The Long Beach State women’s tennis team begins its fall season in Las Vegas this weekend at the annual UNLV Fall Invitational.
Players from eight different schools will compete at the Fertitta Tennis Complex and will have seven flights of singles and four flights of doubles matches, according to the Long Beach State athletics website.
The tournament will host LBSU, UNLV, New Mexico State, Northern Arizona, North Texas, Southern Illinois, Middle Tennessee State and South Alabama.
The 49ers went 21-4 last year in a season that ended in the opening round of the NCAA tournament against Oklahoma State. Jenny Hilt-Costello will return for her 17th season as the 49ers’ head coach.
“We’re starting off the year with some great tournaments in the fall that will help get us rolling and ready for the spring season,” Hilt-Costello told LBSU Athletics.
Defending Big West champion LBSU will be led by reigning Big West freshman of the year Ebba Unden and junior Karolina Rozenberg.
The 49ers also added six players for the 2013-14 season, including players from three different European countries and one from Southern California.
The new players will be Maeva Razakosoa and Julie Gerard of France, Laura Eales and Holly Reid of England, Gabriela Tilkeridisova of Czech Republic and Hayley Thompson from Irvine.
The Intercollegiate Tennis Association preseason rankings have LBSU doubles partners Unden and Rozenburg at No. 59. The pair will be competing at UCLA in the All-American Invitational from Sept. 28 to Oct. 6.
The ‘Niners will also host a tournament at the Rhodes Tennis Center from Oct. 4 to 6. They will finish up their fall season from Oct. 17 to 21 at the ITA West Regional in San Diego.