May 18, 2003
Gainesville, Fla. – Three UK women’s tennis players will continue their journey toward an NCAA Women’s Tennis Championship when the individual draw of the 2003 NCAA Women’s Tennis Tournament begins on Monday at Florida’s Ring Tennis Complex.
Seniors Sarah Witten and Amy Trefethen and freshman Nathalie Roels will represent UK in the prestigious draw. Witten, ranked 37th in singles play, and Roels, ranked No. 65, both play at 10:30 a.m. ET on Monday. Witten will take on Arizona’s Dianne Hollands and Roels will square off against North Carolina’s Aniela Mojzis.
Trefethen will pair up with Witten to begin doubles play on Tuesday. They will play Texas Tech’s Beverly Dawson and Irina Tereschenko. When the doubles draw was released on Sunday morning, it was revealed that Witten and Trefethen were one of the top-eight seeds in the country, earning them an automatic All-America team selection. The selection was Witten’s third straight.
“This is awesome,” the Naples, Fla. native said. “To earn the bid automatically means a lot. We’re very pumped about the match as well. I think Amy and I have a good chance to win the whole thing.”
For Trefethen, a native of Sarasota, Fla., the All-America selection was the first of her four-year career. She and Witten were paired together in February and haven’t looked back since. They are currently ranked ninth in the nation as a doubles team and have been ranked as high as No. 7.
“I am so excited,” Trefethen said. “Making All-American was one of my personal goals this year and to achieve that is very special.
“I’m really excited about the match and I think we can do really well.”
Kentucky head coach Mark Guilbeau also expressed enthusiasm for his two seniors.
“This is a very special moment,” Guilbeau said. “These two have worked very hard to reach this achievement.
“For Amy to go through four years and to earn an All-America selection as a senior is perfect. She has worked so hard and has displayed so much spirit and enthusiasm over her career, I am so happy for her. Sarah has worked this hard her whole career and to win three-consecutive All-America selections also is very special.”
