No. 19 Sun Devils Open 2023 With Two Doubleheaders in Three Days

TEMPE, Ariz. – Four matches in three days is how the No. 19 Sun Devil Women’s Tennis team will open the 2023 regular season, beginning with a Saturday doubleheader at the Whiteman Tennis Center.

The Sun Devils’ spring season – and the 39th for head coach Sheila McInerney –  commences this weekend against cross-town Grand Canyon (10 a.m.) and UCSD (3 p.m.).

Less than 48 hours later, the Sun Devils will suit up once more for another twin bill on Monday, January 16, against Northern Arizona (10 a.m.) and New Mexico State (3 p.m.) at Whiteman.

Live results for all four matches will be available here.

The Sun Devils’ roster largely mirrors the one they trotted out a season ago, as six of seven returned. Junior Rachel Hanford and freshman Chelsea Fontenel are set to make their Whiteman Tennis Center regular season debuts this weekend as the team’s two newcomers.

Sun Devil Women’s Tennis 2023 Season Preview

GRAND CANYON (Jan. 14/10 a.m.)

• The cross-town Lopes are led by first-year head coach Katarina Adamovic. She brings experience as a three-year assistant coach at Cincinnati before spending one season as an assistant coach at Missouri. Adamovic was a top 20-ranked collegiate player at a perennial powerhouse, enjoying a decorated career at Oklahoma State which included 2016 NCAA Tournament MVP honors.
• The Lopes have won back-to-back WAC regular season titles, including four of the last six.
• Senior Natasha Pueshe is the reigning WAC Player of the Year and was also a First-Team Singles and Doubles player last season. Puehse is also a Scottsdale native.
• Alongside Puehse, junior Santa Strombacha was also named to the WAC First-Team in singles and doubles.
• The Lopes were 8-10 last spring and head coach Greg Prudhomme left the program after spending 15 seasons as head coach.

UCSD (Jan. 14/3 p.m.)

• The Tritons are led by 44th-year head coach Liz LaPlante. Through her first 43 years on the La Jolla campus, LaPlante has amassed a .646 winning percentage with a 598-328 overall record. 
• Under LaPlante, the Tritons have recorded winning seasons and posted double-digit win totals in all but six full-season campaigns. They’ve had 20 or more wins on five different occasions.
• The Tritons were just 4-17 last spring, but return both Ella Pachl and Sophie Pearson, who have earned consecutive All Big West…