Univ. of Texas at Austin Team Page
AUSTIN, Texas – Texas has landed the No. 11 slot in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) preseason women’s tennis team poll. It marks the Longhorns’ highest spot in the ITA preseason poll since 2006, when UT opened at No. 3.
Eighth-year head coach and former Australian Open doubles champion Patty Fendick-McCain returns four regular singles starters from the 2012 squad that won the Big 12 Championship and reached the round of 16 at the NCAA Championships. Senior Aeriel Ellis returns as a two-time ITA singles All-American after reaching the round of 16 in the NCAA Championship’s singles draw the last two seasons.
Sophomore Lina Padegimaite was selected as the Big 12 Freshman of the Year last season and won the league title at No. 5 singles. She teamed up with classmate Noel Scott to earn All-Big 12 doubles honors. Scott ranks 79th in the ITA singles rankings.
Elizabeth Begley totaled 34 singles wins last season and was selected as the Most Outstanding Performer at the 2012 Big 12 Championship. The Houston native claimed the league title at No. 6 singles.
Texas opens its 2013 slate on Jan. 18 at the Miami Invitational, an individual singles and doubles event. UT opens dual-match play on Saturday, Jan. 26 when it hosts Wichita State in the first match of the ITA Kick-Off Weekend event.
