Kentucky Women’s Tennis Reveals Regular Season Schedule
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky women’s tennis program will begin its 47th season after the turn of the decade, as head coach Carlos Drada released the 2020 regular season schedule Tuesday morning. Twenty-four matches highlight the schedule, which includes 10 home matches and one in-season tournament.
The team will kick off its season with 11 nonconference foes, beginning with a trip to Fort Myers, Florida, to face Florida Gulf Coast on Jan. 8. It will mark the first all-time meeting between the two programs, while FGCU is entering just its 20th season.
The Wildcats will return home for a pair of doubleheaders, playing host to Northern Kentucky and Kennesaw State on Jan. 17 and Miami (Ohio) and Cincinnati on Jan. 21.
All home matches are played at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center and are free to attend. Free parking options include the three small E-lots adjacent to the facility one hour prior to first serve. Spectators may also pay to park in the Sports Center Garage (PS No. 7) on the corner of Complex Drive and Sport Center Drive. The cost of parking is $2 per hour, with a $16 per exit maximum.
Following the four-match homestand, UK will play their next six matches on the road. Competing at the annual International Tennis Association Kick-Off Weekend in Seattle, Washington, Kentucky will meet Southern California on Jan. 25, followed by either hosts Washington or Princeton on Jan. 26.
On Jan. 31, the team will face Indiana in Bloomington, Indiana, before traveling to South Bend, Indiana, to meet Notre Dame on Feb. 2. UK will finalize its road swing at Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio, on Feb. 21, then Arizona State on Feb. 22, also in Columbus.
Kentucky will begin its Southeastern Conference schedule Feb. 28, playing host to Texas A&M at home. This season, UK will host Texas A&M, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Tennessee and LSU at home. Kentucky will face Ole Miss, Missouri, Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Florida, South Carolina and Mississippi State on the road.
The SEC Tournament will be hosted in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, April 15-19. The NCAA First and Second Rounds are May 8-10, while the NCAA Super Regionals are on May 13. Both locations are to be announced. The season will conclude at the NCAA Final Round in Stillwater, Oklahoma, May 15-17.
The NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships will also be hosted in Stillwater, Oklahoma, May 19-23.
Entering his 15th season as head coach at Kentucky, Drada is on pace to becoming the first UK women’s tennis head coach to earn 200 victories. Drada boasts a 196-169 record as the Kentucky women’s tennis head coach.
Last season, Drada led the program to a 19-9 record and a 7-6 mark in conference play. It saw a trip to the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament and the second round of the NCAA Championships, while two Wildcats achieved singles and doubles postseason runs.
Remarkably, Kentucky allowed just two losses at home last season en route to a 12-2 (.857) mark at historic Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center.
Kentucky added three newcomers to its roster this season, after losing three players, including All-SEC First Team recipient and then-senior Justina Mikulskyte. The program added three natives of Spain, including Carla Girbau, Carlota Molina and Maialen Morante.
For the latest on the Kentucky women’s tennis program, follow @UKWomensTennis on Twitter and on Instagram, on Facebook and on the web at UKathletics.com.
