Willamette to Host USTA/ITA Northwest Regional in Women's Tennis

Willamette to Host USTA/ITA Northwest Regional in Women's Tennis

Action Set for Oct. 1-3 at WU Tennis Courts and Salem Swim and Tennis Club

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University will host the 2011 USTA/ITA Women's Tennis Small College Northwest Regional from Oct. 1 through Oct. 3. All of the women's tennis teams in the Northwest Conference will be competing at the event.

Matches for the 64-player singles bracket and the 32-team doubles bracket will be played at the WU Tennis Courts and at the Salem Swim and Tennis Club. In the event of rain, tournament matches will be played at the Courthouse Tennis Center. A total of more than 80 athletes are expected to participate.

Willamette most recently hosted the USTA/ITA Northwest Regional in women's tennis in 2008. Last year, the event was hosted by Whitman College in Walla Walla, Wash. Natalia Agarycheva '11 of Willamette won the women's singles championship at last year's regional. Agarycheva and Fabi Dieguez (Sr., Salem, OR/Sprague HS/Oregon State Univ.) reached the semifinals in doubles.

The Bearcats are led by Head Coach Becky Roberts, who is starting her 12th season at Willamette. Roberts previously coached for 19 seasons at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Shannon Palmer took second place at the Northwest Regional in singles in 2008 and was second in doubles with Natalia Agarycheva in 2009.