College Tennis News - Two Tournaments On Tap For Bulldogs To Close Fall Campaign

WHAT'S AHEAD
The Drake women's tennis team will conclude its fall campaign this weekend competing in both the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Central Regional in Tulsa, Okla., and the Kansas Fall Invitational in Lawrence, Kan.

Competing for the Bulldogs at the ITA Central Regional, which runs from Thursday (Oct. 18) through Monday (Oct. 22), will be junior Klavdija Rebol (Kranj, Slovenia), sophomore Nell Boyd (Arlington Heights, Ill.) and freshmen Jordan Eggleston (LaQuinta, Calif.) and Maddie Johnson (Onalaska, Wis.). Action gets underway on Thursday (Oct. 18) at 9:30 a.m. and will continue on Friday (Oct. 19) at 8:30 a.m.

The remainder of the squad will be in Kansas for the Jayhawks' seven-team tournament that runs Friday (Oct. 19) through Sunday (Oct. 21). Joining Kansas at the event will be Arkansas-Little Rock, Drake, Iowa State, Kansas State, Northern Iowa and UMKC.

Action gets underway on Friday at 9:00 a.m. and will continue on Saturday (Oct 20) and Sunday at 9:00 a.m.

MEMPHIS INVITATIONAL RECAP
Drake wrapped up its stay at the Memphis Invitational last Sunday (Oct. 14). The Bulldogs concluded the two-day event combining to register nine victories, including six in singles play.

DRAKE HEAD COACH PAUL THOMSON
Paul Thomson is in his third season leading the Drake women's tennis program after serving five years (2005-10) as head men's and women's coach at Brevard College in Brevard, N.C.

Thomson led the Bulldogs to a 13-10 mark during his inaugural campaign, including a 4-3 third-place finish in the Missouri Valley Conference and Drake's first winning record since 2006.

During his rookie season guiding the Bulldogs, he mentored then freshman Klavdija Rebol, who became Drake's initial first team All-MVC performer since 2005, garnering all-league accolades at the No. 3 singles position. Manca Krizman was also honored for her play on the court, being named to the All-Select squad by the MVC coaches.

Off the court, Gabriela Demos was honored for the second-consecutive year as a first team MVC Scholar-Athlete selection.

In 2012, Thomson led the Bulldogs to a record-setting 22-7 ledger, en route to a 5-2 second-place finish in the MVC. The 22 victories established a school record for wins and allowed Drake to surpass the 20-victory plateau for only the second time in school history.

The Bulldogs captured their initial postseason triumph since 2006 when Drake advanced to the State Farm MVC Championship semifinals with a 4-1 victory over Northern Iowa.

Five players earned 20 or more singles wins, sparked by Krizman, who posted a team-best 31-5 singles record, which included a 25-match winning streak. Every Bulldog registered a winning singles' record, while all but one Drake player matched the feat in doubles, led by 27 wins courtesy of Demos.

Pulling in MVC All-Select team honors were Krizman and Rebol, while Demos was named to the All-MVC Scholar Athlete first team for the third-consecutive campaign. Collecting honorable mention All-MVC Scholar-Athlete accolades was Krizman.

Drake's senior class of Amanda Aragon, Jessica Aguilera, Demos, Krizman and Earlynn Lauer made its mark on the Bulldogs' program. Demos finished first in school history (since 2006-07) in combined career victories (139), while ranking third in school history (since 1990-91) in career doubles wins (74). Krizman is third in school history (since 2006-07) in combined career victories (126), while Aguilera is rated fourth (120).

UP NEXT
Drake opens its 2013 spring campaign in Chicago, Ill., battling Chicago State and Bowling Green (Jan. 25-26, 2013).