SIOUX FALLS S.D.- Augustana opens the women's tennis season with a non-conference match at Nebraska Wesleyan on Saturday, Jan 30 at 6:30 p.m. The Vikings return seven players from last year's roster and add one more piece to the five-time defending NSIC tournament champions. This match with Nebraska Wesleyan is the first match of the season for the Vikings.

Second Serve
Augustana continues its nonconference portion of the schedule with a home match against Northern Iowa on Feb. 5 at 3 p.m. at the Huether Family Match Pointe.

Fall Recap: Richards and Staniszewska take fifth at the USTA/ITA National Championships
Augustana doubles pair of Jessa Richards and Kornelia Staniszewska traveled to Sumter, S.C to compete in the USTA/ITA National Championship. The duo took fifth defeating Britta Mosser and Kyra Scott from University of California San Diego, 6-2, 6-3.
Richard and Staniszewska advanced to the National Championship by winning the USTA/ITA Central regional championship in Springfield, Mo. on Oct. 4. The duo defeated the top-seed Christina Zentai and Maria Josie Zehnder from Southwest Baptist 8-3.
In the singles draw, Staniszewska advanced to the quarterfinals of the Central regional championship with a 4-6, 6-4, 10-2 victory over Daria Panferova of Northeastern State, then was defeated by the fourth-seeded Maria Josie Zehnder of Southwest Baptis 6-1, 6-2. Sydney Postal defeated Yasmine El Ghazi of Missouri Western University 6-1,6-3, then was defeated by Anastasiya Baranova of Oklahoma Baptist 6-3, 7-5. Jessa Richards had a bye in the first round, then lost in the second round to Alli Hodges from Central Oklahoma 6-3, 6-2. Berkley Darr lost to Margaux Jacquet from Northwest Missouri State 6-3, 6-2.

Rankings
Augustana opened the season at No. 49 in NCAA Division II ITA Preseason Poll. Staniszewska and Richards come in ranked at No. 7 in the doubles bracket. The doubles pair were also ranked at No. 1 in the central region. Staniszewska comes in ranked No. 7 in the singles division central region, while Richards comes in at No. 12.

Strong core of Vikings return
Augustana returns five All-NSIC honorees from last years squad. The Vikings return last years NSIC Player of the year Jessa Richards. Richards posted a 17-4 overall record and a perfect 10-0 mark in NSIC singles competition. Sydney Postal returns to the Augustana squad. Postal last year was selected first-team All-NSIC singles team with a 17-5 and a perfect 11-0 NSIC record in singles. Richards and Postal teamed up as the No. 1 doubles pairing going 21-2, 11-0 in the NSIC. Christine Olivo returns for the Vikings, Olivio last year earned second team All-NSIC  Olivo played all but one match during the season at No. 3 singles where she posted an 8-6 overall record and a 6-1 NSIC record.  In doubles she went 10-3 overall and 6-1 in the NSIC. Berkley Darr returns for her sophomore campaign. Darr earned NSIC Freshman of the Year award posting a 16-3 singles record and a 11-0 mark in the NSIC. She also earned a spot on the second team All-NSIC singles team. Last of the honorees is Meredith Lawrence who last year played the majority of the season at No. 6 singles and had a team high in wins for singles matches going 19-1, earning All-NSIC honorable mentions. Rounding out the returning players are Kaitlyn Motley and Katie McLaughlin.

New face in the crowd
Augustana welcomes one new freshman in Kornelia Staniszewska. A native from Opalenie, Poland Staniszewska has already made an immediate impact in the Augustana roster teaming up with Richards and making it to the USTA/ITA National Championship and making it to the quarterfinals in the singles bracket of the USTA/ITA central regional championship.

Leading the Charge
Coming into his eighth season as the head of the Augustana women's tennis program, Marc Kurtz has established his team as the elite squad in the conference as well as picking up a host of awards for himself. Kurtz last year earned his fifth NSIC coach of the year title in six years. Kurtz guided the Vikings to a 21-4 mark on the season including an 11-0 mark on the NSIC and a fifth straight conference championship.