Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Women’s Tennis Ends 2018-19 Season Ranked No. 66
5/23/2019 4:33:00 PM | Women's Tennis
The Florida Atlantic University women's tennis team began 2019 as an unknown and ended the year ranked No. 66 by ITA Tennis Association, as announced Wednesday.
The national rank is the first time the Owls have broken into the country's top 75 since 2004 and it is just the sixth time FAU has been included in the final rankings since moving to NCAA Division I in 1993-94 (No. 58 – 1997, No. 48 – 2000, No. 52 – 2001, No. 68 – 2003, No. 73 – 2004).
"Yeah, FAU women's tennis," said head coach Marcy Cava. "Coaching this team has been enjoyable for both Caroline and I. They are a joy to be around. They are young and on their way to making history for women's tennis at FAU. Over the last year, Caroline and I set goals and we are achieving them, one goal was to finish ahead of FIU (No. 75), a local rival. We are honored to be part of such an awesome athletic department, which is improving by leaps and bounds with this new administration."
The Owls held a No. 3 seed heading into the Conference USC Chapionship and that seeding held with the Owls ending 2019 ranked the third highest among C-USA institutions behind No. 40 Rice, which FAU fell to in the C-USA Championship semifinals and No. 41 Old Dominion, which FAU did not face in 2019.
In the final ITA poll, the Owls faced off against six teams ranked above them, including Rice, and tallied a 2-4 record versus those schools. FAU had regular-season wins over No. 33 Princeton and No. 53 USF, but fell to No. 15 FSU in the season opener, No. 19 Miami in the home opener, and to No. 30 Syracuse.
The Owls entered January with four returners and welcomed five newcomers, with one sitting out the year due to transfer rules. By the end of January they had played three teams, two ranked in the nation's top 20 and the third ranked at No. 53, as well as hosting their first tournament since the on-campus courts opened 2016.
The five newcomers represented four countries, and for all but one, it was their first time attending school within the United States. Each of the four eligible players became an every day member of the lineup blending with the Owls' lone upperclassman, senior Kristen Thoms, and the Owls' top returner in sophomore Natalia Boltinskaya.
Freshman newcomer Martina Kudelova moved up the lineup ending her freshman campaign with a 13-4 record and an eight-match win streak. The freshman, who rose in the national ranking to No. 73, ended her first collegiate season as a C-USA First Team singles honoree, as an All-Freshman honoree and as the 2019 C-USA Freshman of the Year. Transfer Natalie Kallmunzerova fought her way through the season playing on courts 2-5. Her efforts saw the sophomore earn All-Conference Second Team singles honors.
The Owls will return Kudelova at No. 1, Boltinskaya at No. 2, Kallmunzerova at No. 3, May Kimhi at No. 4, and Barbora Palcatova on court No. 5; however, expect battles on each court and the insertion of Camilla Ramazzini, as well as newcomers ready to join FAU and its coaching staff as they work towards their 2019-20 goals.
The final individual singles/doubles rankings will be announced May 29.
Tickets to all 2019-20 FAU sporting events can be purchased by calling 1-866-FAU-OWLS.
The national rank is the first time the Owls have broken into the country's top 75 since 2004 and it is just the sixth time FAU has been included in the final rankings since moving to NCAA Division I in 1993-94 (No. 58 – 1997, No. 48 – 2000, No. 52 – 2001, No. 68 – 2003, No. 73 – 2004).
"Yeah, FAU women's tennis," said head coach Marcy Cava. "Coaching this team has been enjoyable for both Caroline and I. They are a joy to be around. They are young and on their way to making history for women's tennis at FAU. Over the last year, Caroline and I set goals and we are achieving them, one goal was to finish ahead of FIU (No. 75), a local rival. We are honored to be part of such an awesome athletic department, which is improving by leaps and bounds with this new administration."
The Owls held a No. 3 seed heading into the Conference USC Chapionship and that seeding held with the Owls ending 2019 ranked the third highest among C-USA institutions behind No. 40 Rice, which FAU fell to in the C-USA Championship semifinals and No. 41 Old Dominion, which FAU did not face in 2019.
In the final ITA poll, the Owls faced off against six teams ranked above them, including Rice, and tallied a 2-4 record versus those schools. FAU had regular-season wins over No. 33 Princeton and No. 53 USF, but fell to No. 15 FSU in the season opener, No. 19 Miami in the home opener, and to No. 30 Syracuse.
The Owls entered January with four returners and welcomed five newcomers, with one sitting out the year due to transfer rules. By the end of January they had played three teams, two ranked in the nation's top 20 and the third ranked at No. 53, as well as hosting their first tournament since the on-campus courts opened 2016.
The five newcomers represented four countries, and for all but one, it was their first time attending school within the United States. Each of the four eligible players became an every day member of the lineup blending with the Owls' lone upperclassman, senior Kristen Thoms, and the Owls' top returner in sophomore Natalia Boltinskaya.
Freshman newcomer Martina Kudelova moved up the lineup ending her freshman campaign with a 13-4 record and an eight-match win streak. The freshman, who rose in the national ranking to No. 73, ended her first collegiate season as a C-USA First Team singles honoree, as an All-Freshman honoree and as the 2019 C-USA Freshman of the Year. Transfer Natalie Kallmunzerova fought her way through the season playing on courts 2-5. Her efforts saw the sophomore earn All-Conference Second Team singles honors.
The Owls will return Kudelova at No. 1, Boltinskaya at No. 2, Kallmunzerova at No. 3, May Kimhi at No. 4, and Barbora Palcatova on court No. 5; however, expect battles on each court and the insertion of Camilla Ramazzini, as well as newcomers ready to join FAU and its coaching staff as they work towards their 2019-20 goals.
The final individual singles/doubles rankings will be announced May 29.
Tickets to all 2019-20 FAU sporting events can be purchased by calling 1-866-FAU-OWLS.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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