FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (October 4, 2019) – The Northern Arizona women's tennis team's 2020 spring schedule will begin across the Pacific Ocean in Hawaii and will feature six home matches as announced by head coach
Ewa Bogusz on Friday. The Lumberjacks will play 17 dual matches in addition to their three-day competition slate in Hawaii starting in January.
"We're super excited to start off in Hawaii and play a ton of matches," Bogusz said. "For most of the players, it'll be their first time in Hawaii and they're excited. Overall, we're looking forward to some strong competition in the spring to get us ready for Big Sky."
After the defending Big Sky Champions open up the spring in Hawaii from Jan. 9-11, the Lumberjacks will face Arizona State – one of three Pac-12 opponents on the schedule – in Tempe on Jan. 19. Like the 'Jacks, the Sun Devils were an NCAA Tournament team in 2019.
NAU will then host Grand Canyon in the first of six home matches on Jan. 25. Following the home opener, NAU will also welcome Montana (Feb. 27), New Mexico (Feb. 29), Montana State (March 13), Sacramento State (March 15) and Northern Colorado (April 12) to the Aquatic and Tennis Complex, where the Lumberjacks are 31-2 since their home facility's opening in 2016.
After their brief one-match stopover at home, NAU will embark on a five-match road trip spanning the next three weekends beginning with an in-state showdown versus Arizona on Feb. 7 in Tucson. The 'Jacks will then travel to BYU and Utah State on Feb. 15 and 16 respectively followed by Oregon on Feb. 22. NAU's Big Sky opener at Portland State on Feb. 23 will cap the road stretch before four straight matches at home.
"We're excited to play some Pac-12 schools which will be a highlight as well this season," Bogusz said.
The Lumberjacks' four-match homestand versus Montana, New Mexico, Montana State and Sacramento State will be followed by five consecutive Big Sky road matches. NAU will trek to Idaho State (March 18), Weber State (March 19), Southern Utah (March 28), Idaho (April 3) and Eastern Washington (April 5) before its regular season finale back in Flagstaff versus Northern Colorado on April 12.
NAU will then have two weeks to prepare for the Big Sky Championships, which will be held at the Phoenix Tennis Center for the fourth straight year. The top six teams at the end of the regular season will qualify for the conference tournament running from April 23-25.
The 'Jacks return five of their top six players highlighted by senior
Chiara Tomasetti, the reigning Big Sky Most Valuable Player and currently ranked No. 71 in the country, from last year's conference championship team. Bogusz, the reigning Big Sky Coach of the Year, guided NAU to a 15-9 overall record, 9-1 conference mark and the program's second-ever NCAA Tournament appearance.
