EMORY WOMEN'S TENNIS STANDOUT TSHEMA NASH TO BE FEATURED ON CBS NCAA SPRING CHAMPIONSHIPS HIGHLIGHT SHOW

(June 16) - Emory University women's tennis standout Tshema Nash (Pasadena, CA) will be featured on CBS when the network airs its NCAA Spring Championships Highlight Show this Sunday (June 22) at 2:00 p.m.  The telecast recaps NCAA Championships with an emphasis on Divisions II and III.   

Nash's feature will center around her relationship with her brother, Miles, who recently returned to the United State following a stint in Iraq as a member or the armed forces.  He was deployed last fall before returning this past spring in time to see Tshema compete in the NCAA Championships where she and teammate, Sabra Rogers, advanced to the semifinals of doubles play.

Nash compiled a singles record of 18-10 as a sophomore in 2007-08 while teaming with Rogers for a 16-6 slate in doubles.  She was a First-Team All-University Athletic Association honoree after helping the Eagles to their 21st consecutive league title.

For more information, consult your local listings. 

NASH & ROGERS DROPPED IN SEMIFINALS BY DEFENDING CHAMPIONS

(May 18) Emory University's Tshema Nash and Sabra Rogers had their bid for a National Doubles Championship ended on Sunday, as the Eagles' top-doubles squad was defeated by the third-seeded and defending National Champion pair of Brittany Berckes and Alicia Menezes from Amherst College.

The Eagles pairing was able to come away with a victory in the first set, winning 6-3 to take an early lead.  However, the following two sets would be mirror images of the first, with Emory taking a pair of 6-3 defeats to end the match in Amherst's favor.

The defeat ends the 2007-08 season for the Eagles.   

EMORY'S NASH & ROGERS ADVANCE TO SEMIFINALS - TO PLAY RETURNING NATIONAL CHAMPIONS ON SUNDAY

(May 18) Emory University's top-doubles pairing of Tshema Nash and Sabra Rogers continued to advance in the National Doubles Tournament, as the Eagles' duo defeated Erin Andrade and Kayla Smith of DePauw University (Ind.) to move to the semifinal round.

Nash and Rogers had little trouble with the DePauw pair, winning in straight sets, 6-0, 6-3, and avenging a loss to the duo earlier in the season.

Next of for Emory will be the defending National Doubles Champion pair of Ahmerst College's Brittany Berckes and Alicia Menezes, seeded third in the tournament.  The match is slated to start Sunday at 1:00 PM EST, with a webcast available by accessing the link above.

Should the Eagles advance, they will play in the doubles finals at 3:00 PM EST on Sunday.  Emory's opponent in that match would be either Kristin Cobb and Marta Drane of Denison University  or Jennifer Chui and Amy Staloch of Carnegie Mellon University, both teams that Nash and Rogers have defeated already this season.

NASH & ROGERS UPSET THE TOP DOUBLES PAIRING TO ADVANCE TO NCAA QUARTERFINALS

(May 17) Emory University's Tshema Nash and Sabra Rogers upset the top-ranked doubles pairing of Siobhan Finicane and Olivia Muesse from Pomona-Pitzer Colleges to advance to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Doubles Tournament.

Nash and Rogers picked up the victory in dominant fashion, winning in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4.

In the singles tournament, Nash was eliminated in the first round, suffering a 6-3, 6-2 defeat to Kristen Raymond of Bowdoin College.

Emory's doubles pairing will continue its quest for a National Championship in the quarterfinals round on Saturday at 4:00 PM EST.  Nash and Rogers will face off against Erin Andrade and Kayla Smith of DePauw University (Ind.).  The two teams met earlier in the season, with DePauw's doubles squad coming away with an 8-4 victory.

FOURTH-RANKED EMORY WOMEN'S TENNIS LOOKS FOR SIXTH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

(May 12) The Emory University Women's Tennis team, ranked fourth in the Nation, will continue its quest for a National Championship on Tuesday, as the Eagles will take part in a quarterfinals match against Denison University (Ohio) on Tuesday at 3:00 PM EST.

The Eagles have won four of the last five National Championships, and six overall in the program's history.  Emory is currently 16-9 this season (including an 8-2 mark against ranked Division III opponents), and ranked fourth in the country by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA).  The Eagles squad includes fourth-ranked regionally singles player Tshema Nash, 11th-ranked Lorne McManigle, and 14th-ranked Sabra Rogers.  Emory also features the regionally-ranked doubles squads of Nash and Rogers (third) and Kirsten Hillock and Leah Seyburn (12th). 

Denison is 19-3 on the campaign, and ranked fifth in the nation.  One of the school's three losses came to DePauw University (Ind.), a team that Emory defeated 5-4 earlier in the season.  The Big Red features three singles players ranked in the Central Region - fourth-ranked Megan Damico, seventh-ranked Kristin Cobb, and 20th-ranked Marta Drane - and the regionally second-ranked doubles pairing of Cobb and Drane, and 13th-ranked Damico and Kendra Murray.

The winner of Tuesday's match will play the winner of top-ranked Washington and Lee University (Va.) and 16th-ranked host institution Gustavus Adolphus College (Minn.) on Wednesday at 3:00 PM EST.  The team tournament will conclude on Thursday, May 15th with the third-place match taking place at 10:00 AM and the championship match beginning at 2:00 PM.  All matches will be held at the Brown Outdoor Tennis Complex on the Gustavus Adolphus College campus.

Emory will also have Nash competing in the individual singles tournament, and Nash and Rogers in the doubles tournament.  The individual singles and doubles tournaments will begin on Friday, May 16th with the first round of singles play starting at 10:00 AM and the first round of doubles play beginning at 4:00 PM. The individual tournaments will continue on Saturday, May 17th with the singles quarterfinals at 10:00 AM and the semifinals at 1:00 PM, and the doubles quarterfinals at 4:00 PM. Tournament play is scheduled to conclude on Sunday, May 18th with the singles final beginning at 1:00 PM, followed by the doubles semifinals at 3:00 PM and the final at 5:00 PM.

FOURTH-RANKED EMORY ADVANCES TO NCAA QUARTERFINALS WITH A 5-0 WIN OVER 19th-RANKED TRINITY

(May 5) The Emory University Women's Tennis team, ranked fourth in the nation, defeated Trinity University (Texas), ranked 19th, 5-0, to advance to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III Women's Tennis Tournament.

The victory completed a weekend sweep for the Eagles.  After receiving a first-round bye, the Eagles dispatched of the Washington University (Mo.) Bears 5-0 on Saturday, before shutting out the Tigers on Sunday.

Emory swept through the doubles matches to take an early 3-0 lead.  The first-doubles pairing of Tshema Nash and Sabra Rogers picked up an 8-2 victory, followed by an 8-4 win for Kirsten Hillock and Jenny Moscato out of the second-doubles match, and an 8-3 win for Sara Vrabec and Lorne McManigle in third doubles.

Needing to win just two of the five doubles matches to clinch the victory, Emory received an 6-1, 6-0 win from Hillock over Katie Poettcker, ranked 21st in the Central Region, and a 6-2, 6-2 victory from fourth-singles player Leah Seyburn.

The victory raised Emory's record to 16-9 this season, including a 13-2 record against Division III opponents.  The Eagles' only Division III losses this season have come to top-ranked Washington and Lee University (Va.), and third-ranked Williams College (Mass.).

The Eagles have now advanced to the quarterfinals in 11 of the past 13 years, including five National Championships during the stretch.  Emory will face fifth-ranked Denison University (Ohio) in the quarterfinals on May 13th, hosted by Gustavus Adolphus College in Saint Peter, Minn.

EMORY WOMEN'S TENNIS TO FACE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY (MO.) IN THE SECOND ROUND OF THE NCAA TOURNAMENT

(May 2) The fourth-seeded Emory University Women's Tennis Team will face UAA-rival Washington University (Mo.) in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, after the Bears defeated Huntingdon College (Ala.) 5-0 in the first-round match-up.

Emory, the top-seeded team in the regional bracket, received a first-round bye in the tournament. The second-round match will take place Saturday at 10:00 AM at the University of the South, in Sewanee, TN. 

Emory is ranked fourth in the Nation and second in the South Region, according to the latest ITA poll. Emory's Tshema Nash is ranked fourth in the region in singles play, while Lorne McManigle is ranked 11th and Sabra Rogers 14th.   

Washington is ranked 15th in the Nation and third in the Central Region.  The Bears feature Erin Swaller, ranked 10th regionally, Karina Kocemba, ranked 14th regionally, and Jackie Bild, ranked 21st regionally.

