After the UF women’s tennis team saw its 2014-2015 season in the semifinals of the NCAA tournament on May 24 in Waco, Texas, the Gators are ready to take the level up a notch.
UF returns all of its players from a season ago, with Brianna Morgan and Brooke Austin leading the way.
Morgan, the team's lone senior, returns to lead a team of young, competitive players for the 2015-2016 season.
Austin, a sophomore, is back after being named to the 2015 United States Tennis Association Collegiate National Team in the offseason.
Austin played on the No. 1 singles court and finished with a team-best 19-3 dual meet record and a 10-2 record in Southeastern Conference play en route to being named the SEC Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year as well as garnering All-American accolades for both singles and doubles play.
During the offseason the Gators added sophomore Anna Danilina. The Moscow, Russia, native brings experience to the Gators with five doubles titles and one singles title since joining the International Tennis Federation Circuit in 2013.
Coach Roland Thornqvist said Danilina’s presence will help strengthen the team.
"We couldn’t be more excited to have Anna as a Gator," Thornqvist said in a release. "She’s already an accomplished and talented singles and doubles player and her addition to our team will make our practices even more competitive and entertaining than they have already been."
The women’s team will start its season in Durham, North Carolina, where it will play in the Duke Invite hosted by Duke University.
While the women’s tennis team finished another season on a high note, the UF men’s tennis team is still trying to break through and get its first NCAA title.
Coach Bryan Shelton enters his fourth season as the coach of the men’s team as he looks to rebound after a disappointing season.
The Gators ended their 2014-2015 season with a loss to Pepperdine University in the first round of the NCAA tournament May 8 at the Wake Forest Tennis Complex.
However, Florida returns a wealth of experience.
Senior’s Diego Hidalgo and Gordon Watson return along with junior’s Maxx Lipmann, Elliott Orkin and redshirt sophomore Joshua Wardell.
Orkin and Wardell captured the doubles title in the Florida State Regional of the 2015 ITA Summer Circuit. Sophomore Chase Perez-Blanco, who was named to the SEC-All Freshman team after going 8-1 in SEC dual singles matches also returns.
The Miami native had an eight match singles winning streak which was the best on the team last season.
The men’s team begins its season on Sept. 25 in Napa Valley, California, as the Gators will be competing in the Napa Valley Tournament.
Follow Madison Belfour on Twitter @madisonbel4
Brianna Morgan awaits a serve during Florida's 4-0 win against Maryland on Jan. 25 at the Ring Tennis Complex.
