The University of North Alabama men’s and
women’s tennis teams are set to open the
2010 season this week against a pair of NCAA
Division I teams. Former UNA coach Brice
Bishop has returned to take over the
program, and will begin his third stint with
the Lions on Wednesday as the men’s team
travels to Alabama- Birmingham. Match time
is set for 1 p.m. at the Lakeshore Tennis
Center.
Two days after the men begin play, the UNA
women’s team will open the season at 4 p.m.
in Nashville, Tenn., against Belmont. Both
teams will return to Nashville on Feb. 12 to
face Div. I Lipscomb.
On the men’s side, North Alabama will be
looking to improve on a 8-13 campaign in
2009 with a 2-2 mark in Gulf South
Conference play. The Lions advanced to the
GSC Tournament as the third seed in the East
Division. UNA knocked off Harding 5-0 in the
opening round before falling to eventual
champion Valdosta State in the semi-finals.
The Lions return three seniors this season,
including Jan Miskos, (Brno, Czech Republic)
who posted an 8-8 singles records at the top
position and 10-9 doubles play. Carlos
Cardenas (Guayqul, Ecuador) posted a 7-11
record at the three and four positions while
finishing 9-9 in doubles. Clint Johnson
(Gardendale, Ala.), also a returning senior,
finished the year 9-9 at the fifth and sixth
singles positions and also 9-9 in doubles.
Bruno Zuleta (Cochabamba, Bolivia) also
returns for his senior season after not
playing last year.
UNA added three freshmen to its roster this
season. Mirko Sommerfeld (Dormagen, Germany)
will add valuable depth to the top of the
line-up. T.J. Drake (Russellville, Ala.)
returns to the Shoals area from Mississippi
State University. Drake, a former three-time
TimesDaily Player of the Year, looks to
regain his form after a year off. Rounding
out the freshman class is Corey Griffin (Talledaga,
Ala.).
The Lions will have a challenging schedule
ahead that boasts six matches against
Division I opponents and three matches
against Top 10 nationally-ranked Division II
teams. “We’re fortunate to start off with
four Division I teams in UAB, Lipscomb,
Memphis and Western Kentucky,” said Bishop.
“We’ll know pretty quick what type of team
we have.”
Bishop added that there is no drop off after
the Div I portion of the schedule. “When you
add the caliber of teams in the GSC, it
should be an exciting season if you like to
compete,” he said. “When you throw in NAIA’s
nationally-ranked Martin Methodist, there is
no time for us to let up this spring.”
The women’s program returns two seniors
after finishing 2009 with a 9-10 overall
record and a 3-2 showing in conference play.
Mallory Waites (Birmingham, Ala.) returns
after posting an 11-4 singles record at the
third position. She continued her string of
All-GSC honors by being named to the first
team last year after earning second-team
honors in 2007 and 2008. Senior Lenka Hola
(Brno, Czech Republic) earned second-team
All- GSC honors last year after finishing
with an 11-4 singles record at the fourth
position.
Sophomore Victoria Rees returns after
posting an 8-8 singles record at the top two
positions. “Victoria had a tremendous fall
season winning the UNA Fall Classic and
finishing runner-up to Tennessee-Martin’s
Martie Wahl at the Austin Peay State
University Fall Tournament, said Bishop.”
Another sophomore, Ashley Alfonso (Florence,
Ala.) returns after gaining valuable
experience last season at the five and six
spots.
The Lions added two freshmen to the 2010
squad. Jessica Keehn (Florence, Ala.)
prepped at Florence High School and will be
counted on to add depth to the line-up.
Teresa Franco (Lisbon, Portugal) has already
been impressive in her short time on campus.
The women also have a stout schedule ahead
of them. The Lions open with Division I
opponents Belmont, Lipscomb and Western
Kentucky.
“Competition is what we need right now,”
Bishop said. “I wanted to challenge the
women from the very first time they walk on
the court. The make-up of our schedule is
good. Once again, the GSC has one of the
toughest conferences in the nation, so it
will be a challenge from start to finish.”
Both programs will open the home portion of
their schedules on Tuesday, March 2nd,
against Martin Methodist. Match time is set
for 3 p.m. at the UNA Tennis Complex.
