LARAMIE, Wyo. (Sept. 10, 2019) The Wyoming women's tennis team opens its 2019-20 campaign this Thursday through Sunday as the Cowgirls head to the Air Force Academy for the second annual ITA Bedford Cup in the Mountains.

"We are excited to get the 2019-2020 season underway this upcoming weekend," said head coach Dean Clower.
 
"We have a lot of young talent on this team and are ready to start the process of learning our style of tennis."
 
The Cowgirls return five student-athletes from last season's squad in Ana Fernandez, Mihaela Kaftanova, Ida Krause, Maria Oreshkina and Ana Royo  as they look to replace the departure of a pair of All-Mountain West honorees last spring in Elisa Koonik and Tessa van Der Ploeg.
 
Last season, Oreshkina and Royo both went 19-12 overall, including records of 6-5 and 9-6 in fall tournaments, respectively. Oreshkina compiled a dual record of 13-7 while Royo went 10-5.  Oreshkina played mostly at No. 3 singles last year, and went 12-6 in those matchups, including a team-best 4-1 mark in conference play. Royo went 8-4 at No. 4 singles, including a 2-2 Mountain West record.
 
In doubles in 2019, the team of Kaftanova and Krause went 13-9 overall, including a 4-0 mark in tournaments and is the top-returning duo for the Cowgirls. Kaftanova also posted a winning record last season, going 15-12 overall, including an 8-4 mark in dual-play. The team of Fernandez and Royo were 6-3 as doubles partners in tournament play last season.
 
Joining the returners are four newcomers to the Pokes in Oleksandra Balaba, Grace Dereemer, Clara Mansart and Zarah Mughal.
 
Eight programs are slated to participate in this season's Bedford Cup, they are: Air Force, Colorado State, Montana State, New Mexico, Northern Arizona, Northern Colorado, Southern Utah and Wyoming. Air Force won the inaugural cup in 2018.
 
Next weekend, Wyoming will host its lone tournament of the fall, the Wyoming Invite September 20-22.
 
 

-WYO-