Michigan to Face 10 Top-25 Teams in 2008-09
8/22/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
ANN ARBOR, Mich. C University of Michiganhead women's tennis coachRonni Bernstein announced Friday(Aug. 22) the schedule for the2008-09 season.Michigan will take on 20 teams that finished last season ranked in the finalITAnationalrankings. The Wolverines are seeking their eighth consecutive NCAA Championship bid after reaching the NCAAsecond roundlast season.
"We are very excited about our schedule for the upcoming season," said Bernstein. "The only way to be the best and get to where we want to be is to play the best teams in the country. The schedule gives us many opportunities as we have several top-25 programs on our slate.Our home schedule is phenomenal too -- with schools from the ACC, SEC and Big Ten coming to Ann Arbor. The Michigan fans were tremendous last year and their support will help us again this season.The team has been working hard this summer and will be ready to go when the season gets underway."
Michigan will play in several tournaments to open the fall season. The Wolverines will travel to Pacific Palisades, Calif., for the Riviera/ITA All-AmericanChampionships from Sept. 30-Oct. 5 and while on the West Coast will also participate in the San Diego StateFall Classicfrom Oct. 3-5. U-M will take part in the Wilson/ITA Midwest Regional Championships Oct. 23-28 in East Lansing, Mich., before concluding the fall schedule at theThunderbird Invitational in Tempe, Ariz., Nov. 7-9.
The Wolverines open thespring slate Jan. 17-19 with the Michigan Invitational. Michigan welcomes top-25 teams Duke,Tennessee andVanderbilt to the annual event.Michigan willbegin dual-match playJan. 23-25 when they host Marquette and South Carolina at the Varsity Tennis Center.
U-M hits the road for the first time when it travels to Williamsburg, Va., for the ITA Kick-Off Weekend. Michigan will take on North Carolina on Jan. 31 and will face Texas or William& MaryonFeb. 2. The Wolverines conclude their three-match road swing with a trip to South Bend, Ind., Feb. 6 to take on Notre Dame, which finished last season ranked No. 20 in the final ITA rankings.
In other non-conference action, Michigan will face Yale on Feb. 8 and Texas A&M on Apr. 4 in Ann Arbor.U-M tackles the challenge of top-25 teams Miami on Feb. 26, Baylor on March 6 and Texas Christianon March 8.
Michigan opens the Big Ten slate with four home matches: Minnesota on Oct. 21, Iowa on March 22, Wisconsin on March 28 and Northwestern on March 29. The Wildcatsconcluded last season ranked No. 2.
U-M then hits the road for four of its five final Big Ten regular-season matches beginning with Ohio State and Penn State on April 3 and April 5, respectively. Michigan closes the home schedule against Purdue on April 11 and concludes the regular season April 18 and April 19 when it travels to Indiana and Illinois, respectively.
The Wolverinesbegin postseason action when they head to Madison, Wis., for the 2009 Big Ten Tournament.Following the conference tournament, Michigan will seek its eighth consecutive NCAAChampionship bid. Regional action will take place on campus sites May 8-10, while the NCAA Team ChampionshipandSingles& DoublesChampionships will be contested from May 15-25 in College Station, Texas.
Contact: Jessica Poole (734) 763-4423
