2008 Woodie Awards
Tennis teams gearing up for start of promising season
Alex Malone
Issue date: 9/21/06 Section: Sports
- Page 1 of 1
By Alex Malone
staff reporter
As school gets back into full swing, the UTC tennis teams are eager to dominate the courts.
The women's team, led by coach Tom Lowry, starts the season with some impressive accomplishments.
Two players to look out for this year are Anastasia Zhukova and Lindsay Ballard. These two women are currently ranked 47th in the nation among doubles teams.
Their game is so impressive that they have been invited for the first time in Chattanooga history to the All-American Championships at UCLA, as both a singles and doubles team.
Zhukova, a native of Moscow, is a senior. She presides as the captain of the women's tennis team this year.
She is currently ranked 93rd in the nation among women's singles players and was named the Player of the Year at last year's Southern Conference awards.
Ballard also helps to lead the team this year with an impressive singles record of 18-5.
"The best thing about Lindsay is that she learned a lot last year. Her game matured, she matured as an athlete and she became more of a team leader," Lowery said.
A new addition to the women's roster is Stephanie Harris.
She is a transfer student from UTK returning home to UTC as a sophomore and walking onto the team in the No. 6 position.
The men's team, led by Carlos Garcia, also looks to improve this year.
The team took a hard hit with the loss of Ryan Fitzgerald from New Zealand and Artem Vlasenka from St. Petersburg, Russia.
However, replacing them will be Tim Mitiga, a transfer student hailing from the University of South Australia.
Returning as captain this year will be senior Mark Finn.
Finn is a Southern All-Conference Player. The men's team recently took four players to Athens, Ga., to prepare for the upcoming season.
Coach Garcia described it as, "A prestigious tournament where the players went to get some matches in for the Steve Baras Tournament."
Garcia describes this year to be a "rebuilding year." He hopes to possibly expand the team's roster as they will be losing their captain, Finn, at the end of the season.
UTC men's and women's teams play in the Fall Classic here in Chattanooga Sept. 22-24 at the Champions Club.
staff reporter
As school gets back into full swing, the UTC tennis teams are eager to dominate the courts.
The women's team, led by coach Tom Lowry, starts the season with some impressive accomplishments.
Two players to look out for this year are Anastasia Zhukova and Lindsay Ballard. These two women are currently ranked 47th in the nation among doubles teams.
Their game is so impressive that they have been invited for the first time in Chattanooga history to the All-American Championships at UCLA, as both a singles and doubles team.
Zhukova, a native of Moscow, is a senior. She presides as the captain of the women's tennis team this year.
She is currently ranked 93rd in the nation among women's singles players and was named the Player of the Year at last year's Southern Conference awards.
Ballard also helps to lead the team this year with an impressive singles record of 18-5.
"The best thing about Lindsay is that she learned a lot last year. Her game matured, she matured as an athlete and she became more of a team leader," Lowery said.
A new addition to the women's roster is Stephanie Harris.
She is a transfer student from UTK returning home to UTC as a sophomore and walking onto the team in the No. 6 position.
The men's team, led by Carlos Garcia, also looks to improve this year.
The team took a hard hit with the loss of Ryan Fitzgerald from New Zealand and Artem Vlasenka from St. Petersburg, Russia.
However, replacing them will be Tim Mitiga, a transfer student hailing from the University of South Australia.
Returning as captain this year will be senior Mark Finn.
Finn is a Southern All-Conference Player. The men's team recently took four players to Athens, Ga., to prepare for the upcoming season.
Coach Garcia described it as, "A prestigious tournament where the players went to get some matches in for the Steve Baras Tournament."
Garcia describes this year to be a "rebuilding year." He hopes to possibly expand the team's roster as they will be losing their captain, Finn, at the end of the season.
UTC men's and women's teams play in the Fall Classic here in Chattanooga Sept. 22-24 at the Champions Club.
