@UNCO_WTennis Starts Spring With Match Against CSU-Pueblo

Saturday, January 20

Greeley, Colo.

10:00am

University of Northern Colorado

CSU Pueblo

1/18/2018 11:48:00 AM | Women's Tennis

Junior Anna Battersby Returns to Play Top Spot

By: By: Charlie Snelson

THE SCHEDULE
Spring Match 1
Saturday, Jan. 20 - 10:00 a.m.
vs. Colorado State Pueblo (0-7, 0-0 Conf.)
Work Out West Fitness Center, Greeley Colo.

Spring Match 2
Sunday's Match POSTPONED to April 18th, 2:30 p.m.
vs. Air Force

GREELEY, Colo. -The University of Northern Colorado kicks off their spring season with back-to-back home matches this weekend against Colorado State Pueblo and Air Force Academy. Both matches will take place at Work Out West Fitness Center and are free to the public. The Bears played a trio of invites in the fall before competing in the ITA Regional Tournament in Salt Lake City, Utah in October.

MEET THE 2017-18 BEARS
ROSTER | SCHEDULE | STATISTICS
The Bears return two players from their 2016-17 campaign and add six fresh faces. Junior Anna Battersby will likely continue to lead the team at No. 1 singles after playing in that position most of last season. She had a team best singles record of 11-10 as a sophomore went 5-6 in Big Sky matches. She also played doubles with Marissa Baca (now Bears assistant coach) and the pair went 14-4, 9-1 in conference play.

Raffa Mora also returns to the lineup as a sophomore. In her first season with the Bears, she went 9-9 in singles play, 4-6 in Big Sky Conference play. She played doubles with several partners, combining for a 10-9 record, 5-4 Big Sky.

Newcomers to the team include freshman Carrigan Blanchard, Tristen Bryant-Otake, Madeline Doherty, Mana Koitabashi, and Elisabeth Walsh. Sophomore transfer Sarina Chhabra also joins the team after playing parts of two seasons with the University of San Francisco.

2016-17 NORTHERN COLORADO REWIND
-Overall: 8-13
-Big Sky: 5-6
-Home: 6-6
-Away: 2-6
-Neutral: 0-1

MEET THE COACHING STAFF
Brenda Gallegos has held several different titles while working for the University of Northern Colorado. She started in 2002 as an assistant coach with the women's tennis team and was named the head coach for the women in 2004. Gallegos has taken the team to new heights in the Big Sky Conference. She is also only the second women's coach in school history, as she replaced longtime coach Rosemary Fri in 2004.
Marissa Baca finished her distinguished playing career in 2016-17 and joins Gallegos as assistant coach for 2017-18. Baca went 9-13 in singles last season,14-4 in doubles.

SCOUTING THE THUNDERWOLVES
ROSTER | SCHEDULE | STATISTICS

CSU-Pueblo lost all six non-conference matches they played in the fall, but were never shutout. Junior Nia Matthews is reprising her No. 1 singles role this season and is 1-4 after going 1-14 a year ago. Acacia Dettman and Kali Hamilton are the only undefeated pair for the Thunderwolves. At No. 1 doubles, they are 1-0.

Last season, the Bears dispatched CSU-Pueblo 7-0 at home. The last doubles match finished in 26 minutes and current Bears Raffa Mora and Anna Battersby were winners in singles and doubles.

BIG SKY PRESEASON COACHES POLL

1. Idaho (10)                                       120
2. Northern Arizona (2)                 112
3. Montana State                             90
T4. Idaho State                                  82
T4. Sacramento State                     82
6. Eastern Washington                   55
7. Weber State                                  52
8. Montana                                         51
9. Southern Utah                             45
10. North Dakota                              44
11. Northern Colorado                   37
12. Portland State                            22

FULL RELEASE