UT junior Aeriel Ellis is set to compete in her eighth consecutive national championship event this week.
WHAT: Texas junior Aeriel Ellis will make her eighth consecutive appearance in a national championship event this week when she competes in the ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships. Ellis qualified for the event by reaching the semifinals of the ITA Texas Regional Championships last month. The Californian registered her best national championship finish at this event last season when she reached the semifinals.
Texas also will send freshmen Lina Padegimaite and Alex Martin along with sophomores Juliana Gajic and Elizabeth Begley to compete at the Cougar Fall Draw in Houston.
WHEN:
ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships
Thursday, Nov. 3 – Sunday, Nov. 6
Cougar Fall Draw
Friday, Nov. 4 – Sunday, Nov. 6
WHERE:
ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships
Flushing, N.Y.
Cougar Fall Draw
John E. Hoff Courts – Houston, Texas
ITA NATIONAL INDOOR TOURNAMENT WEB SITE: http://www.itatennis.com/Events/USTA-ITA-Championships-Events/NationalIndoors.htm
THE 2011-12 LONGHORNS: Texas returns four regular singles starters from the 2010-11 squad that reached the finals of the Big 12 Championship and the round of 32 at the NCAA Championships.
The Horns are led by junior Aeriel Ellis, who last season became UT’s first ITA All-American since 1999. The Californian has qualified to compete in all seven of the previous national championship events contested during her two seasons as a Longhorn. She reached the round of 16 of the singles draw at the 2011 NCAA Championships.
Senior Krista Damico totaled a 21-16 overall singles record last season while playing primarily at No. 2 singles. UT returns a pair of talented sophomores who saw significant time in the dual-match lineup last season. Juliana Gajic totaled a 13-6 dual-match record, primarily at No. 5 singles, and Cierra Gaytan-Leach totaled a 9-3 dual-match record.
