The 2016 Fall Tennis tournament season recently wrapped up, and players from top-ranked programs earned honors from August through November. As January marks the start of regular season play, HERO took a look back at the end-of-2016 season ITA rankings and would like your thoughts predicting which women's program deserve the top spot leading into the 2017 dual-match season. Here's a look back at the fall season's results for some of the top programs.
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Stanford
Previously ranked No. 15, Stanford ended the 2016 season with the top spot after claiming the NCAA D1 team title last season. This fall, the Cardinal women didn't make it past the opening round of singles at the Riviera ITA All-American Championships, but Emma Higuchi did claim the runner-up singles title of the ITA Northwest Regional Championships. She also repeated the feat at the St. Mary's Fall Invitational. The team of Caroline Lampl and Kimberly Yee fell in the championship doubles match at Regionals that October weekend as well.[divider]
Cal
The No. 2 Cal women's tennis typically produces quality results, and fall 2016 was no different. They started off the season by notching victories at the Hall of Fame ITA Grass Court Invitational. Then at the Cal Nike Fall Invite, Karla Popovic claimed the top singles title on her home courts against Arizona State. Senior Denise Starr fell to Duke in the Round of 16 at the Oracle ITA Masters event. In Cal fashion, Popovic claimed both the singles and doubles titles with Olivia Hauger at the Northwest Regional Championships. At the USTA/ITA National Indoor Championships, both doubles tandems fell in the Consolation Semi-finals en route to the final day of play.[divider]
Florida
Ranked No. 3 after previously holding the No. 1 slot, the fall season for Florida saw much success and tough tournaments for the Gators. In September at the Duke Bonk Invite, junior Josie Kuhlman and senior Belinda Woodcock claimed singles titles on the weekend. They also claimed two doubles titles that same weekend to mark a strong showing in North Carolina. Brooke Austin and Kourtney Keegan fell in the semi-finals of the Riviera All-American Championships to Pepperdine.
At the 2016 ITA Southeast Regional Doubles Championship Presented by Oracle, Kuhlman and Woolcock captured the doubles title with a final victory over Georgia. Kuhlman fell in the finals of the singles flight as well. Woolcock lost in the singles consolation quarterfinals of the 2016 USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships. Anna Danilina topped off the season by claiming the singles and doubles titles of the Dick Vitale Intercollegiate Clay Court Classic.[divider]
North Carolina
The No. 4 Tar Heels had a phenomenal fall. Sara Daavettila claimed the singles consolation draw at the USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championship, and Hayley Carter fell in the finals of the championship draw to Ohio State. At the Bonk Invitational in September, Jessie Aney, Sara Daavettila and Alexa Graham each won their respective singles brackets. Chloe Ouellet-Pizer and Rachael James-Baker claimed Flight 2 of Doubles at the Furman Invitational in late September.
In October at the 2016 Riviera/ITA All-American Championships, Carter and Jessie Aney took the doubles crown to be named national champions. Carter also reached the singles semi-finals that weekend. In October, Carter also took the mixed doubles title at the Oracle ITA Masters. At the ITA Carolina's Regional, Daavettila took out teammate Aney in the final singles round in October.[divider]
Ohio State
Currently ranked No. 6 after falling from the No. 4 spot to start the season, the Buckeyes had a nice fall as well. Anna Sanford fell in the semi finals of the ITA Midwest Regionals this year. Three Ohio State doubles teams and three singles players fell in the third round of doubles and singles at that same tournament. Francesca Di Lorenzo claimed the Riviera/ ITA All-American Championships singles crown in October during the final against Cal.
Ohio State's doubles team fell in the second round of doubles during that weekend and in the consolation semi finals of singles as well. Di Lorenzo fell in the first round to Michigan at the American Collegiate Invite. She ended up winning the USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships in November for a second year. [divider]
Georgia
Ranked No. 7 after posting the No. 5 seat, the Bulldogs wrapped up a successful fall season. At the American Collegiate Invitational, Kennedy Shaffer fell to the ultimate champion in New York. Marta Gonzolaz won three matches to exit qualifying of the One Love Tennis Open pro event yet fell in the first main draw round in September. At the Wake Forest Fall Invitational, Gonzolaz and Laura Patterson were crowned co-champions for the singles event. Shaffer went 2-2 in the Riviera All American Championships. Elena Christofi holds the singles title of the 2016 ITA Southeast Regional Championships. UGA also posted 15 total wins in Puerto Rico in late October. Christofi fell in the opening round of the USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships and then dropped her last match in the tournament's consolation quarterfinals. [divider]
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