Fact Sheet #1

Opening weekend: The University of Arkansas women’s tennis team opens the 200-5-06 season this weekend at the Lady Rebel Invitational in Oxford, Miss. and the William and Mary Classic in Williamsburg, Va.

Lady Rebel Invitational: The Oxford, Miss. tournament features several regional schools as well as competitive Southeastern Conference opponents. The ten team field includes Ole Miss, Arkansas, Jacksonville State, Louisiana-Monroe, Mississippi State, Southern Mississippi, Troy, Samford, South Alabama and Tennessee Tech.

William and Mary Classic: Whilst seven members of the Lady’Back tennis squad travel one state over, three other members venture to Williamsburg, Va. this weekend for the William and Mary Classic. The Classic is a nationally known event that features some of the top tennis in the women’s game today.

Hegarty ready for season three: Arkansas head coach Michael Hegarty is set for his third season as the head coach on the hill. Last season, he led the Lady’Backs to their first SEC win since 2001 and finished 11-11 for the year.

Returning for Arkansas: Three seniors lead the charge for the Lady’Backs this season. Arkansas native Melissa Cornett is back as the only four-year Lady Razorback, followed by No. 52 Vlatka Jovanovic and Karina Ledaja.

Sophomores: The Lady’Backs have a solid crew as sophomores this year that made an impact last year in their first season. Maryori Franco leads her class with a preseason ranking of 113th in the nation, followed by Audrey Bordeleau and Allison Linden.

New Kids on the Block: After Hegarty’s second straight year of recruitment, four freshmen came to Fayetteville adding depth and raw potential to an already talented Arkansas lineup. Decorated juniors Aurelija Miseviciute and Ela Kaluder could compete for spots high in the lineup, while Rachel Wilhelm and Lindsey Brown get set to work for a lineup spot.

One year in one short passage: The Lady’Backs opened the 2004-05 10-0, the best start to a season in program history. After sustaining injuries throughout the year and maybe even a little bad luck, the Lady’Backs won their first Southeastern Conference match in three and a half years over the Auburn Tigers on April 10th, 5-2.

Lady’Backs celebrate big win in Southeastern Conference: The Arkansas women’s tennis team picked up their first SEC win in four years against an unranked Auburn Tigers team, 5-2. A win that has been long coming, the Lady’Backs snap a 0-42 losing streak that dates back to the 2000-01 season. Interestingly enough, the Lady Razorbacks last win over a conference team came over the Auburn Tigers on April 9, 2005; one day off of exactly four years from the most recent win. For those counting, that’s a 1,462 day conference win drought.