Already ranked No. 2 in the nation, the women’s tennis team will get a big morale and talent boost this week.
Sophomore Lauren Embree returns to the lineup after missing the fall with a wrist injury. As a freshman, Embree was the Gators’ top singles player and teamed with Joanna Mather to form one of the best doubles pairs in the country, taking down Stanford in the NCAA finals.
For a team that has seen shaky doubles play to start the spring, Embree’s return should lead to big improvements.
“She’s one of the toughest competitors you’ll ever see,” coach Roland Thornqvist said, “and that determination goes a long way when you play college tennis, without a doubt.”
Even though Embree and Allie Will are only sophomores, they are considered veterans on a Gators squad that has no seniors and three freshmen.
“Last year, our one-two punch was ridiculous,” Thornqvist said. “Just adding her in there makes me a better coach.”
STRONG START FOR MEN’S TEAM: The weekend could not have gone much better for the No. 9 men’s tennis team as the Gators earned a 7-0 victory over Furman on Friday and downed No. 7 Baylor 5-2 on Sunday.
Although it did not come easily, coach Andy Jackson was pleased with his team’s ability to perform under pressure in dual-match play.
“One of the better things about the weekend was that we could show with some young guys that we could shift gears away from getting a nice point against doubles and go right back to work in singles,” he said.
The team will look to build on its strong start as it hosts UC Santa Barbara on Friday as part of the ITA Kick-Off Weekend.
The Gauchos will be tested when they come to Gainesville as they will have already played No. 21 Pepperdine and No. 6 UCLA.
“When they play us, it will be the third time they will have played one of the best teams in the country on the road,” Jackson said.
