Photo by: David Stluka
Back in the dance: Badgers to face Syracuse in first round of NCAA championship
April 29, 2019 | Women's Tennis
Wisconsin will make its first NCAA appearance since 2005 this weekend
MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin women's tennis team is back in the big dance for the first time since 2005 and will face Syracuse in the opening round of the 2019 NCAA Women's Tennis Championship.
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The Badgers and Orange will meet on Saturday in a 11 a.m. CT match at the Taube Family Tennis Center in Stanford, California. The competition marks the first-ever meeting between Syracuse and UW.
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The winner of SU/UW will play the victor of three-seeded Stanford and New Mexico State in the second round of the tournament on Sunday in a 2 p.m. CT tilt.
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UW, ranked No. 40 in the latest Oracle ITA Rankings, enters the weekend with an 18-5 record, the program's most wins since the 1997 season, when the team went 22-8. The Badgers are led by Sara Castellano, who is ranked No. 80 in the country in singles action, and No. 123 Lexi Keberle. The pair has played at the top of UW's lineup the entire year and each have 14 wins in singles play.
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The Badgers have also gotten strong play from the middle of their lineup as freshman Ava Markham has for the Badgers with a team-high 19 wins in singles play. Sophomore Anna Makarova, who transferred in this season, has been instrumental to the team's success this season with a 15-5 record, the second most singles victories on the team.
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This year marks the eighth time that UW has qualified as a team for the NCAA championship and the ninth time the Cardinal and White has made it to the national championship tournament. UW holds a 4-7 record in their previous seven NCAA tournament appearances. The last time Wisconsin women's tennis made the NCAA Tournament was in 2005, a season in which Wisconsin ended 15-9 overall, including 6-4 in conference play. The Badgers were ranked No. 34 at the end of that season. Wisconsin met William & Mary in the first round of the Tournament, suffering a 4-1 defeat.
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The Badgers and Orange will meet on Saturday in a 11 a.m. CT match at the Taube Family Tennis Center in Stanford, California. The competition marks the first-ever meeting between Syracuse and UW.
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The winner of SU/UW will play the victor of three-seeded Stanford and New Mexico State in the second round of the tournament on Sunday in a 2 p.m. CT tilt.
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UW, ranked No. 40 in the latest Oracle ITA Rankings, enters the weekend with an 18-5 record, the program's most wins since the 1997 season, when the team went 22-8. The Badgers are led by Sara Castellano, who is ranked No. 80 in the country in singles action, and No. 123 Lexi Keberle. The pair has played at the top of UW's lineup the entire year and each have 14 wins in singles play.
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The Badgers have also gotten strong play from the middle of their lineup as freshman Ava Markham has for the Badgers with a team-high 19 wins in singles play. Sophomore Anna Makarova, who transferred in this season, has been instrumental to the team's success this season with a 15-5 record, the second most singles victories on the team.
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This year marks the eighth time that UW has qualified as a team for the NCAA championship and the ninth time the Cardinal and White has made it to the national championship tournament. UW holds a 4-7 record in their previous seven NCAA tournament appearances. The last time Wisconsin women's tennis made the NCAA Tournament was in 2005, a season in which Wisconsin ended 15-9 overall, including 6-4 in conference play. The Badgers were ranked No. 34 at the end of that season. Wisconsin met William & Mary in the first round of the Tournament, suffering a 4-1 defeat.
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Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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