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University of Massachusets Athletics
UMass Women's Tennis Announces 2008-09 Schedule
June 16, 2008 | Tennis
June 16, 2008
AMHERST, Mass. - UMass Tennis Head Coach Judy Dixon has announced the Minutewomen's 2008-09 schedule. Coming off their sixth-straight Atlantic-10 Semifinal appearance (and 10 in the last 11 seasons), the Minutewomen continue to play a challenging schedule, highlighted by four matches against NCAA Tournament teams and one against a Division II Quarterfinalist. In total, the team will face 11 different Division I conferences, including the A-10, ACC, America East, Big East, Big 12, CAA, Ivy League, MAAC, Northeast Conference, Patriot League, and Sun Belt Conference.
"Once again, our schedule will be very tough," Dixon said. "We face seven teams in the top 100 in the U. S. as well as the top competition in the conference.
"Because of the Atlantic 10 Conference Championships being held this year on April 9-11, our schedule has been compacted into 10 days less than usual," Dixon continued. "This means that we will now play 20 matches in two months. Our fitness will be tested and it will be important that we pace ourselves during these eight intense weeks. We look forward to the challenge"
UMass will participate in three tournaments (Eastern Collegiate, Cissy Leary, and Big Green Invitationals) while competing in 22 dual matches. Along with the three tournaments, the Minutewomen will travel to UConn on Oct. 1 before hosting Rhode Island one week later.
The spring season begins with four out of their first five matches at home, highlighted by a Feb. 8 tilt vs. A-10 rival Fordham and a Feb. 13 match against defending A-10 Champion Temple. Sandwiched between the home contests, the Minutewomen will travel to Boston University on Feb. 10 to face the America East Champions.
After a Feb. 15 home match vs. Albany, the Minutewomen embark on an eight-game road swing, which will give them a sampling a number of major conferences around the nation. The lineup includes Boston College (ACC), Syracuse (Big East), Iowa State (Big 12), Dartmouth, Columbia, and Brown (Ivy), Farleigh Dickinson (Northeast), and Army (Patriot). The Black Knights, coming off an NCAA-Tournament appearance, mark the third conference champion the Minutewomen will face in the first month of the spring slate.
UMass returns home to face Hofstra on Mar. 7 before traveling to Siena on the eighth. The team will then make the trek to Florida on Mar. 16 and 17 with challenging matches against Division II power Barry and Florida Atlantic out of the Sun Belt Conference. Barry, a perennial national title contender, made the National Quarterfinals last season after defeating St. Leo, Rollins, and Northwest Missouri State.
The Minutewomen continue with a match at A-10 power Richmond on Mar. 27 and Old Dominion on the 28th. The team closes the regular season with a tilt vs. its fourth NCAA Tournament team, this time traveling to Hamden to face five-time defending NEC Champion Quinnipiac. UMass looks to ride the momentum into the postseason when they play in the Atlantic 10 Conference Championships from Apr. 9-11, looking for its first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 2001.
For all offseason news and information, be sure to check back to umassathletics.com as the team prepares for another strong run in 2008-09.
