Aug. 10, 2010

by Matt Freed
Assistant Media Relations Director

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina women’s tennis team released its fall schedule Tuesday, and five individual tournaments are slated for the Gamecocks during September and October.

The Gamecocks open the season Sept. 10-12 at the SEC Fall Coaches Classic in Auburn, Ala. The following weekend, South Carolina travels to Milwaukee for the Milwaukee Fall Tennis Classic, which will be played on clay courts, over Sept. 17-19. The Furman Fall Classic awaits Carolina from Sept. 24-26 in Greenville, S.C., and after an open weekend, the Gamecocks compete in the Wildcat Invitational in Evanston, Ill., during Oct. 8-10. The Gamecocks conclude their fall playing in the USTA/ITA Carolina Regional Championships in Chapel Hill, N.C., over Oct. 21-25.

South Carolina returns six letterwinners and all but one starter from last year’s team that finished 17-9 overall with a national ranking of 19th. The Gamecocks advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and made their 16th consecutive appearance in the postseason, tied for the 11th longest active streak in the country. South Carolina also made its 20th overall showing in the NCAA Tournament, making it one of just 18 schools in the country with 20 or more.

Juniors Dijana Stojic and Anya Morgina look to find their names listed among the ITA’s national fall rankings in September. Stojic finished last season ranked No. 85 in the nation for singles and was 17th in doubles. Morgina held a singles ranking of 105th at season’s end.

Head coach Arlo Elkins returns for his 28th season at the helm of the women’s tennis program. Elkins owns a career record of 417-279 and has led the Gamecocks to 18 NCAA team appearances. Four times his squads have reached the NCAA round of 16 and his 2009 team made the quarterfinals, tied for the best postseason finish in school history.

2010 SOUTH CAROLINA WOMEN’S TENNIS FALL SCHEDULE

Sept. 10-12: SEC Fall Coaches Classic (Auburn, Ala.)
Sept. 17-19: Milwaukee Fall Tennis Classic (Milwaukee, Wis.)
Sept. 24-26: Furman Fall Classic (Greenville, S.C.)
Oct. 8-10: Wildcat Invitational (Evanston, Ill.)
Oct. 21-25: USTA/ITA Carolina Regional Championships (Chapel Hill, N.C.)