2008 Woodie Awards
Sun Belt Tennis Championships begin this weekend in Monroe
John McElwain
Issue date: 4/17/08 Section: Sports
Some of the nation's best tennis players will compete for the chance to call themselves Sun Belt Champions this weekend as the 2008 Sun Belt Men's and Women's Tennis Championships are scheduled for action Friday-Sunday on the campus of Louisiana-Monroe.
The event, which officially begins at 8 a.m. on Friday morning, will feature a number of nationally ranked teams and individuals.
Among the nationally ranked players in the field is #18 Adam Holmstrom who will lead No. 1 seed Denver into action in the men's competition.
Holmstrom is unbeaten in singles (18-0) and doubles (14-0) play this season and will be looking to guide DU to its first Sun Belt Men's Tennis Championship. DU, ranked 45th nationally, will face No. 8 seed Western Kentucky University in first round action on Friday.
South Alabama, ranked 60th nationally, defeated DU in last's year's championship and earned the No. 2 seed in this weekend's tournament. Jack Baker, the 2007 tournament MVP and 31st ranked player in the country this season, returns to lead the Jaguars on their quest for their 18th championship. USA begins tournament play against No. 7 seed Troy in the first round.
Middle Tennessee is the No. 3 seed in the men's championship and the Blue Raiders are currently ranked 71st nationally. MT faces No. 6 seed Louisiana-Lafayette in Friday's first round action.
No. 4 seed Florida Atlantic, the nation's 73rd ranked team, will play No. 5 seed UALR in the first round.
Denver will also enter the women's tournament as the No. 1 seed. The Pioneers are 19-2 this season and are ranked 28th nationally.
Mallory Voelker, who is ranked 65th in the country, will look to lead DU to their second women's tennis championship. DU won the tournament on one previous occasion in 2004. DU will play the winner of Friday morning's match between No. 8 seed Middle Tennessee and No. 9 seed UALR.
No. 2 seed South Alabama has won 15 women's championships and will be looking for number 16 this weekend. The Jaguars, ranked 45th nationally, will play the winner of the first round contest between No. 7 Arkansas State and No. 10 Louisiana-Monroe.
#51 Florida International's is the No. 3 seed in the women's tournament and the Golden Panthers have won three consecutive women's championships. They are led by Egle Petrauskaite and Liset Brito who are nationally ranked 107th and 123rd respectively. FIU will play the winner of the match-up of No. 6 seed North Texas and No. 11 seed Florida Atlantic.
Louisiana-Lafayette enters the women's tournament as the No. 4 seed and will play the winner of the first round match of No. 5 seed Troy and No. 12 seed WKU.
The tournament will take place at two sites on the first day - ULM's Heard Stadium and Forsythe Tennis Center will both be used. Heard Stadium will be the only site used for Saturday and Sunday's matches.
The championship matches will be web streamed live on the Sun Belt Conference's Web site - www.sunbeltsports.org.
The event, which officially begins at 8 a.m. on Friday morning, will feature a number of nationally ranked teams and individuals.
Among the nationally ranked players in the field is #18 Adam Holmstrom who will lead No. 1 seed Denver into action in the men's competition.
Holmstrom is unbeaten in singles (18-0) and doubles (14-0) play this season and will be looking to guide DU to its first Sun Belt Men's Tennis Championship. DU, ranked 45th nationally, will face No. 8 seed Western Kentucky University in first round action on Friday.
South Alabama, ranked 60th nationally, defeated DU in last's year's championship and earned the No. 2 seed in this weekend's tournament. Jack Baker, the 2007 tournament MVP and 31st ranked player in the country this season, returns to lead the Jaguars on their quest for their 18th championship. USA begins tournament play against No. 7 seed Troy in the first round.
Middle Tennessee is the No. 3 seed in the men's championship and the Blue Raiders are currently ranked 71st nationally. MT faces No. 6 seed Louisiana-Lafayette in Friday's first round action.
No. 4 seed Florida Atlantic, the nation's 73rd ranked team, will play No. 5 seed UALR in the first round.
Denver will also enter the women's tournament as the No. 1 seed. The Pioneers are 19-2 this season and are ranked 28th nationally.
Mallory Voelker, who is ranked 65th in the country, will look to lead DU to their second women's tennis championship. DU won the tournament on one previous occasion in 2004. DU will play the winner of Friday morning's match between No. 8 seed Middle Tennessee and No. 9 seed UALR.
No. 2 seed South Alabama has won 15 women's championships and will be looking for number 16 this weekend. The Jaguars, ranked 45th nationally, will play the winner of the first round contest between No. 7 Arkansas State and No. 10 Louisiana-Monroe.
#51 Florida International's is the No. 3 seed in the women's tournament and the Golden Panthers have won three consecutive women's championships. They are led by Egle Petrauskaite and Liset Brito who are nationally ranked 107th and 123rd respectively. FIU will play the winner of the match-up of No. 6 seed North Texas and No. 11 seed Florida Atlantic.
Louisiana-Lafayette enters the women's tournament as the No. 4 seed and will play the winner of the first round match of No. 5 seed Troy and No. 12 seed WKU.
The tournament will take place at two sites on the first day - ULM's Heard Stadium and Forsythe Tennis Center will both be used. Heard Stadium will be the only site used for Saturday and Sunday's matches.
The championship matches will be web streamed live on the Sun Belt Conference's Web site - www.sunbeltsports.org.
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