Oct. 17, 2006

Columbia, Mo. - The University of Missouri women's tennis team is set to compete in the ITA Central Championships in Tulsa, Okla. The event, hosted by the University of Tulsa, features singles and doubles draws. The tournament runs from Wednesday, Oct. 18 to Sunday, Oct. 22.

The Central Region is divided into East and West Divisions for the fall tournament. The Tigers are competing in the East Division Championships on the campus of the University of Tulsa. The West Division Championships will take place in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Six Tigers will compete in singles and doubles action at the tournament. Seniors Amanda Pratzel and Erika Josbena, and sophomore Raquel Wagner will compete in the main singles draw, which begins Thursday, Oct. 19. Wagner is 9-3 in singles play this fall after transferring to Mizzou from Texas A&M after last season.

Juniors Chrissy Svetlic and Charlotte Bellis, and freshman Katelyn McKenzie are in the singles qualifying draw, which starts Wednesday, Oct. 18. Svetlic is also 9-3 in the fall.

Tiger duos McKenzie and Wagner, Josbena and Pratzel and Svetlic and Bellis will participate in the doubles tournament. Josbena and Pratzel are 10-6 in the fall, with two championships, the Billiken Invitational and the Gopher Invitational, under their belt.

The Tigers are coming off a solid performance at the rain-shortened Mizzou Mock Duals last weekend in Columbia. Mizzou players won 18 of 27 singles and doubles matches in the hidden-dual format tournament.

After the Central Championships, the Tigers will host the Mizzou Pro-Am on Nov. 4 at the Green Tennis Center in Columbia.