North Carolina State University Athletics
Two Seasons to Remember
12/4/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
________________________________________________________________________ Two Seasons to Remember
_________2006-2007_________
The 2007 spring tennis season was a year that saw many school records fall. It seemed as the season continued the players began to hit their stride and the records began to fall. The nine-member team united under their senior leadership that led to the first back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances.
The team was composed of a mixture of senior leadership and youthful exuberance that helped propel the pack into Wolfpack history. Under the direction of fifth-year head coach Hans Olsen and assistant coach Mait DuBois, the 2007 spring squad carved a new path in Wolfpack women's tennis history as they strive to become a national power.
The current 2007-2008 seven-member squad is using the building blocks that the past two seasons have constructed as they strive toward making this program into one of the nations elite.
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HIGHLIGHTS
(13-11 overall, 4-7 ACC)
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ACC:
- Won four matches in ACC play and lost a tight, close contest to Virginia in the first round of the ACC Tournament.
- Second straight year, and third time in school history that the Wolfpack advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
- Head Coach Hans Olsen became the first NC State coach to take his team to multiple NCAA Tournaments.
SPRING DUAL MATCHES:
- Ranked as high as No. 32 nationally and was ranked in the top-46 all season.
- Won 13 matches, fourth-most all-time.
- Downed No. 18 Duke, 5-2, to close the regular season, the highest-ranked opponent the Wolfpack have ever defeated.
- Defeated six nationally ranked schools:
- No. 69 Rice, 5-2
- No. 40 SMU, 5-2
- No. 34 South Carolina, 6-1
- No. 69 Virginia Tech, 7-0
- No. 75 Maryland, 7-0
- No. 18 Duke, 5-2
- Won five straight matches, including three straight over ranked opponents, to start the season 8-2.
INDIVIDUAL ACCOLADES:
- Daria Petrovic was named All-ACC as a freshman.
- Daria Petrovic and Alejandra Guerra made the NCAA Doubles Championship, the first individuals to make the NCAA Doubles Championships in school history.
- Guerra and Petrovic were ranked No. 22 in the final NCAA Doubles Championships.
- Guerra/Petrovic defeated the eventual NCAA Doubles Championship team from North Carolina in a dual meet.
HEAD COACH HONORS:
- Olsen is the winningest coach in school history in wins and in winning percentage.
- Olsen is the only coach in school history to take two teams to the NCAA Championships.
- Olsen is the only coach to win a NCAA match at NC State.
- Hans Olsen's squad defeated No. 69 Virginia Tech, 7-0, on March 25 to make him the winningest coach in program history.
_________2005-2006_________
Looking in retrospect of the 2006 spring tennis season, when contending in dual matches, ACC competitions, and in the NCAA tournament, the 11-member team found themselves as one of the new powerhouses of women’s college tennis. The team prepared well during the fall tournament season and this allowed them to finish the spring season with multiple highlights.
With a combination of young talent coming from the freshman class, strong leadership from the senior class, routine running and lifting exercises from the strength and conditioning coaches, and focused tennis practices from head coach Hans Olsen and assistant coach Mait DuBois, the 2006 spring team broke several team records and set new records in the program’s history as a team, as individual athletes, and as a college tennis program.
The now 2006-2007 nine-member team is using the solid momentum generated from the 2006 spring’s triumphs as a stepping stone towards their upcoming spring season.
Lesson: There is always more to strive for.
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HIGHLIGHTS
(17-10 overall, 4-7 ACC)
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ACC:
- Second time advancing in ACC tournament, defeating No. 29 Maryland 4-0.
- Won Sportsmanship Team of the Year by the ACC.
- Second time in school history to earn a spot in the NCAA tournament.
- First time ever advancing in NCAA tournament, defeating No. 24 William & Mary 4-3.
SPRING DUAL MATCHES:
- Finished as No. 31 in the country.
- Collected 17 wins - the program’s most victories overall in any spring season.
- The spring 2006 team more than tripled its number of singles match wins from the previous seasons.
- Accumulated eight nationally ranked wins in the 2006, the highest number of nationally ranked wins.
- ACC victories against nationally ranked schools include:
- Florida State 5-2
- No. 33 Virginia 5-2
- No. 66 Virginia Tech 6-1
- No. 65 Boston College 5-2
- The win over No. 25 Florida International (4-3) was NC State’s first recorded victory over a top-25 opponent.
TRIBUTES FROM NC STATE:
- Recognized as one of three NC State varsity sports teams for efforts made in ImPACK "Life Skills" Program.
- This program acknowledges student-athlete dedication toward academic, athletic, career development, personal development, and service opportunities.
- Noticed as being one of the top academic performing teams within NC State athletics.
INDIVIDUAL ACCOLADES:
- Four out of five wins were posted after defeating ranked players, specifically players ranked top-80 nationally.
- These victories were made by Shona Lee, Barbara Orlay and Alejandra Guerra.
- Senior Barbara Oraly was chosen as the ITA Senior Player of the Year in Southeast Region.
- Freshman Shona Lee finished the spring season ranked No. 114 nationally.
- Freshman Shona Lee received All-ACC Honors and was named ACC Women’s Tennis Player of the Week.
- Freshman Shona Lee earned a spot on the ACC All-Academic Team.
HEAD COACH HONORS:
- Hans Olsen collected his 183rd career win as head coach at the end of the 2006 spring season.
- Hans Olsen was inducted in to the Big South Conference Hall of Fame.
