2003 Fall Outlook
USI women's tennis wants to secure
a spot in the regional spotlight
In 2002-03, the University of Southern Indiana women's tennis team reached a
place it had never been before, the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Regional. The
Screaming Eagles hope to establish their presence in that regional spotlight
in 2003-04.
The Eagles finished 2002-03 with a 12-6 overall record and placed third in the GLVC Tournament. USI finished second during the league's regular season with an 8-1 record.
The squad completed last year's campaign with a loss to Grand Valley State University in the first round of the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Regional.
With momentum and the hope of taking another step in 2003-04, USI enters its 13th season under the direction of head coach Keely Porter. Porter has accumulated a record of 111-61, a .645 winning percentage, over the last 12 seasons.
Porter will have to fill a large hole in 2003-04, by replacing Emily Blinzinger. Blinzinger completed her career as the USI all-time leader in singles and doubles.
To pick up the slack in the line-up, the Eagles will look to seniors Kathleen Davis (Sullivan, Indiana) and Nichole Freyberger (Jasper, Indiana) and freshman Ashley Rees (Vincennes, Indiana) for leadership.
Davis and Freyberger led the Eagles at number two doubles last year, going 11-7 overall, 8-2 in dual match action. Freyberger also posted eight wins in singles action, going 5-4 at number three singles. Davis was one better with nine singles wins, recording a 6-3 record at number four singles in dual match action.
Rees followed in Blinzinger's foot steps and was named the GLVC Freshman of the Year and earned All-Conference honors. She posted a singles record of 16-5 overall, winning 11 times at number two singles. Blinzinger and Rees also combined eight victories at number one doubles.
Porter also will look for contributions from junior Kalie Ackerman (Allendale, Illinois) and sophomore Cassandra Froderman (Brazil, Indiana). Ackerman picked up seven of her eight singles wins in the GLVC last season and was 7-3 at number five singles. Froderman also had eight singles wins in 2002-03, going 5-3 at number six singles.
In doubles, Ackerman combined with Froderman and three other partners to record 10 victories last year.
To give the the team depth, Porter and the Eagles have added a pair of freshmen -- Audra Bartelt (Jasper, Indiana) and Casey Clausman (Vincennes, Indiana). Bartelt was a second team All-State singles selection as a senior at Jasper High School, while Clausman was named first team All-State doubles last spring.
The Eagles will open the 2003-04 season with the GLVC opener at Kentucky Wesleyan College on September 2. The first home match for the Eagles will be September 5 against the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
