Related Links:
Whitewater, Wisconsin Regional Web Page
NCAA Division III Women's Tennis Web Page
 
The No. 27 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women's tennis team opens play in the 2017 NCAA Division III Championship this Thursday against Northwestern (Minn.) at 9:30 a.m. at Wangerin Courts.
 
The winner of Thursday's match advances to Friday's second round to face the winner of the No. 21 Hope (Mich.)/St. Scholastica (Minn.) match, which is scheduled for Thursday at 12 p.m.
 
The Warhawks (19-7 overall), who were selected earlier this week to host a seven-team, three round regional, are the automatic qualifier from the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
 
UW-Whitewater won its 10th straight WIAC championship in the fall and claimed the WIAC Team Tournament title in April to secure its 10th consecutive NCAA Tournament bid.
 
Last season, the Warhawks reached the NCAA Round of 16 for the fifth time in school history and the fourth time in the last five years.
 
UW-Whitewater seeks to repeat the performance with an experienced, talented lineup.
 
Senior Megan Humphreys (Kenosha/Tremper), a four-time singles and two-time doubles All-American, leads the Warhawks into the national tournament. She owns a 21-12 singles record entering NCAA play and is the school's all-time leader in combined singles and doubles wins.
 
Juniors Bridgid McGuire (Slinger/Slinger), Alexandra Talyansky (Mequon/Homestead), Jillian Wallace (Crystal Lake, IL/Central), Alicia Beck (Bismarck, ND/St. Mary's Central) and Brittany Goebel (McHenry, IL/West) hold down the next five singles positions.
 
McGuire is a two-time doubles All-American and enters the postseason with four singles victories in limited action this season. Talyansky claimed the WIAC championship at No. 3 singles and enters the week with a 20-8 singles mark.
 
Wallace, the WIAC No. 4 singles champion, leads the team in wins with a 29-7 record and was an All-American in doubles last season. Beck, who was also a 2015-16 doubles All-American, begins the week with a 17-11 singles mark. Goebel is the reigning conference champion at the No. 5 flight and owns an 18-11 singles record.
 
Humphreys and McGuire top the UW-Whitewater doubles lineup, entering play with a 14-4 record playing together. Humphreys leads the team with a 29-7 mark in doubles matches, while McGuire has won 15 of 19 doubles contests this season. The duo teamed up for an impressive triumph over then-No. 8 Chicago on April 15.
 
Talyansky and Wallace have won nine consecutive matches playing together and hold a 12-1 record playing together for the year. The WIAC's No. 2 flight champion team combined for a victory at the second position over then-No. 10 Washington-St. Louis on April 17. Talyansky ranks second on the team in doubles wins with a 28-6 record, and Wallace is 21-8.
 
Beck will play with senior Rachel Siemon (Crystal Lake, IL/South) during the weekend. The duo has played in only two matches together this season, but Beck is 21-11 in doubles and Siemon is 13-6.
 
Northwestern (24-6) earned a Pool "B" bid to the tournament. The Eagles' No. 1 singles player, Karen Moe, is a perfect 29-0 for the season in singles play. Brooke Lapinski leads the team in doubles wins with a 26-4 record.
 
Northwestern also competed at the Whitewater Regional a season ago, falling against Hope in the first round.
 
Thursday's match is the first-ever meeting between the Warhawks and Eagles.
 
See below for a complete match schedule for the week.
 
Thursday, May 11
Match 1 – UW-Whitewater vs. Northwestern (Minn.), 9:30 a.m.
Match 2 – Hope (Mich.) vs. St. Scholastics (Minn.), 12 p.m.
Match 3 – Concordia (Wis.) vs. John Carroll (Ohio), 3 p.m.
 
Friday, May 12
Match 4 – Winner of Match 1 vs. Winner of Match 2, 11 a.m.
Match 5 – Washington-St. Louis vs. Winner of Match 3, 2:30 p.m.
 
Saturday, May 13
Match 6 – Winner of Match 4 vs. Winner of Match 5, 12 p.m.