Freshman Tasnime Ahamout prepares to hit the ball during a singles match against UT San Antonio on Oct. 9 at Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center in Fort Worth, Texas.
UTA men’s and women’s tennis teams are getting ready to serve some wins as the spring season approaches. Both teams have undergone significant roster changes and are looking to bounce back this season in conference play.
Both teams competed in multiple fall tournaments across Texas, including the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Texas Regional Championships, serving as strong preparation for the spring season.
The men’s team, which finished with a 10-9 conference record and a semifinal loss in the Western Athletic Conference tournament last spring, is coming into this season with major changes. The team is playing in the Atlantic Sun Conference as an affiliate member and with an almost completely new roster that features three new faces and one returning player.
When asked about the men changing conferences, head coach Diego Benitez said he was grateful for the opportunity to play in the Atlantic Sun Conference.
“The ASUN is a great conference with really great teams,” he said. “We’re honored to be a part of it, and we’re going to try to do the best that we can.”
The Mavericks kick off the season with a match against Texas A&M University at 5 p.m. Saturday in College Station, Texas. They look to break an eight-game losing streak against the Aggies that dates back to 1990, according to the UTA athletics page.
Following the season opener, the team will stay on the road as it takes on Oklahoma State University at 5 p.m. Jan. 24 and UT San Antonio at 11 a.m. Feb. 1.
The men’s team struggled in away games last season, holding a 2-6 record, but with a revamped roster, it could shake last season’s woes and show this isn’t the same team from last year.
The women’s team had success in the WAC tournament last season, making it to the championship game before falling to Grand Canyon University. This season, the team saw a complete overhaul of talent, bringing in seven new faces from all over the world.
The team has five freshmen, but experience won’t be an issue for the team. Computer science freshman Tasnime Ahamout, who’s from Morocco, has won 18 national titles and two international titles. Sofia Selle, a journalism freshman from Italy, has won regional championships in singles and mixed doubles and has reached the finals of the Mountain Tennis Trophy Master.
The women’s team’s season begins with a three-game homestand at the UTA Tennis Center. The team takes on the University of Houston at 2 p.m. Jan. 22, UT Rio Grande Valley at 11 a.m. Jan. 24 and Elon University at 10 a.m. Jan. 26.
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