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Kangaroos Head to Las Cruces, Begin WAC Play with Cluster of Matches
3/19/2015 12:43:00 PM | Women's Tennis
THIS WEEK
Kansas City (6-7) women's tennis begins WAC play on Friday when it heads to Las Cruces, N.M. for a cluster of matches. The 'Roos will face host New Mexico State on Friday, Grand Canyon on Saturday, and Chicago State on Sunday.
THE OPPONENTS
New Mexico State enters the week with a 7-5 overall record. They have defeated Stephen F. Austin and Western Michigan most recently. This will be the first meeting ever between UMKC and NMSU.
Grand Canyon is 4-6 coming into the weekend, but won their last two contests against Marquette and Valparaiso. The 'Roos lost to the 'Lopes in their only ever meeting last year, 4-0.
Chicago State is 2-13 overall, with losses in each of their last six matches, but have scored points in each of them. UMKC is 10-7 overall against the Cougars, winning the last two meetings, and not losing since 2006.
Who is Competing
All eight eligible players are available for the dual: Dimitra Stavrianakou, Maddie Schulte, Mariam Kurasbediani, Raquel Argenal, Amelie Amsallem, Marina Albert, Allie Schulte, and Linda Ammar Mouhoub.
HOME SWEET HOME
The UMKC women's tennis team moved to 6-0 at home Monday in a match against Western Illinois, extending its best home start in school history.
Last Time Out
UMKC women's tennis took care of former Summit League foe Western Illinois Monday at home, 7-0. The 'Roos won each match, including a doubles and singles match that were defaulted to UMKC.
THE WAC
The WAC will have a regular season champion crowned this year, as well as a conference tournament champion. The teams will be seeded in the league tournament based on the conference standings. The WAC Tournament will be played April 24-26 in Kansas City, hosted by the 'Roos.
HEAD COACH KENDELL HALE
Kendell Hale is in his eighth season as the head coach of the UMKC men's and women's tennis program. Overall, the 2014-15 season is Hale's 21st as a collegiate head coach, where he has compiled a 391-311 overall combined men's and women's record. On the women's side, he has a record of 66-99 at UMKC, while boasting a 90-78 mark with the men.
Hale has orchestrated an amazing turnaround with the men's and women's tennis programs since joining the department in 2008. He has guided both the men's and women's squads to numerous school-record win totals and has produced four conference regular season titles, four conference tournament crowns and four NCAA Tournament appearances. He was also selected as the 2010 USPTA National Coach of the Year for his turnaround effort, as well as 2009 USPTA Missouri Valley College Coach of the Year, the 2011 Summit League Men's Coach of the Year, and 2013 Summit League Women's Coach of the Year.
In seven seasons at the helm, Hale has coached 25 all-league honorees on the men's side and 14 all-league selections on the women's side. He's also coached three Conference Players of the Year and three League Newcomers of the Year.
He has also coached the five winningest players in school history on the women's side, and four of the five top career win leaders on the men's side.
Players Mentioned
