Friday, April 21
Cayce, S.C.
8:00 A.M.
Creighton University
vs
#6 Connecticut
Photo by: Chelsea Nicholson
Women’s Tennis Heads To BIG EAST Championships With No. 3 Seed and First Round Bye
4/18/2023 8:45:00 AM | Women's Tennis
The Bluejays will play the win over No. 6 Connecticut and No. 11 Seton Hall on Friday at 8 a.m.
OMAHA, Neb. – The Creighton women's tennis team earned the No. 3 seed and a first-round bye in the upcoming 2023 BIG EAST Tennis Championships presented by JEEP in Cayce, South Carolina, the league announced on Monday. The Bluejays No. 3 seed is the best seed heading into a conference tournament in program history.
The Bluejays will meet the winner of the No. 6 Connecticut and No. 11 Seton Hall matchup on Friday at 8 a.m. Central at the Cayce Tennis and Fitness center in Cayce, S.C.
Creighton ended the regular season with a 15-7 overall record, including a 4-2 mark in league play, which included a 5-2 win over Connecticut on March 10. The Bluejays soared out to an 11-2 record to open the season, the best start to a season under head coach Tom Lilly.
Connecticut earned the No. 6 seed for this week's event after recording a 10-9 overall record, including a 3-4 mark in league action, while Seton Hall landed the No. 11 seed after ending the regular season with a 6-13 record and an 0-6 mark in BIG EAST play.
Creighton is 2-0 all-time against Seton Hall, which includes a 4-1 victory over the Pirates in the first round of the 2022 BIG EAST Tennis Championships. The Bluejays and Huskies have never met in the postseason, but Creighton does hold a 1-0 edge in the all-time series over Connecticut.
Freshman Ana Paula Martinez leads the Bluejays with 25 victories this season. The Queretaro, Mexico native has claimed 12 victories across the No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 singles positions, while teaming up with sophomore Valerie Negin for 13 victories in doubles play. Along with her 13 doubles wins, Negin has also contributed 10 wins in singles play.
Junior Malvika Shukla paces the Bluejays with 14 single wins, as the three-time BIG EAST Singles Player of the Week honoree has earned 12 victories at the top singles position. The Mumbai, India native has also teamed up to earn two BIG EAST Doubles Team of the Week honors and nine victories with graduate transfer Leanne Kendall at the No. 1 doubles position.
On top of her nine doubles victories, Kendall has racked up 11 single wins for a combined 20 victories. She is one of five Bluejays to record 20 or more wins this season. She is joined by junior Bianca Rademacher, who owns a perfect 12-0 record in doubles play. Rademacher has also claimed nine victories at the No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6 singles positions.
Senior Kate Krueger has also been a force for the Bluejays this season. The Omaha native has captured a combined 15 victories this year, including 11 victories in doubles play. Krueger and Rademacher have teamed up for eight straight doubles victories at the No. 3 doubles position.
Cayce Tennis & Fitness Center will host the BIG EAST Championships for the seventh straight year. The Facility offers 30 lighted world-class courts with a championship-sized stadium court that has a viewing capacity of approximately 500 spectators.
Seeding for the championships were determined by a committee that reviews each team's regular-season schedule, ITA ranking, results against BIG EAST and common non-conference opponents and wins/losses against ranked foes.
The Men's and Women's Championship matches will be streamed live on the BIG EAST Digital Network (BEDN) Presented by SoFi on FloSports. The Women's Championship broadcast begins at 9 a.m. ET on Sunday, and the Men's Championship coverage starts at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
No. 6 UConn vs. No. 11 Seton Hall
No. 7 Butler vs. No. 10 Providence
No. 8 Marquette vs. No. 9 Villanova
Quarterfinals - Friday, April 21 - 9 a.m.
No. 1 Xavier vs. Marquette/Villanova winner
No. 2 DePaul vs. Butler/Providence winner
No. 3 Creighton vs. UConn/Seton Hall winner
No. 4 St. John's vs. No. 5 Georgetown (12:45 p.m.)
Semifinals - Saturday, April 22 - 9 a.m.
Final - Sunday, April 23 - 9 a.m.
The Bluejays will meet the winner of the No. 6 Connecticut and No. 11 Seton Hall matchup on Friday at 8 a.m. Central at the Cayce Tennis and Fitness center in Cayce, S.C.
Creighton ended the regular season with a 15-7 overall record, including a 4-2 mark in league play, which included a 5-2 win over Connecticut on March 10. The Bluejays soared out to an 11-2 record to open the season, the best start to a season under head coach Tom Lilly.
Connecticut earned the No. 6 seed for this week's event after recording a 10-9 overall record, including a 3-4 mark in league action, while Seton Hall landed the No. 11 seed after ending the regular season with a 6-13 record and an 0-6 mark in BIG EAST play.
Creighton is 2-0 all-time against Seton Hall, which includes a 4-1 victory over the Pirates in the first round of the 2022 BIG EAST Tennis Championships. The Bluejays and Huskies have never met in the postseason, but Creighton does hold a 1-0 edge in the all-time series over Connecticut.
Freshman Ana Paula Martinez leads the Bluejays with 25 victories this season. The Queretaro, Mexico native has claimed 12 victories across the No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 singles positions, while teaming up with sophomore Valerie Negin for 13 victories in doubles play. Along with her 13 doubles wins, Negin has also contributed 10 wins in singles play.
Junior Malvika Shukla paces the Bluejays with 14 single wins, as the three-time BIG EAST Singles Player of the Week honoree has earned 12 victories at the top singles position. The Mumbai, India native has also teamed up to earn two BIG EAST Doubles Team of the Week honors and nine victories with graduate transfer Leanne Kendall at the No. 1 doubles position.
On top of her nine doubles victories, Kendall has racked up 11 single wins for a combined 20 victories. She is one of five Bluejays to record 20 or more wins this season. She is joined by junior Bianca Rademacher, who owns a perfect 12-0 record in doubles play. Rademacher has also claimed nine victories at the No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6 singles positions.
Senior Kate Krueger has also been a force for the Bluejays this season. The Omaha native has captured a combined 15 victories this year, including 11 victories in doubles play. Krueger and Rademacher have teamed up for eight straight doubles victories at the No. 3 doubles position.
Cayce Tennis & Fitness Center will host the BIG EAST Championships for the seventh straight year. The Facility offers 30 lighted world-class courts with a championship-sized stadium court that has a viewing capacity of approximately 500 spectators.
Seeding for the championships were determined by a committee that reviews each team's regular-season schedule, ITA ranking, results against BIG EAST and common non-conference opponents and wins/losses against ranked foes.
The Men's and Women's Championship matches will be streamed live on the BIG EAST Digital Network (BEDN) Presented by SoFi on FloSports. The Women's Championship broadcast begins at 9 a.m. ET on Sunday, and the Men's Championship coverage starts at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
2023 BIG EAST Women's Tennis Championship Schedule
First Round - Thursday, April 20 - 9 a.m.No. 6 UConn vs. No. 11 Seton Hall
No. 7 Butler vs. No. 10 Providence
No. 8 Marquette vs. No. 9 Villanova
Quarterfinals - Friday, April 21 - 9 a.m.
No. 1 Xavier vs. Marquette/Villanova winner
No. 2 DePaul vs. Butler/Providence winner
No. 3 Creighton vs. UConn/Seton Hall winner
No. 4 St. John's vs. No. 5 Georgetown (12:45 p.m.)
Semifinals - Saturday, April 22 - 9 a.m.
Final - Sunday, April 23 - 9 a.m.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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