This will be the first meeting this season between the two University Athletic Association (UAA) schools.  Earlier this season, the Eagles captured their 21st-consecutive UAA title, while the Bears finished third at the tournament.

NASH & ROGERS SELECTED TO THE 2008 NCAA DIVISION III WOMEN'S TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS

(Apr. 30) Emory University's Tshema Nash and Sabra Rogers have been selected to the field of competitors at the 2008 NCAA Division III Women's Individual and Doubles Championships.  Nash and Rogers will compete together in the field of 16 doubles teams, and Nash will compete individually in the field of 32 singles players.

This marks the second-consecutive year that Nash and Rogers have qualified for the National Championship.  In 2007, Nash earned all-America honors in the singles competition, while Rogers earned a doubles all-America honor.

The singles and doubles championships will be hosted by Gustavus Adolphus College May 16-18 at the Swanson Tennis Center in Saint Peter, Minnesota.

EMORY WOMEN'S TENNIS SEEDED FOURTH IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT

(Apr. 29) The Emory University Women's Tennis Team will be the fourth seed in the 2008 NCAA Tournament, and head to the University of the South (Tenn.) for the first three rounds of the tournament.

By virtue of being one of the top-two seeds in the regional bracket, the Eagles will receive a first-round bye.  In the second round, Emory will face the winner of the Washington University (Mo.)/ Huntingdon College (Ala.) first round match.  Should the Eagles advance, they will face either 18th-ranked Trinity University (Texas), 19th-ranked Sewanee, or Principia College (Mo.).

The bracket potentially plays out favorably for the Eagles.  Emory defeated Huntingdon 9-0 on March 2nd, Trinity 5-1 on March 30th, and the University of the South 5-4 on April 2nd.  In addition, Emory finished ahead of Washington University at the University Athletic Association (UAA) Championship, despite not facing the Bears in the tournament.

The tournament will begin with the first round matches on Friday, May 2nd, and Emory's first match will be Saturday, May 3rd, with the regional championship taking place on Sunday, May 4th.  The winner of the tournament will advance to the final rounds of the tournament in Gustavus Adolphus College, in Saint Peter, Minn.  Emory finished the regular season with a 15-10 record.

NASH NAMED UAA MVP; SEVEN EAGLES EARN ALL-UAA WOMEN'S TENNIS HONORS

(Apr. 25) Emory University is well represented on the 2008 All-University Athletic Association (UAA) Women's Tennis Team, as seven different Eagles earned first team all-UAA honors, and sophomore Tshema Nash was named the UAA's Most Valuable Player.  In addition, Emory head coach Amy Bryant and assistant coach Meredith Vincent were named the UAA's Coaching Staff of the Year.

Nash earned first team all-UAA honors both as Emory's first singles player and as part of the Eagles first doubles team, along with sophomore Sabra Rogers.  She was perfect during the three-match tournament, including a 6-4, 7-5 win over the 30th-ranked University of Chicago's Marissa Lin (ranked third in singles play in the Central Region), and a 6-3, 6-1 victory over ninth-ranked Carnegie Mellon University's Amy Staloch (ranked ninth in singles in the Atlantic South Region).  In doubles play, the Nash and Rogers defeated the Central Region's fourth-ranked doubles team of Chicago's Lin and Vindya Dayananda and the Atlantic South's second-ranked pairing of Staloch and Jennifer Chui, both by 8-3 scores.  

Nash becomes the 10th Eagle to become the UAA MVP, and the first since Carina Alberelli in the 2005 UAA Championships.  Last season, Nash earned first team all-UAA honors as the Eagles' second-singles player, and second-team honors as part of the second-doubles team.  Rogers earned her first all-UAA doubles honor, after receiving a first team all-UAA nod for her third-singles play last year.

Sophomore Kirsten Hillock earned her second first team all-UAA singles honor, earning the third-singles position this season, after being the first team fourth-singles player last season.  Freshman Leah Seyburn earned first team honors for her player in fourth singles, going 3-0 during the weekend.  Sophomore Sara Vrabec went 3-0 during the tournament, including 2-0 in the fifth-singles role, to earn a first team spot.  Junior Jenny Moscato took home her second first team honor, winning her two sixth-singles matches in straight sets.

Besides the first team all-UAA doubles nod to the Eagles' first doubles pairing of Nash and Rogers, Emory's Vrabec and freshman Lorne McManigle took home the first team honor for their third-doubles play.

This marks the 11th time that Emory has had five or more representatives as first-team singles players, and the 17thyear that the Eagles have had two or more of the three first-team doubles players.

The fourth-ranked Eagles claimed their 21st-consecutive UAA Championship last weekend, defeating the ninth-ranked Carnegie Mellon University (Pa.) 8-1 in the final match. 

EMORY WOMEN'S TENNIS WINS 21st-CONSECUTIVE UAA TITLE

(Apr. 20) The Emory University Women's tennis team, ranked fourth in the Nation, won its 21st-consecutive University Athletic Association (UAA) title in dominant fashion on Sunday, defeating ninth-ranked Carnegie Mellon University (Pa.) 8-1 in the championship match.

The Eagles won each of their singles matches, and two of the three doubles matches to claim the victory. 

The Eagles got a boost from their first-doubles pairing of Tshema Nash and Sabra Rogers, as the fourth-ranked team in the Atlantic South Region upset the second-ranked team of Amy Staloch and Jennifer Chui 8-3.  After Kirsten Hillock and Jenny Moscato dropped an 8-3 decision to Kelly Hart and Ashley Herrick (ranked 11th regionally), the Eagles received an 8-3 win from Sara Vrabec and Lorne McManigle in the third-doubles match.

The Eagles secured the team victory and UAA Championship by sweeping through the singles matches.  Nash continued her perfect weekend, as the sixth-ranked singles player defeated the ninth-ranked singles player, Staloch, in straight sets, 6-1, 6-3.  McManigle, playing in the second-singles spot for the first time since February 17th, upset 10th-ranked Chui 6-3, 4-6, 10-5, while Hillock picked up a 7-5, 6-3 win over her third-singles counterpart.  The Eagles rounded out the championship with a 6-7 (6-8), 6-4, 10-7 win from Leah Seyburn in the fourth-singles match, a 7-5, 6-2 win for Vrabec in the fifth-singles match, and a 6-1, 6-3 win for Moscato as the sixth-singles player.

Nash completed an extremely successful weekend for the Eagles in the first singles and doubles role.  The sophomore all-American did not lose a singles set during the three conference matches, and picked up 8-2, 8-3, and 8-3 victories with Rogers in doubles play.  Nash improved to 16-9 in singles play this season, and 16-10 in doubles matches.

Other Eagles who remained perfect in singles play during the championship included Seyburn (3-0), Vrabec (3-0) and Moscato (2-0).  The pairing of Vrabec and McManigle won each of their three doubles matches during the championships.

Emory has won the UAA title in each of the 21 years of conference competition. With the victory, Emory improved to 14-9 this season, while Carnegie Mellon dropped to 17-7.  The Eagles will next look forward to the NCAA Regional Championships, set to start on May 2nd.

TOP-SEEDED EMORY LOOKS FOR ITS 21st-CONSECUTIVE UAA TITLE

(Apr. 17) Emory University will look to extend its current streak of 20-consecutive University Athletic Association (UAA) Titles, as the fourth-ranked Eagles will travel to St. Louis, MO for the UAA Championship Tournament from Friday, April 18th until Sunday, April 20th.

The Eagles have won the Association's top prize in each season of competition, dating back to 1988.  Last season, the Eagles won the title by defeating Case Western Reserve University (Ohio) in the first round, New York University in the second round, and Carnegie Mellon University (Pa.) in the championship match.

This year, Emory will enter the tournament as the top-seeded team, and will face the eighth-seeded Case Western Spartans on Friday at 9:00 AM.  Should the Eagles win, they will face the winner of the fourth-seeded University of Chicago (Ill.) and fifth-seeded Brandeis University (Mass.) match on Saturday at 1:30 PM.  The championship and third-place matches will be held on Sunday at 9:00 AM.

Emory's biggest threat to extending its UAA streak will once again come from Carnegie Mellon, which is ranked ninth in Division III.  Washington University (Mo.) will enter the tournament ranked 14th, while Chicago is ranked 30th.  The Eagles are 4-2 against ranked Division III opponents this season, with their only losses coming to top-ranked Washington and Lee University (Va.) and third-ranked Williams College (Mass.).

