Sept. 24, 2009
By Heather Lancaster
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - With four tournaments lined up, the Knights will be opening up their fall season in Gainesville this weekend at the Florida Gator Fall Classic, Friday through Sunday. UCF is one of the four teams competing in this tournament as it is going to be alongside UF, USF, and Ole Miss.
UCF will open the Classic with a doubles match against USF at 1 p.m. followed by a singles match against UF.
The Knights will also be making stops this fall to the North Florida Tournament Oct. 9-11, the ITA Southern Regionals in Auburn, Ala., Oct. 23-26, and the Florida State Tournament Nov. 6-8.
Head coach Stephanie Nickitas previews the fall season with UCFAthletics.com.
How are you preparing the team for the upcoming season?
"Our theme for the year is `purpose and preparation,' and I feel we are preparing really well. We put in a lot of hard work since practices began at the end of August, and have been working on a lot of fundamentals as well as doing a lot of individual work with each player. We have also been putting in a lot of solid work with strength coach Ben Fleming in our weight room, on the track and even in the sand. The team is getting stronger and fitter. That's an important part of the fall, to build a strong base to get ready for the spring."
Do you feel that the team is ready for the start of competitive play?
"Yes, it's always great to get out there and compete. It's going to be a lot of tough competition with the teams at the tournament. I feel like our players are ready and excited to get out there and play. We have been practicing for a while, and now it's time for the players to try to implement some of the things they've been working on in practice. I feel like we are ready to go."
What are your expectations for this tournament?
"Right now it's not necessarily about the wins and losses, but I always expect them to go out there with a high level of intensity and competiveness. We still have a lot of things that we are working on with each player and I want to see them start to implement these things in competitive situations."
How will this fall season help prepare you for the spring dual matches?
"Training and practice are part of an ongoing process of improvement. You are always preparing for something. In tennis, we compete almost year round. In the fall we get to see everyone out there playing in different tournament settings. We definitely tinker around with the doubles teams a lot. We are most likely going to have new teams this year. Trying people with different partners is very important in the fall, so you can have an idea where you want to go with the teams in the spring."
How do you think the newcomers are going to play during the first fall tournament?
"Jenna Doerfler and Allison Hodges have been putting in a lot of hard work over the past month and have already improved in many areas. The transition to college can be a bit overwhelming for some freshmen, but I think these two have handled it well. I'm excited to see them in a competitive college tennis environment. On court coaching is something new for them and it will play a big role in their progression."
While having local and international players on the team, did you find that the ladies were able to mesh well with each other?
"Yes, absolutely. We have a great team dynamic. Everyone is extremely supportive of each other whether it's on the court, in the weight room or in the classroom. We have athletes from Sweden, Colombia, and Australia that add diversity to our team. It's such a positive experience for all the student-athletes to learn about different cultures and backgrounds."
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