Building off success

Steve Virgen

At this time last year, hardly anyone ever heard of the UC Irvine

women’s tennis team. The Anteaters had reached the Big West

championship match in Ojai just once since joining the conference in

1985.

However, by the end of the last season, UCI became recognized. The

Anteaters reached the Big West championship match. They finished with

a ranking of 69th in the nation, and they also strung together a

13-match winning streak this year for the first time since the 1977

season. And, that was when they were not a NCAA Division I program.

With six returning from last year, the Anteaters are poised to

make sure the recognition was not a one-year occurrence.

“I don’t think there’s any substitute for experience,” said UCI

Coach Mike Edles, last year’s Big West Coach of the Year. “I look for

that to be our strength for the rest of the year.” UCI did lose a top

player, Jonni Seymour, who graduated as one of the best players of

the Anteaters’ tennis program. Seymour was named Intercollegiate

Tennis Association West Region Senior Player of the Year. Taking over

UCI’s No. 1 singles slot will be junior Jenny Bowman, a transfer from

the University of Wyoming.

“She’s the old-school type competitor,” Edles said of Bowman.

“She’s tough as nails, the type that gets the job done with not a lot

of flash. She should have a very good year.”

Originally from Sacramento, Bowman will also be playing No. 1

doubles with junior teammate Tiffany Chang. Chang, who earned

first-team All-Big West honors for doubles with Seymour last year, is

the Anteaters’ team captain.

“She’s our fearless leader,” Edles said of Chang. “She was the

unanimous choice for team captain. She’s a consummate team player.”

Chang also earned second-team All-Big West honors in singles.

Sophomores Hui Leow and Anna Bentzer earned second-team All-Big

West doubles honors, and Bentzer also received honorable mention

recognition in singles last year.

Edles also said, senior Amy Tranckino has improved from last year

and has been playing well recently, and junior Christie Posner is “a

fierce competitor who loves playing in big matches.” Also, sophomore

Kristina Boss has overwhelming power and tenacity, Edles said.