Emory features two players who are regionally ranked in singles play this season - sixth-ranked Tshema Nash and 12th-ranked Sabra Rogers - and two regionally ranked doubles pairings - fourth-ranked Rogers and Nash, and 12th-ranked Kirsten Hillock and Leah Seyburn.

The tournament, hosted by Washington University (Mo.), will be held at the Dwight Davis Tennis Center.   

#4 EMORY EDGED BY TOP-RANKED WASHINGTON & LEE, 5-4

(Apr.  16) Emory Women's Tennis fell just short of upsetting the top team in Division III, as the fourth-ranked Eagles dropped a 5-4 decision to the Washington and Lee (Va.) Generals on Wednesday.

Emory started off the match strong, winning two of the three doubles decisions.  Emory's second doubles team of Kirsten Hillock and Jenny Moscato picked up an 8-6 over the regionally 10th-ranked pairing of Catherine Reed and Leah Weston, while Sara Vrabec and Lorne McManigle earned a 9-7 victory over their counterparts in the third doubles role.

The Eagles faltered in singles play, however, dropping four of the six matches to the Generals.  Emory's two singles victories came from Hillock out of the fourth-singles spot (6-2, 6-3), and Leah Seyburn in the fifth-singles role (5-7, 6-2, 7-2).

The loss drops Emory to 11-9 this season, while Washington and Lee improved to 19-0 this season.  The Eagles will return to action on Friday, as the team will travel to St. Louis, MO for the University Athletic Association (UAA) Championships.

#4 EMORY WOMEN'S TENNIS TO HOST TOP-RANKED WASHINGTON AND LEE

(Apr. 15) In a battle of two of the top-ranked women's tennis teams in Division III, and a possible preview of a NCAA Tournament matchup, the fourth-ranked Emory Eagles will host the top-ranked Washington and Lee (Va.) Generals at the Woodruff P.E. Center on Wednesday, April 16th at 4:00 PM.

The Eagles will enter the matchup with an 11-8 record, including wins in seven of their last eight matches.  Emory holds an 8-1 record against Division III opponents this season, and a 4-1 record against ranked Division III teams.  Emory features a number of regionally-ranked singles players - #2 Sabra Rogers, #3 Kirsten Hillock, #8 Lorne McManigle, and #15 Tshema Nash - in addition to two ranked doubles pairings - #5 Rogers and Nash, and #7 Hillock and Leah Seyburn.  The Eagles are coached by Amy Bryant, who is assisted by Meredith Vincent.

Washington and Lee will begin the match with a perfect 18-0 record this season.  The Generals have the top-ranked singles player in the region in Katie Tabb, the fourth-ranked Lauren Claire, and seventh-ranked Kelly Will.  Washington and Lee also features the top-ranked doubles team of Tabb and Claire, 14th-ranked Leah Watson and Catherine Reed.  The Generals are led by Interim Head Coach Eric Ishida, and Assistant Coach Lara Maurer.

Wednesday's action will be the final regular-season match for the Eagles in the 2008 season.  Emory will take part in the University Athletic Association (UAA) Tournament from April 18th-20th in St. Louis, MO, where the Eagles will look for their 21st-consecutive UAA title.

FOURTH-RANKED WOMEN'S TENNIS COMPLETES A PERFECT WEEKEND

(Apr. 7) The Emory University Women's Tennis Team, ranked fourth in the Nation, did not lose a set this weekend, as the Eagles picked up 9-0 wins over Agnes Scott College (Ga.), Oglethorpe University (Ga.) and Wesleyan College (Ga.).

On Friday, an Eagles sweep of Agnes Scott College featured perfect 6-0, 6-0 victories for freshman Leah Seyburn and junior Jenny Moscato in the third- and fourth- singles roles, respectively.  Also picking up wins in singles play for Emory were sophomore Tshema Nash (6-0, 6-1), sophomore Sabra Rogers (6-0, 6-1), freshman Emily Wein (6-1, 6-0) and senior Christine Ingoldsby (6-0, 6-1).  In doubles play, the Eagles received victories from the pairings of Rogers and Nash (8-2), Moscato and sophomore Kirsten Hillock (8-1), and freshman Lorne McManigle and sophomore Sara Vrabec (8-0).

In Sunday's opening match against Oglethorpe, Emory received wins in singles play from Nash (6-0, 6-0), Hillock (6-0, 1-0, ret.), Vrabec (6-0, 6-0), Moscato (6-1, 6-1), Wein (6-0, 6-1) and freshman Kelsey Kryzston (6-2, 6-0), who was making her collegiate tennis debut.  In the doubles matches, the first team of Nash and Seyburn (8-0), second team of Hillock and Moscato (8-1), and third team of McManigle and Vrabec (8-1) each picked up victories.

In the second match on Sunday, the Eagles did not lose a game to Wesleyan.  Emory received 6-0, 6-0 wins in singles play from McManigle, Seyburn, Ingoldsby, freshman Bavana Ketha, and Kryzston, and 8-0 doubles victories from Moscato and Hillock, and Wein and Ketha.  Both the third-doubles and sixth-singles matches were forfeited to Emory.

Over the three matches, Ingoldsby, Kryzston, Moscato, Nash, Seyburn and Wein each went 2-0 in singles play, while the doubles pairing of Hillock and Moscato finished the weekend 3-0. 

The Eagles, now 11-8 this season, have won five-consecutive matches and eight of their last 10 matchups.  Emory will return to action on April 16th, when the Eagles will host Washington and Lee University, currently the top-ranked team in the Nation.

FOURTH-RANKED EMORY DEFEATS #17 SEWANEE 5-4

(Apr. 2) The Emory University Women's Tennis team avenged a loss to the University of the South (Tenn.)  in the 2007 NCAA Regional Finals, as the fourth-ranked Eagles defeated the 17th-ranked Tigers 5-4 in Sewanee, TN.

The victory is the fourth this season for the Eagles over a ranked Division III team, as Emory improved to 4-1 against opponents featured in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) poll.

The Eagles were able to overcome an early 2-1 deficit, after falling behind in doubles play.  The third-doubles pairing of Kirsten Hillock and Jenny Moscato provided Emory with its only doubles win, as the pair defeated their counterparts by a score of 8-1.  The first-doubles pairing of Sabra Rogers and Tshema Nash suffered an 8-4 defeat, while the second-doubles team of Lorne McManigle and Sara Vrabec dropped an 8-6 decision.

Emory would come back strong in the singles matches to claim a team victory.  Despite Nash and Rogers dropping the first- and second- singles matches, the Eagles swept through the final four singles contests, with McManigle winning 6-1, 7-5, Hillock claiming a 6-0, 6-0 victory, Leah Seyburn winning 6-3, 6-1, and Vrabec clinching the match with a 6-2, 6-1 win.

The win brings Emory's record to 8-8 this season, including a 5-1 mark against Division III opponents, while Sewanee dropped to 10-4 this season.  The Eagles will return home on Friday to host Agnes Scott College (Ga.) at 4:30 PM.

NO. FOUR EMORY WOMEN'S TENNIS TO FACE FOUR SOUTH REGION OPPONENTS

(Apr. 2) Following a 2-1 stint at the Fab Five Tournament, the fourth-ranked Eagles will return to action this week to face four Division III South Region opponents.  Emory will travel to the 17th-ranked University of the South (Tenn.) on Wednesday, April 2nd, host Agnes Scott College (Ga.) on Friday, April 4th, and host a doubleheader with Oglethorpe University (Ga.) and Wesleyan College (Ga.) on Sunday, April 6th.

The Eagles have won three of their last four matches, and are now 7-8 overall this season.  Emory has gone 4-1 against other Division III teams this season, including a 3-1 mark against ranked Division III squads.  Most recently, the Eagles picked up a 7-2 win over the sixth-ranked University of Mary Washington (Va.), and a 5-1 win over 11th-ranked Trinity University (Texas), while suffering a 5-4 defeat to third-ranked Williams College (Mass.).  Emory features a number of regionally-ranked singles players, including second-ranked Sabra Rogers, third-ranked Kirsten Hillock, eighth-ranked Lorne McManigle, and 15th-ranked Tshema Nash.  The Eagles also have two ranked doubles teams - the fifth-ranked pairing of Rogers and Nash, and the seventh-ranked team of Hillock and Leah Seyburn.  Emory is coached by Amy Bryant, who is assisted by Meredith Vincent. 

The 17th-ranked University of the South will enter the match with a 10-3 record in 2008.  This will be the first meeting between the two teams since Sewanee defeated the Eagles in the Regional Finals of last year's NCAA Tournament.  The Tigers are ranked sixth in the South Region, and feature fifth-ranked singles player Gabrielle Carvalho and 13th-ranked singles player Mary Katherine Stone.  In addition, Carvalho and Jordan Casey comprise the second-ranked doubles team, and Stone and Shannon Logsdon are the 15th-ranked doubles team in the region.  Sewanee is coached by Conchie Shackelford.  Wednesday's match is slated to start at 3:00 PM EST.

