The University of North Alabama’s Mens and Women’s tennis teams will be competing at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Regionals from October 10 until October 21. These tournaments will decide where the UNA Lions teams get ranked among Southern region Division One universities.
The men’s team has competed in two tournaments in preparation for the ITA regionals, putting up 50 total wins across both invitationals.
“We have two weeks to prepare, we saw the needs of the team,” said men’s coach Aitor Reparaz, “[We’re] coming here, working hard, just learning what could be better.”
Last spring, the male Lions Tennis team put up a fight at the Atlantic Sun Conference to compete among the best, making it all the way to the semifinals of the NCAA tournament. The Lions even came back from a 0-3 deficit against North Florida just to fall in the final set, 3-4.
“We showed we are not an outsider,” said senior Nazar Fedoryshyn. “Now people are playing against North Alabama, and they know we are going to give a big fight.”
Fedoryshyn is hopeful about the upcoming year, hopefully leaving a capstone achievement for the tennis team before he graduates.
“The goal [has always been] to get into the nationals,“ Fedoryshyn says. “It’s not easy; it’s going to be physically tough, but I think we can do it.”
The women’s team has competed in one invitational to open up the fall season, putting up 18 wins in their first tournament.
Women’s coach Olaya Garrido-Rivas is also hopeful about the upcoming women’s season, hoping to carry the momentum from a strong start into players breaking into the main draw
“I have 3 girls in the main draw, and then I have another 5 in the qualifiers. So I would definitely like to see the girls from qualifying making it to the main draw,” said the coach. “I think that’s an achievable goal.”
GarridoRivas says her players advancing past round one of the regionals would be a huge milestone for the program.
The men’s team will be competing at Louisiana State University from October 16 until October 21.
The women’s tennis team will be competing at Auburn University from October 10 until October 15.
