LEXINGTON, Ky. ? The UK women?s tennis team begins dual match action this weekend as they host the Marshall Thundering Herd and the Winthrop Eagles in a doubleheader Saturday, at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center.

The Wildcats return four letterwinners from last year?s squad, who finished with a 19-8 record and a No. 33 national ranking. Sophomore Sarah Woestmann (Wallenhoerst, Germany) posted a squad-best 21-4 record in singles action last season and was 16-8 in doubles action, pairing with several partners throughout the campaign. Junior Carolina Escamilla (Medellin, Columbia) was a team-best 21-9 in doubles play last year and was ranked for much of the early part of the season as departed senior Kim Coventry?s partner.

Kentucky also brings in three dynamic freshmen in Megan Broderick (Tampa, Fla.), Lauren Meier (Woodstock, Ga.) and Alaina Trgovich (Munster, Ind.). Meier won the singles title at the Kitty Harrison Invitational this past November. She knocked off Miami?s Romy Farah, 6-4, 6-2, in the tournament?s final match.

The Marshall University women’s tennis program earned an Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) team ranking of 65th after a strong fall performance. Along with the team ranking, the Herd’s Kellie Schmitt (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and Karolina Soor (Lindesberg, Sweden) culminate the ranks with top-20 spots. Schmitt jumped 30 spots as the No. 19 singles player after she defeated Arkansas’ No. 24 Nadia Abdala, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, at the All-American Championships last fall.

Marshall’s duo of Schmitt and Soor earned the No. 15 ranking after a dominating fall season with a win over the No. 1 duo from William and Mary, which sent the duo to the National Indoor Championship in Columbus, Ohio. At the championships, Schmitt and Soor defeated the No. 10 ranked team of Caitlin Whoriskey and Zs?fia Zubor from the University of Tennessee, but fell to eventual doubles champions, Brook Buck and junior Kelcy Tefft of Notre Dame.

Winthrop was selected as the Big South preseason favorite as voted on by league coaches. The Eagles, who have captured the Big South title 10 times, received nine first-place votes and 93 out of a possible 98 points.

Kentucky has swept both of its season opening double-headers since current head coach Carlos Drada took over in the 2006 season, including a pair of 7-0 shutouts over East Tennessee State and Murray State last season.