Agnes Scott College will enter Friday's match with the Eagles with a 6-3 record this season.  The Scotties are led by head coach Glen Hill.  Competition will begin at 4:30 PM on Friday.

Oglethorpe holds a 3-5 record this season, and will play two additional contests before facing the Eagles on Sunday.  The Stormy Petrels are coached by Peter Howell.  Sunday's match with Oglethorpe will begin at 10:00 AM.

Sunday's second match with Wesleyan College (Ga.) will start at 4:00 PM.  Wesleyan will enter the match with a 0-5 record this season.  The Pioneers are led by co-head coaches Carl Hodge and Sarah Witherspoon.

NO. FOUR EMORY TOPS 11th-RANKED TRINITY TO CONCLUDE THE FAB FIVE TOURNAMENT

(Mar. 30) In the final match of the Fab Five Tournament in Lexington, VA, the fourth-ranked Emory Women's Tennis team defeated the 11th-ranked Trinity University (Texas) Tigers 5-1, in a shortened match due to weather and time constraints.

The Eagles jumped out to a quick lead, taking two of the three doubles matches.  The first-doubles pairing of Tshema Nash and Sabra Rogers defeated Alicia Hunt and Cayleigh Simpson 8-5, and the third-doubles pairing of Lorne McManigle and Sara Vrabec defeated Megan Jackson and Heather Naeher 8-3.  Emory's lone loss in doubles play came from Kirsten Hillock and Leah Seyburn, who dropped an 8-2 decision to Erin Jamison and Katie Poettcker.

Playing pro-sets in singles play in order to conserve time, Emory went on to sweep through the singles matches, as Nash picked up an 8-3 win in the first-singles spot, McManigle won 8-2 in the third-singles role, and Hillock won her fourth-singles match 8-0.  Rogers, the second-singles player, left her match with Poettcker unfinished, and the fifth- and sixth- singles players never started, as the two teams played only until the match was decided.

With the victory, Emory improved to 7-8 this season, including a 2-1 mark at the Fab Five Tournament.  The Eagles are now 4-1 against Division III teams, including a 3-1 mark against ranked Division III teams. 

FOURTH-RANKED EMORY WOMEN'S TENNIS SUFFERS 5-4 LOSS TO THIRD-RANKED WILLIAMS

(Mar. 29) Competing in its second match at the Fab Five Tournament in Lexington, VA, the fourth-ranked Eagles suffered a narrow 5-4 defeat at the hands of third-ranked Williams College (Mass.).

Emory's top-singles team of Tshema Nash and Sabra Rogers improved to 3-1 this season against Division III opponents, opening the match with an 8-3 victory over their counterparts.  However, the Eagles' other doubles teams were unable to follow suit, as Kirsten Hillock and Leah Seyburn lost 8-2, and Lorne McManigle and Sara Vrabec dropped an 8-3 decision.

In singles play, Emory received victories from McManigle (7-5, 4-2, ret.), Hillock (6-1, 6-2) and Vrabec (6-2, 4-6, 6-1).  However, their efforts were not enough in the end as the Eagles fell to the Ephs.

The loss is Emory's first this season to a Division III team, and ends a two-match winning streak against ranked Division III team for the Eagles.  Emory dropped to 6-8 on the season, while Williams raised its record to 9-2.  The Eagles will complete their play at the Fab Five Tournament on Sunday, with an 8:00 AM match against 11th-ranked Trinity University (Texas).

FOURTH-RANKED EMORY DEFEATS #6 MARY WASHINGTON 7-2

(Mar. 29) In a battle of two of Division III's top-10 women's tennis teams, fourth-ranked Emory University triumphed over the sixth-ranked University of Mary Washington (Va.) by a  final score of 7-2.

The Eagles got off to a strong start in the match, sweeping through the doubles contests.  The Eagles received an 8-6 first-doubles win from the pairing of Tshema Nash and Sabra Rogers, a 9-8 (7-3) second-doubles triumph from Leah Seyburn and Kirsten Hillock, and an 8-1 third-doubles victory for Lorne McManigle and Sara Vrabec.

Emory went on to also take four of the six singles matches, as McManigle, Hillock, Seyburn and Bavana Ketha each defeated their counterparts.

The win brings Emory's record to 6-7 overall this season, including a 3-0 mark against Division III teams.  The Eagles will continue play at the Fab Five Tournament in Lexington, VA on Saturday, as the Eagles will face third-ranked Williams College (Mass.).

FOURTH-RANKED WOMEN'S TENNIS TO FACE TOP DIVISION III COMPETITION AT THE FAB FIVE TOURNAMENT

(Mar. 27) The fourth-ranked Emory Women's Tennis team will be tested this weekend, as the Eagles will be facing some of their toughest Division III competition of the season at the Fab Five Tournament in Lexington, VA.  The Eagles will take on the sixth-ranked University of Mary Washington (Va.) on Friday at 3:00 PM, third-ranked Williams College (Mass.) at 10:00 AM on Saturday, and 11th-ranked Trinity University (Texas) at 8:00 AM on Sunday.

Emory will enter the match with a 5-7 record, including a 2-0 mark against Division III squads this season.  The Eagles have won four of their past seven matches, including a 5-4 victory over fifth-ranked DePauw University (Ind.) on Sunday.  Emory is the second-ranked team in the Atlantic South Region in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) poll, and the Eagles feature a number of regionally ranked singles players - second-ranked Sabra Rogers, third-ranked Kirsten Hillock, eighth-ranked Lorne McManigle, and 15th-ranked Tshema Nash.  In addition, Emory's doubles pairings of Rogers and Nash, and Hillock and Leah Seyburn are ranked fifth and seventh respectively.  Emory is led by Head Coach Amy Bryant, and Assistant Coach Meredith Vincent. 

Last season, the Eagles went 1-2 during the Fab Five Tournament, defeating Trinity, but losing matches to Williams and Gustavus Adolphus College (Minn.).

Mary Washington will enter the tournament with an 11-2 record on the season.  The squad is ranked third in the Atlantic South Region, and features the region's 12th-ranked singles player Stephanie Kurti, third-ranked doubles team Rebecca Morse-Karzen and Natalie Fugate, and 11th-ranked doubles pairing Katie Miglin and Megan Lawlor.  The Eagles are led by Head Coach Patrick Catullo, who is assisted by Art Canizares.

Williams will begin the tournament with a 7-1 record in 2008.  The Ephs are ranked second in the Northeast Region, and feature the region's second-ranked singles player Cary Gibson, third-ranked Grace Baljon, and 11th-ranked Lucy Marchese.  Gibson and Baljon also pair for the region's second-ranked doubles team, joining Allison Rottkamp and Anne Schneidman (11th-ranked) as Williams' ranked pairings.  The Ephs are coached by Alison Swain, who is assisted by Ed Grees.

Trinity will enter the weekend with a 7-4 record this season, as the Tigers are ranked third in the West Region.  Trinity features the region's third-ranked singles player Alicia Hunt, eighth-ranked Laura Steinmetz, and 16th-ranked Megan Fish, in addition to the second-ranked doubles pairing of Hunt and Steinmetz.  The Tigers are led by Head Coach Butch Newman, who is assisted by Ryan Takao.

The tournament will be hosted by Washington and Lee University (Va.) at the Duchossois Tennis Center and other outdoor tennis facilities on the campus.  Results will be posted on the tournament website, in addition to the Emory Athletics' website, following the conclusion of each match.

FOURTH-RANKED EMORY WOMEN'S TENNIS EDGES DEPAUW 5-4

(Mar. 23) In a battle of two of Division III's top women's tennis teams, fourth-ranked Emory University won five of the six singles matches to come from behind and defeat fifth-ranked DePauw University (Ind.) 5-4 at the Woodruff P.E. Center.

The Eagles got off to a rough start, as DePauw swept Emory in doubles play to take an 3-0 lead heading into the singles matches.  Emory would need to win at least five of the six matches to pick up a win.

Emory started singles play on a positive note, as first singles player Tshema Nash would pick up a 6-2, 7-6 victory over her counterpart, and freshman Lorne McManigle would pick up a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win in the third singles role.  However, a Sabra Rogers loss in the second singles role (4-6, 6-1, 6-4) would require the Eagles to win each of the remaining singles matches on the day to earn the victory.

