CU To Host Nationally-Ranked Teams

BOULDER - The Colorado women's tennis team opens its 2003 slate this weekend when it hosts a pair of nationally ranked teams at the Harvest House, Friday, Jan. 24 and Sunday, Jan. 26.

The Buffaloes will entertain No. 34 Oregon (0-0) on Friday at Noon, and on Sunday, hosts No. 45 Illinois (1-1) beginning at 9 a.m. Both matches will be played at the Harvest House, Millennium Hotel.

Illinois and Oregon will square off against each other Saturday, Jan. 25 at the Ranch Country Club in Westminster at 6 p.m.

Head coach Nicole Kenneally returns three seniors, a pair of juniors and sophomores from last season's 11-12 team including, three-year letterwinners, Lia Dimingo and Dominique Lemperle. Both have represented CU on the all-Big 12 singles list over the last two years. Dimingo claimed 2001-02 all-conference honors, while Lemperle battled injuries much of last year, was named all-conference during the 2000-01 campaign.

Lemperle garners 49 dual match singles wins, can move into 11th place on the Colorado dual match victory list with a pair of victories.

Coach Kenneally also welcomes three freshmen to the 2003 team that includes Boulder resident, Jenny Hanson, who starred at Fairview High School; Susan Johnson from Arnold, Md.; and Jessica Vanderdys of Centreville, Va.

In addition to facing two top-45 teams this weekend, CU also inherits a very competitive schedule that sees the Buffs playing 12 ranked schools according to the preseason Omni Hotels Collegiate Tennis Rankings. Ten of those schools represent the Big 12 Conference.