September 12, 2007

JACKSON -- With almost every opponent on the 2008 schedule having the opportunity to be ranked at some point during the season including Millsaps, the Lady Majors have their best team in years and the outlook is very encouraging.

The Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) is one of the premier conferences in the nation with two teams ranked in the Top 5 most of the year and a handful of others ranked in the Top 25 nationally.

The Lady Majors return all but two starters including No. 2 player Emily Stewart and graduating senior Leslie Frese. Stewart posted a 4-3 record in singles play (4-1 at No. 1) and put together a remarkable season with freshman Allison Zakaras at No. 1 doubles, posting an 8-1 record. She will sit out the season to help heal back/leg injuries and to focus on the MCAT and hopefully return for her senior year in 2008-09.

Top recruit Lauren Stevenson from Shreveport, La., will fill the void left by Stewart and figures to play at the Top 2 spots while partnering with sophomore Zakaras. The two should provide one of the top doubles teams in the country.

Zakaras earned All-SCAC honors her freshman year with a 10-5 record at No. 1/2 singles and an overall record of 14-5 record in doubles play with Stewart, Beth Piraino and Beth Fossen. She will likely be ranked to open the season and will partner with Stevenson at the ITA Regional to open the fall season at the end of this month.

Sophomore Beth Fossen was one of the most solid performers for Millsaps last year going 12-6 in singles play while posting a 9-7 record in doubles action. Junior Allisa Vincent will compete for playing time once again and will make the Lady Majors very strong if she can break through the incoming freshmen.

Captain Beth Sadler will close out a wonderful career at Millsaps, posting a 5-12 record in singles (10-9 in doubles) last season.

Incoming freshmen Mary Kate Rees from Louisiana and Sandy Trieu and Tiffany Myles from Mississippi will add much needed depth and strength to the squad.

The 2007-08 schedule is highlighted by matches with No. 3 Sewanee, No. 11 Johns Hopkins, No. 20 Carthage College and several other regionally/nationally ranked teams from all over the country. Travel will include a Florida Spring Break Trip along with stops in Atlanta (twice), Birmingham, Little Rock and Indiana.

The Majors open the fall season at the ITA Regional in Atlanta on Friday, Sept. 21, lobbying for a spring preseason ranking. The spring season kicks off Feb. 8 at Piedmont College.