The Eagles would respond to the challenge.  Fourth-singles player Kirsten Hillock earned a 2-6, 6-0, 6-1 win, followed by victories in the fifth singles role for Leah Seyburn (6-4, 7-5) and in the sixth-singles spot for Sara Vrabec (6-1, 6-4) to clinch the match for the Eagles.

With the win, Emory improves to 5-7 this season, including a 2-0 mark against other Division III teams this season.  The Eagles will be tested again next weekend, as they will face three of the top-11 ranked Division III teams in the country at the "Fab 5" Tournament.  

FOURTH-RANKED EMORY WOMEN'S TENNIS DROPS 5-2 DECISION TO DIVISION I MERCER

(Mar. 20) The Emory University Women's Tennis Team fell to 4-7 this season, dropping a 5-2 decision to the Mercer University (Ga.) Bears, a NCAA Division I institution.

The Eagles was able to claim just one of the three doubles matches (which, according to Division I rules, counted for a total of one point), as Emory's second-doubles pairing of Emily Wein and Kirsten Hillock defeated their counterparts 8-6.

In singles play, Tshema Nash, playing as the first-singles player for the first time this season, defeated Anna Wieslander 6-2, 4-6, 10-8 to earn the victory.  In the third-singles role, Kirsten Hillock topped Cali Sachs 6-3, 6-0 to five Emory its second and final point of the day.  Nash improved her singles record to 9-5 on the year, while Hillock is now 7-7 on the campaign.

The match against Mercer marks Emory's final match against a Division I team this season, as the Eagles will next turn their attention to some strong Division III opposition.  The Eagles will face fifth-ranked DePauw University (Ind.) at home on Sunday, before heading to Lexington, VA for the Fab-Five Tournament. 

EMORY WOMEN'S TENNIS TO FACE MERCER AND DEPAUW THIS WEEK

(Mar. 19) The Emory University Women's tennis team, ranked fourth in Division III, will be in action on Thursday and Sunday of this week, travelling to Mercer University (Ga.) on Thursday, and welcoming DePauw University (Ind.) into Atlanta on Sunday.

Emory will enter the matches with a 4-6 record, including a 1-0 mark against Division III squads.  The Eagles are 2-3 at the Woodruff P.E. Center this season.  Emory, coached by Amy Bryant is coming off a 2-2 spring trip to Hawaii, during which the Eagles defeat Division II squads Chaminade University (Hi.) and the University of Hawaii at Hilo. 

Mercer, a Division I squad, will enter the match with a 7-7 record in the 2008 spring season, and has won two of its last three matches.  The Bears are coached by Nick Stutsman, who is in his sixth season at the team's helm. 

Sunday's match will feature two of the top-ranked teams in Division III, as DePauw enters the contest ranked one spot below Emory in the latest ITA poll, fifth.  The Tigers are ranked first in the Central Region, and feature the seventh-ranked singles player in the region in Janelle Arita, and the eighth-ranked player in Kelly Buckley.

EMORY WOMEN'S TENNIS SHUTOUT BY BYU HAWAII

(Mar. 13) The Emory University Women's Tennis Team fell to 3-6 on the campaign, after being swept 9-0 by Brigham Young University - Hawaii, the top-ranked team in Division II.

Only fifth and sixth singles players, Kirsten Hillock and Jenny Moscato, were able to force third sets against their BYU-Hawaii counterparts in singles play, as Emory fell to 1-2 on its Hawaii Spring Break trip.

Emory will be back in action on March 13th at 2:00 PM local time to face Hawaii-Hilo.

EMORY WOMEN'S TENNIS CLAIMS 8-1 VICTORY OVER DIVISION II CHAMINADE

(Mar. 10) The Emory University Women's tennis team claimed its first victory of its Spring Trip to Hawaii, defeating Chaminade University 8-1.

The Eagles opened the match by sweeping through the doubles competition.  The first doubles combination of Sabra Rogers and Tshema Nash won their match 8-5 over their counterparts, followed by an 8-3 victory for Kirsten Hillock and Leah Seyburn in the second doubles spot, and a 8-0 shutout win for Emily Wein and Jenny Moscato to give Emory a 3-0 lead heading into singles play.

Emory continued to roll in singles play, beginning with a 6-1, 6-3 win for Rogers in the first singles spot, and a 6-3, 6-1 win for Nash in the second-singles role.  Despite a hard-fought 7-5, 6-3 setback for Seyburn in the third-singles match, Sara Vrabec won her fourth-singles match 6-0, 6-1, followed by 6-0, 6-0 victories for Christine Ingoldsby and Bavana Ketha.

The win raised Emory's record to 3-5 on the campaign.  The Eagles will be back in action on Tuesday, facing Brigham Young University - Hawaii at 2:00 PM local time.

EMORY WOMEN'S TENNIS SUFFERS 6-3 LOSS TO HAWAII PACIFIC

(Mar. 9) The Emory University Women's tennis team, ranked fourth in Division III, opened its Spring Break Trip in Hawaii with a 6-3 loss to Hawaii Pacific University on Sunday.

In doubles play, the Eagles claimed one of the three matches, as the squad's top-singles team of Sabra Rogers and Tshema Nash earned an 8-4 victory over their counterparts.  The pair improved to 2-0 in doubles matches this season.

Heading into singles play down 2-1, Emory was unable to come back in the contest.  The Eagles claimed two of the six singles matches, getting victories from freshman Lorne McManigle in the third-singles role (6-1, 6-3) and junior Jenny Moscato in the sixth-singles position (6-4, 6-2).  McManigle raised her season record to 5-6, while Moscato improved to 7-3.

The loss drops Emory to 2-5 this season, while the Lady Sea Warriors, ranked 14th in Division II, improved to 6-1 on the campaign.  The Eagles will continue their trip on Monday, facing Chaminade University in Oahu.

WOMEN'S TENNIS TRAVELS TO HAWAII FOR THREE SPRING TRIP MATCHES

(Mar. 7) Fourth-ranked Emory University Women's Tennis will kick off a four-match swing across Hawaii this weekend, as the Eagles will head to the islands for their spring trip.

The Eagles will open the trip against Hawai'i Pacific University on March 9th at 9:00 AM local time in Honolulu, followed by a March 10th match against Chaminade University (HI) in Oahu at 10:00 AM.  Rounding out the trip, Emory will take on Brigham Young University Hawaii on March 11th at 2:00 PM in Laie, and a match against the University of Hawaii at Hilo on March 13th and 2:00 PM.

Emory will start the road swing ranked fourth in Division III based on the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) poll.  The Eagles are 2-4 on the campaign, and are coming off a 9-0 shutout victory over Huntingdon College (Ala.) last Sunday. 

The Hawai'i Pacific University Lady Sea Warriors are ranked 14th in Division II and third in the West Region, after opening their 2008 season with a 5-1 record.  The squad is coached by Head Coach Stefan Pampulov, who has compiled a 33-18 record during his three seasons with the team.

Chaminade University is currently 1-5, earning the ninth-ranked in Division II's West Region.  The Silverswords are led by Blake Mosley, who is in his first year with the team.

BYU-Hawaii is the top-ranked team in Division II, and has won seven of the last nine National Championships.  The Seasiders are 7-0 this season, and feature the top-ranked Division II singles player in Elwen Li, and the sixth-ranked singles player in Maggie Deng.  BYU-Hawaii is coached by David T. Porter, who is 451-13 during his 16 seasons on the team.

The University of Hawaii at Hilo will begin the week ranked 39th in Division II.  The Vulcans are coached by Kula Oda, who begins the year with a 69-39 record during his eight seasons at the squad's helm.

FOURTH-RANKED EMORY WOMEN'S TENNIS SHUTS OUT HUNTINGDON

(Mar. 2) The Emory University Women's Tennis team got back on the winning track on Sunday, defeating Huntingdon College (Ala.) 9-0 at the Woodruff P.E. Center.

The Eagles swept through the doubles competition, led by the pairing of sophomores Sabra Rogers and Tshema Nash, who won 8-0 out of the first doubles position.  The Eagles' second doubles team, Lorne McManigle and Sara Vrabec, picked up an 8-2 victory, while the third doubles team of Kirsten Hillock and Jenny Moscato triumphed 8-1.

In the singles competition, three of Emory's players - Nash, Hillock and Vrabec - shut out their opponents 6-0, 6-0.  Out of the first singles position, Rogers picked up a 6-1, 6-0 victory, while McManigle won 6-0, 6-1 as the third singles player, and Moscato picked up a 6-1, 6-2 win out of the fifth position.

