Fact Sheet 4
Spring Time Tennis: The University of Arkansas women’s tennis team is less than two weeks away from beginning their 2006 spring season. The Lady Razorbacks open on Jan. 27 with a doubleheader against Oral Roberts and Missouri State at noon and 5 p.m., respectively.
Doubleheader: The Lady’Backs have seen nothing but luck in doubleheaders. Last season, the Lady’Backs played two doubleheaders, winning all four by a combined score of 27-1. Arkansas shutout Oral Roberts and Wichita State on Jan. 9, 2005 while beating North Teaxas and Abilene Christian 6-1 and 7-0, respectively.
27-0: The Lady’Backs have always rolled out the red carpet when Missouri State comes to town. Since first meeting the Bears in 1980, Arkansas is 27-0 against Jim Giachino’s squad. Last year, the Lady’Backs won in Fayetteville, 7-0.
New Kids on the Block: Freshmen Ela Kaluder and Aurelija Miseviciute have already contributed much to the program in just a few short months on campus. Combined in singles, Kaluder and Miseviciute are 31-3 which included an ITA Central Regional Tournament championship title by Kaluder on Oct. 22. In doubles, the pair captured the ITA Central Regional Championship doubles crown with a win over upperclassmen teammates Maryori Franco and Karina Ledaja.
Kaluder goes national: Freshman Ela Kaluder wasted no time breaking into the national scene last fall with a trip to the ITA National Indoor Championships in Columbus, Ohio. Regarded by Arkansas head coach Michael Hegarty as, "one of the premier amateur tournaments in the world", Kaulder head her own by advancing the second round with a win over Texas Christian’s Helena Besovic, 6-2, 6-1.
Picked Second: The Lady’Backs were voted to finish second in the SEC Western Division in a preseason poll performed by league coaches in January. Arkansas placed just five points behind top-pick Ole Miss. The rest of the conference lines up as follows:
2006 SEC Women’s Tennis Coaches Preseason Poll
Eastern Division
1. Florida59
2. Georgia47
3. Vanderbilt39
4. South Carolina32
5. Tennessee21
6. Kentucky12
Western Division
1. Ole Miss53
2. Arkansas48
3. Alabama44
4. LSU29
5. Mississippi State20
6. Auburn16
