Air Force Academy

Jan. 25, 2008

The Air Force women's tennis team opens its 2008 spring schedule on Friday, Jan. 25 with a pair of matches in Lubbock, Texas. The Falcons will face Texas-Pan American at 9 a.m., the Texas State at 4 p.m.

Kim Gidley is in her 10th season as head coach at Air Force. She is the winningest coach in Falcon history with 117 career victories.

Gidley is expecting one of the strongest teams in recent years with six returning players and four newcomers on the 2007-08 roster. The top of the Air Force lineup is back as senior captain Lauren Wilson and junior Christine Abayan return after sharing time at the No. 1 singles spot last season.

Wilson played 12 matches at the top spot and produced a 7-5 record en route to a 13-12 dual match record and 19 overall singles victories. Abayan, who has been regionally ranked in doubles and played the top spot in doubles most of last season, won 15 singles matches last year, the third-highest total on the team. Both will add experience needed at the top.

The other returning upperclassmen all received valuable playing time to help mold this season's team. Erika Shortridge is the team's other senior and produced a winning singles record at 8-5. Junior Meghan Kiser saw the majority of her singles matches at the Nos. 3 and 4 spots a year ago. She won 11 overall singles matches, including a 5-4 mark at the No. 4 spot. Sophomore Erlyn Rudico, meanwhile, posted 10 overall singles victories, most at the No. 6 spot and was named to the Mountain West Conference all-academic team.

Four highly-touted freshmen join the team this season. Christen Monreal (San Antonio, TX) and Katrina Eromin (Sebastian, FL) were both four-star recruits and ranked in the top 150 nationally. Sarah Cassman (Columbus, GA) and Samantha Sarkis (Chaska, MN) were both three-star recruits and competed at the national level. All four are expected to see playing time for an improved and exciting Air Force team.