The match against Huntingdon was Emory's first against a Division III team this season, as the Eagles ended a four-match losing streak to improve to 2-4 this season.  The match was Emory's final one before its spring trip to Hawaii, beginning on March 9th against Hawai'i Pacific University.

FOURTH-RANKED EMORY LOOKS TO CHANGE MOMENTUM AGAINST HUNTINGDON

(Feb. 29) The fourth-ranked Emory University Women's Tennis squad will return to action this weekend, hosting Huntingdon College (Ala.) at the Woodruff P.E. Center on Sunday at 2:30 PM.

The Eagles will be playing in their first match since a February 17th loss to Wofford College (S.C.).  The Eagles have dropped four-straight matches, all to non-Division III institutions (two to Division I school, one to Division II schools and one to the top-ranked NAIA institution).  Emory's match against Huntingdon will be its first against a Division III opponent this season.

Emory will begin the match with a 1-4 record on the campaign.  The Eagles, ranked fourth in the Nation and second in the Atlantic South Region according to the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) poll, feature six regionally-ranked individuals and four regionally-ranked doubles teams.  Emory is coached by Amy Bryant, now in her ninth season with the team.

Huntingdon will enter the weekend with a 1-0 record, and will host two Saturday matches before travelling to Emory on Sunday.  The Lady Hawks are ranked 16th in the region according to the latest ITA poll, and feature Brandi Milstead, the 35th-ranked player in the region.  Huntingdon is coached by Ximena Moore, who is in her sixth season as head coach of the squad.

Sunday's match will be Emory's final home match until March 23rd, as the Eagles will next head to Hawaii for three matches on their 2008 spring trip.

WOMEN'S TENNIS UNABLE TO CLAIM VICTORY IN SPARTANBURG

(Feb. 17) The Emory Women's Tennis Team, ranked fourth in Division III, suffered its fourth-straight loss to a non-Division III team, dropping an 8-1 match to Division I Wofford College (S.C).

The Eagles were defeated in each of the three doubles matches, and in five of the six singles matches.  Emory's lone win of the day came in the fourth-singles frame, where Tshema Nash was able to defeat her counterpart, Cayley Wetzig, in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4.  Nash improved to 2-3 in dual matches and 5-3 overall this year with the victory.

The loss drops Emory to 1-4 this season, while Wofford earned its third-straight win, raising its record to 6-1 on the campaign.  The Eagles will return home on March 2nd to host its first Division III opponent of the season, Huntingdon College (Ala.), at the Woodruff P.E. Center.

FOURTH-RANKED EMORY WOMEN'S TENNIS DEFEATED BY TOP-NAIA SQUAD

(Feb. 16) The Emory University Women's Tennis Team, ranked fourth in the nation, suffered their third-straight defeat Saturday afternoon, dropping an 8-1 decision to Auburn University in Montgomery, the top-ranked team in the NAIA.

The Eagles' lone victory of the day came from Emory's sixth-singles play, Sara Vrabec.  The sophomore defeated her opponent in straight sets, 6-2, 6-1.  Vrabec improved to 1-1 in dual matches this season.

Emory falls to 1-3  this season with the loss.  The Eagles will continue their non-Division III swing, competing in their first road match of the season against Division I Wofford on Sunday at noon.

EMORY WOMEN'S TENNIS SHUT OUT BY DIVISION I GEORGIA STATE

(Feb. 15) The Emory University Women's Tennis team, ranked fourth in Division III, suffered a 9-0 defeat at the hands of Division I's Georgia State University.

The Eagles were able to win just set during the match, as sixth-singles player, Sara Vrabec, forced a tiebreak set against Kiera Strickland, eventually falling 10-4. 

Emory will continue its tough early-season schedule tomorrow, as the Eagles will host Auburn University-Montogmery, the top-ranked NAIA team and defending national NAIA champions, at noon at the Woodruff P.E. Center.

FOURTH-RANKED WOMEN'S TENNIS FACES STRONG WEEKEND COMPETITION

(Feb. 13) The Emory Women's Tennis team, ranked fourth in Division III, will host two strong opponents this weekend, as the Eagles will face Division I Georgia State University on Friday, and Auburn University at Montgomery (Ala.), the top-ranked team in the NAIA, on Saturday.  Emory will follow those matches with its first road trip of the season, facing Division I Wofford College (S.C.) on Sunday.

The Eagles will begin the weekend with a 1-1 record, after defeating Shorter College (Ga.) 6-3 last Wednesday, and suffering an 8-1 setback to Division II Clayton State University (Ga.) on Saturday.  This weekend's matches will conclude Emory's four-match home stand to open the 2008 campaign.

Georgia State will enter the match with a 3-5 record in 2008.  During the 2007 season, the Eagles suffered an 8-1 defeat to the Panthers.  A member of the Colonial Athletic Conference (CAA) of Division I of the NCAA, Georgia State is coached by Miha Lisac, 2005 graduate of Georgia State.  Lisac is in his first year with the squad.  The match will begin at 4:00 PM.

Auburn Montgomery, the top-ranked team in the NAIA, has won eight National Championships, including seven since the 1999 season.  The Lady Senators have six players ranked in the top-25 in the NAIA, including three ranked in the top-six, and the second-ranked player, Natalie Sienkob.  The two squads met last season, with the Eagles suffering a 6-3 defeat.  The Lady Senators are coached by Scott Kidd, now in his third season with the team.  The match time is set for noon on Saturday.

Wofford will enter Sunday's match with begin the weekend with a 4-1 record, with a match against High Point on Friday before Emory comes to town.  This will be the first meeting between the two teams since April 9th, 2005, when the Eagles suffered a 5-2 defeat to the Terriers.  Wofford is coached by Rod Ray, who is entering his eighth season as the team's head coach.  The match will begin at noon.

WOMEN'S TENNIS DROPPED BY DIVISION II CLAYTON STATE

(Feb. 9) The Emory University Women's Tennis Team struggled on Saturday, dropping an 8-1 decision to the ninth-ranked team in Division II, Clayton State University (Ga.).

The Eagles lone victory of the day came from the squad's sixth-singles position, as junior Jenny Moscato picked up a 4-6, 6-3, 10-2 victory over her counterpart.  Moscato improved her season record to 5-1 this season, including a 2-0 mark in dual matches.

The loss dropped fourth-ranked Emory to 1-1 on the season, while the Lakers picked up the victory in their opening match of their spring season.  Emory will host its third-straight match on Friday, as the Eagles will be taking on Division I's Georgia State University at the Woodruff P.E. Center at 4:00 PM.

FOURTH-RANKED WOMEN'S TENNIS DEFEATS SHORTER IN SEASON OPENER

(Feb. 6) The Emory Women's Tennis team began its spring season on a high note, defeating Shorter College (Ga.) 6-3 at the Woodruff P.E. Center on Wednesday.

Emory claimed victory in four of the six singles matches, and two of the three doubles matches.  In singles play, the Eagles received wins from freshman Lorne McManigle in the second singles spot, freshman Leah Seyburn in the third singles role, sophomore Tshema Nash for the fifth singles and junior Jenny Moscato in the sixth singles position.

Emory also received a pair of 8-6 victories in doubles play out of the second (Nash and Seyburn) and third (freshman Emily Wein and sophomore Sara Vrabec) positions.

The season-opening win lifts the fourth-ranked Eagles' record to 1-0 in 2008.  Emory will continue its season on Saturday, when the team will face Division II Clayton State University (Ga.) at 12:30 PM.

FOURTH-RANKED WOMEN'S TENNIS TO OPEN SEASON AGAINST SHORTER, CLAYTON STATE

(Feb. 4) The Emory University Women's Tennis team, ranked fourth in Division III, will open its spring 2008 season this week, as the Eagles will take on Shorter College (Ga.) and Clayton State University (Ga.) at the Woodruff P.E. Center.

The Eagles will open the season following a trip to the final round of the NCAA Regionals in 2007.  Emory will feature a number of ranked singles players, including sophomore Sabra Rogers (second), sophomore Kirsten Hillock (third), sophomore Tshema Nash (13th), freshman Lorne McManigle (15th), junior Jenny Moscato (17th), and freshman Leah Seyburn (31st).  In addition, the Eagles will have four regionally ranked singles teams - second-ranked Rogers and sophomore teammate Sara Vrabec, fifth-ranked teammates Moscato and freshman Bavana Ketha, eighth-ranked Nash and McManigle and 17th-ranked Seyburn and sophomore Allison Fick.

