Fresno State Athletics
Women's team opens season in Hawaii
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
January 14, 1999
Fresno, Calif. - Upcoming Matches
Thu., January 14 at BYU-Hawaii 2 pm
Sun., January 17 vs. Michigan (in Honolulu) 11 am
Sat., January 16 vs. BYU (in Honolulu) 9:30 am
Dogs Begin Season In Hawaii
The Fresno State womens tennis team will begin the 1999 season with matches against BYU-Hawaii, Michigan and BYU in Honolulu, Hawaii this week. The Bulldogs open the season on Thursday, Jan. 14, when they take on BYU-Hawaii for only the second time ever. The first meeting between the two teams was in 1994 when the Bulldogs beat BYU-Hawaii, 6-3, on the road. Sundays match versus Michigan will mark the first meeting between the two programs. The final match of the road trip will be against the Cougars of BYU on Jan. 18. The Bulldogs, 0-2 against the Cougars, were eliminated from last years Western Athletic Conference Championships by BYU, 5-0. The only other meeting between the two teams was a 6-2 win by BYU in 1994 in Hawaii.
Djilianova Begins Farewell Tour
Without a doubt Fresno States most decorated female tennis player in history, senior Dora Djilianova (Plovdiv, Bulgaria) will begin her final season with the Dogs against BYU-Hawaii on Thursday. A three-time NCAA singles qualifier, Djilianova holds the school records for wins in a career (96) and season (31) and is the only womens tennis player to be named to the GTE Academic All-American Second Team twice. Last season, Djilianova earned the Northwest Region Player to Watch award and was named to her third All-Western Athletic Conference singles team. Djilianova begins the season ranked No. 17.
Local Talent Is A Big Part Of This Years Team
Two Fresnans, junior Renee Kops-Jones and freshman Chantel Wiggins, will likely have an impact on the success of the Bulldogs this season. A graduate of Bullard High School, Kops-Jones had an impressive Fall season, compiling a 7-3 singles record and winning doubles titles - with two different partners - at the Dog Classic and Saint Marys Tennis Tournaments. Wiggins, a walk-on from Central High School, was the surprise player of the Fall as she finished 6-3 in singles and reached the doubles finals of the Dog Classic with partner Djilianova.
Head Coach Irene Harris
Head coach Irene Harris is in her tenth season with the Fresno State womens tennis team and has compiled a 151-103 record during that span. Last season Harris led her team to a 16-12 record, a third-straight NCAA regional appearance and a third place finish at the Western Athletic Conference Championships. The Bulldogs were also recognized by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association as an All-Academic team for the third consecutive year.
Return of Injured Players will Solidify Lineup
Three injured Bulldogs are set to return for the beginning of the 1999 dual match season. Sophomore Liesl Fichtbauer (Hamburg, Germany) had minor knee surgery which kept her out of the Fall season. Freshman Kim Niggemeyer (Berlin, Germany) will make her debut after suffering through a wrist injury in the Fall. Junior Kandiss Creighton (Weldon, Calif.) is expected to make the first road trip of the season, to Hawaii, after undergoing back surgery early in the Fall.
