Sept. 7, 2006

Columbia, Mo. - The University of Missouri Women's Tennis team opens its 2006 fall season on Friday at the Saint Louis University Billiken Fall Classic in St. Louis.

The five team event, which features Mizzou, SLU, Arkansas, Illinois State and Eastern Illinois, will be played over two days (Sept. 8-9) at the Dwight Davis Tennis Center in Forest Park.

The Tigers are coming off a 10-12 spring 2006 season headlined by a 9-1 non-conference record. Mizzou returns six letterwinners from last year's team, which brought Missouri Head Coach Blake Starkey his 100th career win as the Tiger head coach.

Seniors Erika Josbena, Amanda Pratzel and Yelena Olshanskaya, juniors Charlotte Bellis and Chrissy Svetlic and sophomore Stephanie Johns return for Mizzou.

The newcomers to this year's club include freshmen Katelyn McKenzie (Dallas, Texas/Highland Park H.S.) and Kaitlin Dunham (Kansas City, Mo./St. Teresa's Academy) and sophomore transfer Raquel Wagner (St. Louis, Mo./The American School) who returns to Missouri after opening her collegiate career at Texas A&M.

Following competition at the Billiken Fall Classic, the Tigers will head north to the Minnesota Invitational on Sept. 15-17 for the three-day event. The Tigers will host the Mizzou Invitational on Oct. 13-15 at the Green Tennis Center in Columbia.