The Eagles will open the season at home against Shorter College on Wednesday at 4:00 PM.  Last season, the Eagles defeated the Lady Hawks 6-3 in Emory's season opening match, as the team received singles wins from returning players Sabra Rogers, Jenny Moscato, and Alexandra Maravich.  Emory also won all three doubles matches during the meeting.  Shorter, an NAIA institution, features Lydie Radsarefadahy, the 37th-ranked NAIA singles player, and the eighth-ranked NAIA doubles team in Radsarefadahy and Giuliana Luconi.

On Saturday, the Eagles will welcome Division II Clayton State to the Woodruff P.E. Center for a 12:30 PM match.  Emory suffered a 6-3 defeat at the hands of the Lakers last season, despite a singles win for Rogers and a pair of doubles victories.  Clayton State, ranked ninth in Division II, features three ranked singles players - 15th-ranked Anna Redesci, 42nd-ranked Viktoriya Semyrodenko, and 47th-ranked Julia Chergova - and the fourth-ranked doubles team of Chergova and Redesci.

Results and scoring for both matches, along with a match recap, will be available on go.emory.edu following the completion of competition. 

FOURTH-RANKED EMORY WOMEN'S TENNIS PRIMED FOR A CHAMPIONSHIP RUN IN 2008

(Jan. 25) For the first time in the last five years, Emory will not begin the season as the defending National Champion.  However, with another year of experience for its players and after a strong showing during the fall season, the Eagles are primed for another run at the Division III title in 2008.

"Every year we go out on the court and try and we try to achieve the greatest thing we can, and for us, that is the National Championship," said Emory Head Coach Amy Bryant.  "Certainly the girls that are playing in the lineup have decided to come here because they wanted to reach that goal."

The Eagles will open the season as the fourth-ranked team in the Nation, following the squad's run to the championship match of the South Regionals during the NCAA Tournament. 

"Our theme for this year's program is to really have the players meet their full potential," said Bryant.  "I think, especially with the freshmen on the team, there is going to be a lot of pushing going on for people to reach their full potential.  Win or lose the National Championship, as long as we reach our potential, I am satisfied as a coach."

Emory will return two of its three all-Americans from the 2007 season.  Sophomore Sabra Rogers, who placed first in the singles bracket of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's (ITA) Fall Southern Regional Championship and earned all-America honors for her doubles play last season, will enter the campaign ranked second in the region.  In addition, 2007 singles all-American Tshema Nash will begin the season ranked 13th in the region.

Other regionally-ranked Emory singles players include second-ranked sophomore Kirsten Hillock (who finished second to Rogers at the ITA Southern Regionals), 15th-ranked freshman Lorne McManigle, 17th-ranked junior Jenny Moscato, and 31st-ranked freshman Leah Seyburn.

On the doubles side, Coach Bryant will have to deal with a welcomed problem - having one more ranked team than she can play in a dual match.  In 2008, the Eagles will feature the second-ranked doubles team of Rogers and sophomore Sara Vrabec, fifth-ranked Moscato and freshman Bavana Ketha, eighth-ranked Nash and McManigle, and 17th-ranked Seyburn and sophomore Allison Fick.

"We have some great repeat performers, some veterans on the team that I expect will do even better this year," said Bryant.  "And, the freshmen have some great potential, so we will see how we can push them."

The Eagles will be tested in 2008, with six of the top 30 teams in Division III on the schedule, in addition to three University Athletic Association (UAA) teams that Emory could potentially face at the conference tournament at the end of April.  The Eagles will host the top-ranked team in the Nation, Washington and Lee University (Va.), for the team's last regular-season game on April 19th.  Emory will also take on third-ranked Williams College (Mass.), the sixth-ranked University of Mary Washington (Va.), and 14th-ranked Trinity University (Texas) at the Fab 5 Tournament from March 28th-30th.

EMORY RANKED FOURTH IN ITA DIVISION III FALL POLL

(Nov. 15) After a successful fall women's tennis season, during which Emory University players won both the singles and doubles competitions at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Southern Championships, the Eagles have been ranked fourth in the Nation by the ITA. 

In addition, Emory was ranked second in the Atlantic South Region, and had six individuals ranked in the top-31 regionally.  Sophomore Sabra Rogers rose to second in singles play in the region, after winning the Fall ITA Southern singles tournament.  Sophomore Kirsten Hillock, who fell to Rogers in the final match of the singles tournament, is ranked third.  Other ranked Emory players include sophomore Tshema Nash (13th), freshman Lorne McManigle (15th), junior Jenny Moscato (17th), and freshman Leah Seyburn (31st).

Emory also placed four doubles teams in the top-20 regional rankings, after an all-Emory final four at the Fall ITA Southern doubles tournament.  Rogers and sophomore teammate Sara Vrabec, who combined to win the tournament, are the second-ranked doubles pairing in the region.  They are followed by fifth-ranked teammates Moscato and freshman Bavana Ketha, eighth-ranked Nash and McManigle and 17th-ranked Seyburn and sophomore Allison Fick.

The fall poll will be the last national one released by the ITA until March 4th, and the last regional poll, including singles and doubles rankings, released prior to March 18th.  Emory will begin its 2008 spring schedule on February 6th at the Woodruff P.E. Center against Shorter College (Ga.).

WOMEN'S TENNIS TAKES EIGHTH PLACE AT THE ITA NATIONAL SMALL COLLEGE CHAMPIONSHIP

(Oct. 14) Emory University recorded two eighth-place finishes at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) National Small College Championships, as Sabra Rogers finished eighth in the singles bracket, and the team of Rogers and Sara Vrabec finished eighth in doubles play.

Rogers lost her last two matches of the tournament, dropping a 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 decision to Jenni White of Gustavus Adolphus College (Minn.), and a 6-1, 6-3 loss to Sierra Krebsbach, also of Gustavus Adolphus.

In doubles play, Rogers and Vrabec lost to the top-seeded team from the College of New Jersey, 6-3, 6-3 in the final match of the bracket.

The ITA Nationals conclude Emory's fall schedule.  The Eagles will resume play in the Spring semester, with their first match at home on February 6th, against Shorter College (Ga.).

EMORY WOMEN'S TENNIS TO CONTINUE PLAY ON FRIDAY AT THE ITA NATIONALS

(Oct. 12) The Emory University Women's Tennis team will try to bounce back on Friday at the ITA National Small College Championships in Mobile, AL. 

Emory's Sabra Rogers dropped her singles match yesterday, losing 6-2, 6-3 to Alicia Hunt of Trinity University (Texas).  She will move along to the consolation bracket, where she will face Jenni White of Gustavus Adolphus College (Minn.) at 10:00 AM on Friday.  Rogers can still finish as high as fifth in the tournament.

In doubles play, Rogers teamed with Sara Vrabec, but lost to the tournament's second-seeded Pomona-Pitzer College (Calif.) 6-2, 4-6, 10-5.  Rogers and Vrabec also suffered defeat in the consolation bracket, dropping a 6-4, 6-1 decision to the University of Mary Washington (Va.) pairing.  Emory will play in the seventh-place match on Friday at 2:00 PM, against the College of New Jersey pair, which entering the tournament as the top seed.

EMORY TENNIS TEAMS SEND FIVE TO ITA SMALL COLLEGE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

(Oct. 9) - Emory University will have five representatives competing this week at the 2007 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) National Small College Championships.  Action takes place Thursday through Sunday (Oct. 11-14) and will be held the Copeland  - Cox Tennis Center in Mobile, Alabama.

Junior Mark Boren (Englewood, CO) and sophomore Sabra Rogers (Charleston, SC) will take to the court in the men's and women's singles action.  In addition to her singles duties, Rogers will team with sophomore Sara Vrabec (Menasha, WI) and compete in women doubles.  On the men's side, junior Michael Goodwin (Rockville, MD) and sophomore Oliver Lopp (Hilden, Germany) enter the competition as the No. 2 seed.

Boren's first opponent will be Dan Greenberg of Williams College with that match slated for Thursday morning starting at 10:30 a.m. (CDT).  The winner of that bout will advance into Friday's semifinals.  Rogers will also get underway on Thursday at the same time with the winner playing on Friday at 10:00 a.m.  In doubles, Goodwin and Lopp take on Max Willner and Gregory Katz of Vassar on Thursday at 2:30 p.m., while Rogers and Vrabec tangle with the No. 2-seeded Pomona-Pitzer tandem of Siobhan  Finicane and Olivia Muesse in a 1:00 p.m. match.

On the 12th and 13th, the action will be web casted for fans to watch live. That site is: http://braingame.dartfishnet.com/ .

