ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — In the world that is collegiate tennis, the Fall season is used for many things. It’s a time to get back into the swing of college tennis after a summer away. For some, it’s a time to test some different doubles combinations. For others, it’s a chance to get a first championships. For The University of New Mexico women’s tennis team, Fall tennis is about impressions.
First impressions.
The 2016-17 Lobo Women’s Tennis team opens up its Fall season with a trip to Midland, Texas to battle in the Midland Invitational, against a wide-ranging field. It will be the first official matches for four Lobos in front of new head coach Stephanie Wooten-Quijada, who should be at home in Texas, as she came to UNM after a season and an NCAA Tournament appearance at UT-Rio Grande Valley (formerly UT-Pan American).
In the Fall season, up to four student-athletes can travel for tournaments, meaning SWQ will get a chance to see half of her squad in action. The travel squad includes veteran Rachana Bhat, Andrea Leblanc (two of the program’s five seniors), and newcomers Cassie Chung and Diana Wong. While it will be the first collegiate action for Chung and Wong, the real story is Bhat, who enters the 2016-17 season with 74 career singles wins in three years, and is looking to become the fourth female in Lobo tennis history to hit the 100-win mark. Additionally, she could move into the top-10 all-time at UNM with five more wins.
For Leblanc, she is looking to continue the hot season from a year ago when she combined to win 55 matches between singles and doubles. She went a team-best 27-12 in singles play and a team-best 28-7 in doubles.