Saturday, January 26
Gainesville, FL
2 PM
Florida Gators
vs
Santa Barbara
Sophomore McCartney Kessler earned All-SEC First Team honors last season
Women’s Tennis to Host ITA Kick-Off This Weekend
Friday, January 25, 2019 | Women's Tennis
Gators return to the court this weekend as they welcome UC Santa Barbara, N.C. State and Mississippi State
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The No. 11 University of Florida women's tennis team is set to host the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Kick-Off Weekend Jan. 26 and 27 at the Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex. Florida, UC Santa Barbara and Mississippi State comprise the "regional" as the teams compete with a bid to next month's ITA Division I National Team Indoor Championships in Seattle on the line.
Florida will take the court Saturday vs. UC Santa Barbara at 2 p.m. ET followed by a matchup with either Mississippi State or N.C. State on Sunday.
Free Florida schedule magnets will be available all weekend and there will be new grilled items available for purchase all season long.
2019 marks the 11th rendition of the tournament and the Ring Tennis Complex will be one of 24 facilities across the nation hosting the event. The victor of the single-elimination tournament will advance to the National Indoor Championships held Feb. 8-11 in the Emerald City.
Host sites for the ITA Kick-Off Weekend were determined using the final 2017-18 Oracle/ITA Collegiate Tennis Rankings. A draft was held to fill the No.'s 2-4 seeds at all locations, again using the final national team rankings as a guide to determine draft order.
Opening round contests at each location pits the No. 1 (host) seed versus the No. 4 seed, and the No. 2 seed against the No. 3 seed. The two winners advance to the following day's championship match, while the two losing teams will square off in a consolation match.
Florida returns to the court after opening its 2019 dual match slate Wednesday afternoon at home. The Gators got off to a smashing start, claiming the doubles point and the first two singles matches, but saw the visiting California Golden Bears register wins on the final four courts to walk away with the match win. Florida excelled on the doubles circuit as McCartney Kessler and Sydney Berlin paired up for a 6-1 win while Anastasia Kharitonova and Marlee Zein cruised to a 6-2 victory. Transfers Ida Jarlskog and Tsveta Dimitrova are the 41st-ranked duo in the nation, but didn't need to finish their matchup as the Gators claimed the doubles point while their match was in progress.
Kessler and Berlin both added victories in singles.
Of the four teams, No. 11 Florida is the lone squad ranked within the current ITA top 25, but North Carolina State is receiving votes. All four teams finished within the top 75 of last season's final rankings.
Saturday will serve as the first meeting between Florida and UC Santa Barbara. Florida and North Carolina State have played just once as the Gators claimed the lone meeting back 2001 and the Gators are 39-0 all-time against Mississippi State.
This will be the seventh time the Gators have hosted the ITA Kick-Off event in Gainesville.
ITA KICKOFF WEEKEND INFORMATION (all times Eastern)
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JOIN THE CONVERSATION: #GoGators
Florida will take the court Saturday vs. UC Santa Barbara at 2 p.m. ET followed by a matchup with either Mississippi State or N.C. State on Sunday.
Free Florida schedule magnets will be available all weekend and there will be new grilled items available for purchase all season long.
2019 marks the 11th rendition of the tournament and the Ring Tennis Complex will be one of 24 facilities across the nation hosting the event. The victor of the single-elimination tournament will advance to the National Indoor Championships held Feb. 8-11 in the Emerald City.
Host sites for the ITA Kick-Off Weekend were determined using the final 2017-18 Oracle/ITA Collegiate Tennis Rankings. A draft was held to fill the No.'s 2-4 seeds at all locations, again using the final national team rankings as a guide to determine draft order.
Opening round contests at each location pits the No. 1 (host) seed versus the No. 4 seed, and the No. 2 seed against the No. 3 seed. The two winners advance to the following day's championship match, while the two losing teams will square off in a consolation match.
Florida returns to the court after opening its 2019 dual match slate Wednesday afternoon at home. The Gators got off to a smashing start, claiming the doubles point and the first two singles matches, but saw the visiting California Golden Bears register wins on the final four courts to walk away with the match win. Florida excelled on the doubles circuit as McCartney Kessler and Sydney Berlin paired up for a 6-1 win while Anastasia Kharitonova and Marlee Zein cruised to a 6-2 victory. Transfers Ida Jarlskog and Tsveta Dimitrova are the 41st-ranked duo in the nation, but didn't need to finish their matchup as the Gators claimed the doubles point while their match was in progress.
Kessler and Berlin both added victories in singles.
Of the four teams, No. 11 Florida is the lone squad ranked within the current ITA top 25, but North Carolina State is receiving votes. All four teams finished within the top 75 of last season's final rankings.
Saturday will serve as the first meeting between Florida and UC Santa Barbara. Florida and North Carolina State have played just once as the Gators claimed the lone meeting back 2001 and the Gators are 39-0 all-time against Mississippi State.
This will be the seventh time the Gators have hosted the ITA Kick-Off event in Gainesville.
ITA KICKOFF WEEKEND INFORMATION (all times Eastern)
- Schedule:
- Saturday, Jan. 26:
- 11 a.m. – Florida vs. William and Mary (Men's)
- 11 a.m. – Louisville vs. FAU (Men's)
- 2 p.m. – Florida vs. UC Santa Barbara (Women's)
- 2 p.m. – Mississippi State vs. N.C. State (Women's)
- Sunday, Jan. 27:
- 9 a.m. – Consolation Match (Men's)
- 11 a.m. – Championship Match (Men's)
- Noon – Consolation Match (Women's)
- 2 p.m. – Championship Match (Women's)
- Saturday, Jan. 26:
- Event Information:
- Live Stream: https://floridagators.com/sports/2018/3/9/tennis-women-live-video-stats.aspx
- Live Stats: http://sidearmstats.com/florida/wten/
- ITA Kickoff Weekend Event Page
- FREE ADMISSION
SOCIAL: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
JOIN THE CONVERSATION: #GoGators
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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