This event is presented by Outback Steakhouse and the United States Tennis Association (USTA) and administered by the ITA. It dates back to 1986 and determines national champions for NCAA Divisions II and III, NAIA and Junior/Community College men's and women's singles and doubles during the first two-and-a-half days of play. Those champions then compete to become the overall national small college champs (for all divisions) on Oct. 13-14 in the ITA "Super Bowl" of Small College Tennis.

Each small college division features eight singles players and eight doubles teams who earned spots into this national event by winning their respective Wilson/ITA Regional Championships held over the past three weeks throughout the country. All told, nearly 5,000 student-athletes competed in 61 regional tournaments to earn spots in the national event.

Boren advanced following a 6-2, 6-3 win over David Sutton in the finals of the ITA Southern Championships while Rogers earned her way via a 6-2, 6-2 triumph over teammate Kirsten Hillock in the finals of the women's championship.  Goodwin and Lopp defeated fellow Eagles Hardy Ehlers and David Caplan in the doubles championship while Rogers and Vrabec topped teammates Bavana Ketha and Jenny Moscato. (Sept. 24) Emory University's Sabra Rogers was named the University Athletic Association (UAA) Athlete of the Week for Women's Tennis, following her singles and doubles victories at the 2007 Fall Wilson/ ITA Southern Region Championships. 

The sophomore, seeded third in the singles draw, did not lose a set during her six-match championship run.  Rogers defeated teammate Kirsten Hillock 6-2, 6-2 becoming the sixth-consecutive Eagle to claim the singles title.  In doubles play, Rogers teamed with Sara Vrabec to win all five doubles matches, including a third-round victory over the top seeded pairing in the tournament.  The duo defeated teammates Bavana Ketha and Jenny Moscato in the doubles draw final. 

Rogers becomes the first winner of the women's tennis athlete of the week for the conference this season.  It also marks the second time in the sophomore's career that she has garnered the honor.  By winning the regional singles and doubles tournament, Rogers will advance to the ITA National Tournament in Mobile, Ala., on October 11th-14th.

ROGERS NAMED THE WOMEN'S TENNIS UAA ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

EMORY WOMEN'S TENNIS SWEEPS AT THE ITA SOUTHERN REGIONAL

(Sept. 23) Emory University's Sabra Rogers claimed the singles championship, and a piece of the doubles championship with teammate Sara Vrabec, as the Eagles' Women's Tennis Team swept the 2007 Fall Wilson/ ITA Southern Regional Championships.

Emory knew that it would sweep the tournament before either of the championships began.  Earlier in the day, the third-seeded Rogers defeated Mary Katherine Stone of the University of the South (Tenn.), 6-0, 7-6 (2), while fellow Eagle Kirsten Hillock, the fifth seed, advanced to the finals with a 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7) win over the top seeded Gab Carvalho, also of the University of the South.  In the championship match, Rogers defeated her teammate in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2, to claim the ITA Regional Singles championship.

Meanwhile, in doubles play, the Eagles registered each of the final four teams in the tournament.  In Saturday's semifinals, Rogers and Vrabec defeated teammates Allison Fick and Leah Seyburn, 8-6, and Bavana Ketha and Jenny Moscato defeated their second-seeded teammates Tshema Nash and Lorne McManigle, 8-6.  In the finals, Rogers and Vrabec picked up an 8-4 win over their fellow Eagles, Ketha and Moscato.

Rogers, a sophomore, becomes the sixth-straight Eagle to claim the Fall ITA Regional Singles title, and did not lose a set in her six singles matches.  She is the first Eagle to win both the ITA Fall Regional singles and doubles championships since Mary Ellen Gordon did so in the 2002 tournament.

The doubles win for Vrabec, a sophomore, comes in her first tournament appearance for the Eagles.

Rogers and Vrabec will both advance to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association National Small College Championships on October 11-14 in Mobile, Ala., where they will face the champions of the other regional tournaments.

SIX EAGLES ADVANCE TO THIRD ROUND AT THE ITA SOUTHERN CHAMPIONSHIPS

(Sept. 21) With two rounds complete in both singles and doubles play at the 2007 Fall/Wilson ITA Southern Championships, six Emory individuals and five Eagles' doubles teams will be advancing to the third round of play tomorrow.

Each of Emory's four seeded individuals (second-seeded Tshema Nash, third-seeded Sabra Rogers, fourth-seeded Lorne McManigle and fifth-seeded Kirsten Hillock) will move on to the round of 16 after winning each of their first two matches of the tournament.  In addition, unseeded freshman Leah Seyburn and unseeded junior Jenny Moscato each picked up wins in their first two matches as well.

Moscato completed the most impressive upset of the tournament so far, defeating seventh-seed Kathryn Carroll of Birmingham Southern College (Ala.) 8-5 during her first round match.  Each of the first round matches were played as eight-point pro sets, due to rain early in the day.  Moscato will take on Huntindon College's (Ala.) Brandy Milstead in her third round match.

Looking forward to the third round, Seyburn will be tested in just her third collegiate match, as she will face the tournament's top seed, Gab Carvalho of The University of the South (Tenn.).  Also in third round action for Emory, Hillock will take on Durham Kyle (Rhodes College, Tenn.), McManigle will face off against Beth Sadler (Millsaps College, Miss.), Rogers will meet Anna Moak (Rhodes), and Nash will play Mary Katherine Stone (the University of the South).

 In doubles play, all five Emory teams entered into the tournament are still alive heading into Saturday, including the second-ranked pairing of Nash and McManigle, who will face teammates Lexie Maravich and Hillock in the quarterfinals of the bracket.  Also advancing were the pairings of Rogers and Sara Vrebec, Allison Fick and Seyburn, and Moscato and Bavana Ketha.

Play will continue on Saturday at the ITA Regional tournament, beginning at 9:00 AM on the Emory University campus.  Teams and players remaining in the main bracket will play at the Woodruff P.E. Center, while the consolation bracket matches will be held at the Student Activity and Academic Center.  Admission to all matches is free to the public.

EMORY UNIVERSITY TO HOST THE WILSON/ITA SOUTHERN WOMEN'S TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS

(Sept. 20) The Emory University Women's Tennis team will open its 2007 fall season this weekend, as the team will host the Fall Wilson/ ITA Southern Championship Tournament from Friday, September 21st until Sunday, September 23rd.

The Eagles will look to a repeat of last season's Fall ITA Tournament, when it was an all-Emory final between former Eagles Linda Tien and Richelle Marasigan.  Emory had four of the final eight competitors left in the singles tournament, including returning sophomore Kirsten Hillock.

In doubles competition at the 2006 ITA Fall tournament, Emory registered three of the four semifinal teams, but the school's top team of Tien and Marasigan finished second overall.

Emory will enter the 2007 tournament with four of the seven seeded player, including four of the top five seeds, in the 64-player singles competition.  Returning sophomore Tshema Nash is the Eagles' top-singles seed, ranked second entering the competition.  Following Nash is third-seeded sophomore Sabra Rogers, followed by the fourth-seeded freshman Lorne McManigle, and fifth-seeded sophomore Kirsten Hillock.  Also competing for the Eagles are freshmen Leah Seyburn and Bavana Ketha, sophomores Allison Fick, Lexie Maravich, and Sara Vrabec, and junior Jenny Moscato.

The Eagles will also be entering five teams in the 32-team field doubles competition, including the second-seeded pairing of Nash and McManigle.  Also teaming up for the doubles tournament are Rogers and Vrabec, Fick and Seyburn, Moscato and Ketha, and Maravich and Hillock.

Emory finished the 2007 spring season with a 14-9 record, falling short of a fifth-consecutive NCAA Division III title after losing to the University of the South (Tenn.) in the regional finals.  Nash led the Eagles last season with a 14-6 record in the second-singles spot, and advanced to the third round of last year's ITA Fall singles tournament.

Emory is hosting one of the 61 Wilson/ITA Regional Championships played across the country over the last three weeks of September.  The tournament will feature the top NCAA Division III schools in the South region, including Emory, the University of the South, Rhodes College (Tenn.), Methodist University (N. Car.), Spelman College (Ga.), Huntingdon College (Ala.), Piedmont College (Ga.), Birmingham Southern College (Ala.), Millsaps College (Miss.), Agnes Scott College (Ga.), Mississippi College, Centre College (Ky.), and Greensboro College (N. Car.).  The singles and doubles champions from this weekend's tournament advance to the Oct. 12-15 Intercollegiate Tennis Association National Small College Championships at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers. 

Matches this weekend will take place on the Emory University campus, at both the indoor and outdoor courts at the Woodruff P.E. Center, and the outdoor courts at the Student Activity and Academic Center (SAAC).