Women's tennis opens 2020 season on Tuesday

ORANGE, Calif. – The Chapman University women's tennis team is set to open the 2020 season when the Panthers host Marymount on Tuesday. A group of experienced players will be infused with some young talent as the Panthers look to return to the SCIAC Tournament.

In the toughest tennis conference in Division III, all four teams to make the SCIAC Tournament are often top-25 teams in the country. The Panthers made the tournament in 2018 but missed out last year. They were picked to finish fifth in a poll of the SCIAC coaches.

A big class that came in two years ago as freshmen, now steps into the upperclassmen years. Juniors Madison Ross, Vasilisa Trofimova and Anna Kaplan have been regulars in the lineup since their freshmen seasons. Ross has played at No. 1 and No. 2 in he career as well as playing at the top of the lineup for doubles.

Kaplan went 9-6 a year ago in singles matches – the best record on the team – and played mainly at No. 6 in dual matches. Trofimova had the best doubles record on the team going 12-12 with partner Nicole Fouts on all three courts.

Senior Raven Hampton returns as the only senior on the team in 2020. She has stuck with the program for all four years.

A talented group of newcomers will look to make immediate impacts all over the lineup on both the singles and doubles courts.

The Panthers schedule against features many of the top NCAA Division III teams in and out of the SCIAC. Chapman will host seven teams in the preseason top-40 as well as hosting NCAA Dvision I opponent UC Irvine and a Division II opponent in Minn. St. – Moorehead.

The Panthers season officially opens on Tuesday at 1 p.m. when they take on Marymount at the Lastinger Tennis Center.

By Steven Olveda
Sports Information Director

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