UK Women’s Tennis Adds Three Newcomers for 2021-22 Season

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky women’s tennis program has added Ellie Eades, Lidia Gonzalez, and Florencia Urrutia to its roster ahead of the 2021-22 season, as announced by head coach Carlos Drada on Monday. With the addition of the three newcomers, the roster now totals nine players.

“I am thrilled for a new start, and our players are bringing great energy and open minds,” said Drada, who enters his 17th year at the helm. “I am certain that we will maximize our potential as a team this season. I am truly excited for what the future holds for our program.”

Eades joins the Wildcats from Floyds Knobs, Indiana, where she was ranked as the No. 2 in the state. She advanced to semifinals of Midwest Doubles in 2017 before winning the event in 2018, also clinching back-to-back golds as a member of the zonal team in 2016 and 2017. Eades, who graduated as a 5-star recruit from Sacred Heart Academy in Louisville, led her team to three state championship titles and was a two-time state singles finalist.

Arriving in Lexington from Madrid, Spain, Gonzalez has represented her home country three times in the Winter Cup, Summer Cup, and European Championships. She was also the runner-up in the Spanish Championships at both the U15 and U16 levels.

A native of Santa Fe, Argentina, Urrutia comes to Kentucky after spending two years at the University of Miami where she concluded her sophomore season at 12-9 in singles and 14-8 in doubles. She paced the Hurricanes in doubles wins and doubles winning percentage last season, advancing to the second round of the NCAA Team Championships. Prior to Miami, she peaked at No. 242 in the ITF Juniors singles rankings in 2019 and was ranked first in her age group in Argentina for doubles at the U16 level.

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