Two Wildcats Listed in Preseason Rankings

LEXINGTON, Ky. – With the Kentucky women’s tennis fall season quickly approaching, a pair of seniors have claimed top-100 spots in the 2018 Oracle/ITA Preseason National Rankings.
 
Two Wildcats earn reservations in the women’s singles category. Akvile Paražinskaite grabs No. 71, while Justina Mikulskyte is ranked No. 91.
 
Paražinskaite saw little action in the 2017-18 season. The Lithuania native suffered a season-ending injury in January, which kept her from suiting up for spring competition. Her fall performances kept her name in the conversation, though. The senior posted a 4-4 singles record in the three months she competed, recording two wins at the Riviera/ITA All-American Championships over North Carolina’s No. 42 Alexa Graham and Duke’s No. 54 Samantha Harris.
 
The upperclassman also charted an admirable doubles record in the fall (6-3), paired with former Wildcat Mami Adachi. The pair took first in doubles at the Ohio Valley Regional, earning a bid to the Oracle/ITA Fall National Championships.
 
Mikulskyte also fashioned a favorable 2017-18 season, earning her spot in the 2018 preseason polls. Also from Lithuania, Mikulskyte won the Ohio Valley Regional singles title over Sylvia Ambrosio of Purdue. The Wildcat combined for an overall singles record of 18-13, with a 9-7 mark in dual play.
 
As a junior, Mikulskyte tallied four singles wins in dual play over ranked opponents. On Feb. 21, she was SEC Player of the Week after an undefeated weekend over Princeton and Columbia.
 
Kentucky women’s tennis will begin its fall slate Sept. 21-23 at the ITF Future 15K in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
 
For the latest on the Kentucky women’s tennis program, follow @UKWomensTennis on Twitter, on Facebook at Facebook.com/UKWomensTennis, and on the web at UKathletics.com.