The No. 12 Nebraska Huskers women's tennis team (18-3, 7-0 Big Ten) hit the road to face Big Ten foes No. 7 Michigan (15-4, 6-1 Big Ten) and Michigan State (10-12, 0-7 Big Ten). The Huskers will face the Wolverines on Saturday, April 13 at 11 a.m. in Ann Arbor, Mich. before heading against the Spartans on Sunday, April 14 at noon in East Lansing, Mich. This is the third meeting between Michigan and Nebraska with the series led at 2-0 by the Wolverines and it is also the third match ever between Nebraska and Michigan State with the series tied at 1-1.
No. 12 Nebraska (18-3, 7-0 Big Ten)
vs. No. 7 Michigan (15-4, 6-1 Big Ten)
Saturday, April 13, 11 a.m. (Ann Arbor, Mich.)
No. 12 Nebraska (18-3, 7-0 Big Ten)
vs. Michigan State (10-12, 0-7 Big Ten)
Sunday, April 14, Noon (East Lansing, Mich.)
Huskers In The ITA National Rankings
Nebraska is currently ranked 12th after jumping one spot in this week's rankings. The ITA Division I women's tennis rankings were released Tuesday, April 9 and Nebraska climbed to the No. 12 spot in the nation this week.
Mary Weatherholt slid to No. 14 in ITA singles holding a record of 18-1 (9-1 against ranked opponents) on the season, including victories against then-ranked No. 16 Ema Burgic of Baylor, No. 23 Brynn Boren of Tennessee, No. 58 Britney Sanders of Notre Dame, No. 41 Kelsey Dieters of Ohio State, No. 17 Petra Niedermayerova of Kansas State, No. 120 Melissa Kopinski of Illinois, and No. 55 Kate Turvy of Northwestern, No. 111 Leslie Hureau of Indiana, and No. 57 Petra Januskova of Penn State. Her only loss to a ranked opponent came at the hands of No. 83 Malika Rose of Oklahoma State.
Mary Weatherholt and partner Patricia Veresova rose five places in the ITA doubles rankings to No. 6. The two are 14-1 on the season, including five victories against ranked opponents over then-ranked No. 12 Brynn Boren and Kata Szekely of Tennesse, No. 31 Petra Niedermayerova and Karla Bonacic from Kansas State, No. 8 Linda Abu Mushrefova and Nida Hamilton of Northwestern, No. 75 Petra Januskova and Chelsea Utting of Penn State, and No. 39 Krisztina Kapitany and Mara Schmidt of Purdue.
Nebraska is currently 12-2 against teams ranked in the ITA top 75, with six victories against opponents ranked inside the top 25. The Huskers have knocked off No. 7 Northwestern, No. 15 Baylor, No. 18 Notre Dame, No. 19 Purdue, No. 21 Vanderbilt, No. 23 Tennessee, No. 30 Penn State, No. 32 Kansas State, No. 32 Indiana, No. 37 Illinois, No. 55 Ohio State, and No. 64 Wyoming. Nebraska’s losses came from No. 10 Miami at the ITA National Team Indoor Championships on Feb. 8 and No. 35 Oklahoma State on March 21.
The Huskers are the second-highest ranked team in the Big Ten behind No. 7 Michigan. Eight teams from the Big Ten are in the top 75 this week, with a total of four in the top 25. The remaining ranked Big Ten teams are No. 16 Northwestern, No. 23 Purdue, No. 34 Indiana, No. 38 Penn State, No. 59 Illinois, and No. 62 Ohio State.
Mary Weatherholt Earns Athlete of the Week Third Time
The Huskers senior from Prairie Village, Kan. won the Big Ten Women's Tennis Athlete-of-the-Week honors on March 13 following her impressive undefeated record, including several victories over ranked opponents in both singles and doubles. This marks the third time that Weatherholt has earned the award this season thus far, after claiming the honors the week of Jan. 30 and Feb. 13.
Weatherholt Sets Career Singles Wins Record for Nebraska
Weatherholt, with her 18 singles victories thus far this season, has set the record for Career Singles wins at 111, previously held by Sandra Noetzel at 101 from 1996-2000. She set the record on Friday, Feb. 22 with a victory agaisnt UALR.
Weatherholt Sets Career Combined Wins Record
With an impressive record this spring season at 32-2 combined record (18-1 single, 14-1 doubles), Weatherholt has reached 188 combined victories become the winningest women's tennis player in Huskers history, formerly held by former teammate Madeleine Geibert with 181 total career combined wins. This pushes Geibert down to No. 2. With a good portion of the season remaining, Weatherholt will easily stretch this record even further with the remaining matches.
Huskers in the Record Books
Stefanie Weinstein has notched 40 combined victories this season which notches her at No. 3 on the Career Combined wins record board (with 175). She toppled Sandra Noetzel's 172 on Friday, April 5 with her two victories against Purdue. Weinstein currently needs seven more wins to overtake No. 2 Madeleine Geibert's 181 and only six more to match the former Husker and fall right behind teammate Mary Weatherholt.
Weinstein also has 21 individual doubles wins this season which puts her at the No. 2 spot on the school's Career Doubles Individual Wins list at 90. One more individual doubles wins would put her tied for first with former teammate Madeleine Geibert with 91. Two more victories would set the record and peak her at the top of the list.
Mary Weatherholt has accumulated 14 doubles wins this season putting her at No. 3 on the Career Doubles Individual wins with 77 list behind teammate Weinstein.
Janine Weinreich has amassed 22 doubles victories this season notching her at No. 6 on the Career Doubles Individuals wins list with 70 total. Two more would put her ahead of Sandra Noetzel's 71 and five more would see her past Imke Reimers' 74.
Weinstein and Weinreich, as a doubles team, have climbed onto the Season Doubles Team wins list at the No. 4 with their 21 victories this season. The duo would need six more to put them ahead of No. 3 Madeleine Geibert and Weinstein's 2011-12 season tally of 26.
Looking Ahead
Nebraska remains on the road following their trip to Michigan and Michigan State to face Minnesota before returning home to welcome their final regular season Big Ten opponent, Wisconsin. The match against Minnesota is set for Friday, April 19 at 2 p.m. in Minneapolis, Minn. before hosting Wisconsing on Sunday, April 21 at 11 a.m.
Scouting Michigan
Head Coach: Ronni Bernstein
2012 Record: 21-8, 10-1 Big Ten
National Ranking: 7
Michigan is currently 15-4 overall. The Wolverines are coming off of a win against Northwestern resulting in a 4-3 score. Michigan currently are ranked No. 7 and have three players in the singles rankings with No. 28 Emina Bektas, No. 49 Ronit Yurovsky, and No. 97 Sarah Lee. Michigan also have two duos ranked in doubles with No. 2 Brooke Bolender and Emina Bektas, and No. 45 Ronit Yurovsky and Sarah Lee. Last season Michigan went 21-8, 10-1 Big Ten. Michigan and Nebraska have met twice throughout history with the series led by the Wolverines 2-0.
Scouting Michigan State
Head Coach: Simone Jardim
2012 Record: 8-15, 0-11 Big Ten
National Ranking: NR
Michigan State is currently 10-12 overall. The Spartans are coming off of a loss against Illinois resulting in a 6-1 score. Michigan State currently aren’t ranked no players in the singles rankings and no duos ranked in doubles. Last season the Spartans went 8-15, 0-11 Big Ten. Michigan State and Nebraska have met twice throughout history with the series tied at 1-1.
