2014-15 SCHEDULE
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue women's tennis team has released its 2014-15 schedule. The Boilermakers are slated to compete in five fall tournaments, two of which will be contested at the Schwartz Tennis Center, followed by a rigorous spring schedule that features seven opponents that qualified for the 2014 NCAA Championships.
"I am excited to get the season started," head women's tennis coach Laura Glitz said. "The girls worked hard over the summer, and physically, we are way ahead of where we were at this time last year. Our fall schedule is extremely challenging with tournaments at Notre Dame and Vanderbilt, plus regionals and our two fall invitationals."
Fall competition will get underway at the Notre Dame Fall Invite Sept. 26-28. The Boilermakers will then host the first of two fall tournaments at the Schwartz Tennis Center with the Purdue Invite Oct. 3-5. A trip to Nashville, Tenn., follows for the Vanderbilt Invite Oct. 10-12 and the USTA/ITA Ohio Valley Regional Championships are set for Oct. 16-21 in Knoxville, Tenn. The fall portion of the schedule closes out in West Lafayette with the Schwartz Challenge Oct. 31-Nov. 2.
"My goal for the fall is first and foremost keep everyone healthy," Glitz said. "I also am looking for these tournaments to push us and keep us improving as a group everyday so that we are ready for the rigors of the spring season."
The spring portion of the schedule features eight home dual matches, with six of those against B1G foes, and 14 of 21 potential opponents that appeared in final Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) team ranking of the 2013-14 season.
"The Big Ten will be a much stronger conference and our non-conference schedule is just as challenging," Glitz said. "I am very confident that this group is ready for the challenge this spring."
The Purdue Invite opens the spring campaign Jan. 16-18 at the Schwartz Tennis Center; however it is not a dual match tournament. The Boilermakers' first dual match of the season will come at the ITA Kick-Off Weekend Jan. 24-25. It will be the fourth straight season Purdue has been selected to the event and the third time in four years that the Boilermakers will be hosted by Clemson. The site, one of 15 four-team sites across the country, also features Washington and Winthrop. The Boilermakers are seeded second at the site and will take on third-seeded Washington. Top-seeded Clemson will take on fourth-seeded Winthrop, with the winners of the two matches facing off for a berth to the 2015 ITA National Team Indoor Championships.
Five of Purdue's six non-conference matches outside of the ITA Kick-Off Weekend appeared in the final ranking of 2013-14. Opponents include No. 25 Tulsa, No. 59 Arkansas, No. 41 Memphis, No. 55 Georgia State and No. 39 Columbia. The dual matches against Memphis and Columbia will mark the first meeting against the Boilermakers.
Early B1G Conference action sends Purdue to Northwestern (Feb. 7), Iowa (Feb. 28) and Nebraska (March 8). Indiana comes to West Lafayette on March 13. After a spring break trip to Las Vegas, conference play takes over the schedule. The Boilermakers will welcome Michigan, Michigan State, B1G newcomers Rutgers and Maryland, and Wisconsin.
Purdue's postseason run begins at the B1G Tournament hosted by Nebraska April 23-26. The Hurd Tennis Center in Waco, Texas, will serve as the final site for the 2015 NCAA Championships May 14-25.