State Coach of the Year.
The Monarchs compiled a 19-5 record a season ago, highlighted by a season high ITA national ranking of No. 35 and a 5-2 victory at Virginia. ODU went a perfect 5-0 against C-USA opponents during the regular season. Old Dominion also performed well against other major regional contenders including a 6-1 victory over William & Mary (No. 46 in ITA rankings), 4-0 victories over VCU and West Virginia and 7-0 victories over Navy, Richmond and Marshall.
Manilla’s squad was also honored as an Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-Academic Team.
Five letterwinners return from a season ago: Holly Hutchinson (First Team All C-USA for Singles/Second Team All C-USA for Doubles), Natalya Malenko (Second Team All C-USA for Doubles), Louie McLelland, Yulia Starodubtseva (Second Team All C-USA for Singles/All-Freshman Team) and Nataliia Vlasova (First Team All C-USA for Singles/Second Team All C-USA for Doubles).
The Monarchs added three players to the roster in the offseason: Oleksandra Andrieieva (Odessa, Ukraine), Brooke Pilkington (Virginia Beach, Va.) and Alesya Yakubovich (Minsk, Belarus).
Last Season’s Year-End C-USA Awards:
All-Conference USA Singles First-Team
Ulyana Grib, FIU
Andrea Lazaro, FIU
Aliona Bolsova, Florida Atlantic
Maria Kononova, North Texas
Holly Hutchinson, Old Dominion
Nataliia Vlasova, Old Dominion
Lindsey Hodge, Rice
Wendy Zhang, Rice
Moka Ito, WKU
Second-Team
Maryna Veksler, FIU
Natalia Boltinskava, Florida Atlantic
Stephanie Smith, Marshall
Kim Kermet, Middle Tennessee
Tamuna Kutubidze, North Texas
Victoria Olivarez, Old Dominion
Yulia Starodubtseva, Old Dominion
Michaela Haet, Rice
Marlene Herrmann, UAB
All-Conference USA Doubles First-Team
Andrea Lazaro/Nerma Caluk, FIU
Maryna Veksler/Ulyana Grib, FIU
Aliona Bolsova/Jemi Aguilar, Florida Atlantic
Lindsey Hodge/Wendy Zhang, Rice
Second-Team
Maria Kononova/Minyin Liang, North Texas
Holly Hutchinson/Natalya Malenko, Old Dominion
Nataliia Vlasova/Victoria Olivarez, Old Dominion
Moka Ito/Monica Malinen, WKU
All-Freshman Team
Sandra Bozinovic, FIU
Natalia Boltinskava, Florida Atlantic
Anna Botwell, Rice
Michaela Haet, Rice
Yulia Starodubtseva, Old Dominion
Moka Ito, WKU