SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Women’s Tennis program is set to open its 2023 Fall Season. The Utes will compete in seven different tournaments including the ITA Regionals and several invitationals across the nation. The Utes open the fall slate at the ITF Circuit Event Sept. 25-Oct. 1.
Marcela Lopez and Kaila Barksdale are set to open the fall season at the ITA All-American tournament in Cary, N.C. Sept. 30-Oct. 1.
In the 2023 end of season ITA regional rankings, Utah secured the top spot in the Mountain Region. The team also had a significant presence in the individual Mountain Region rankings, with five members listed in the Top 20, the highest number from any school in the region. Notably, returning player, Marcela Lopez, found a spot at No. 13. Additionally, Utah had two doubles teams ranked in the Top 10, with one team finishing at No. 2 and another at No. 10. The Utes had a successful 2023 season, finishing with a 13-11 record and achieving the most Pac-12 wins since 2015, including a 6-1 record against Mountain Region schools, securing most notable victories over Colorado and Denver.
Utah is not only coming off of a strong spring season competitively, but also a strong season academically. Utah’s athletes achieved the fourth-highest semester grade-point average for the recent spring semester, as well as the third-highest full-year GPA on record.
Utah women’s tennis is primed for an exciting season, boasting a roster that combines fresh talent and seasoned experience. The incoming freshmen include Sara Akid, Emma Kamper, and Isabella Pitchford, all bringing their unique strengths., Utah has three transfers in sophomore Yuhan Liu from Arkansas, senior transfer Kat Lyman from Xanvier, and graduate student Ana Luisa Cruz. Cruz comes with four seasons of competition experience from South Carolina. Alongside these additions, we have the continued presence of returning players: sophomore Kaila Barksdale, sophomore Marcela Lopez, and junior Samantha Horwood.
After the first tournament, Utah heads to Berkeley, Calif. Sept. 29 – Oct. 1 for the Cal Invite. The Utes will also have players competing at the ITA All-American Championships from Sept. 30-Oct. 8 in Cary, N.C. as well as USC’s Women of Troy Invite Oct. 6-8 in Los Angeles.
Utah will host the ITA Mountain Regionals the following weekOct. 18 to 22.
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at University of Utah Athletics…