Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowgirl Tennis Serves Up Fall Season in North Carolina
September 10, 2013 | Cowgirl Tennis
STILLWATER -
Oklahoma State's women's tennis team begins its fall tournament schedule this Friday in Cary, N.C., at the Duke Invitational. Competition begins this Friday, Sept. 13, and wraps up on Sunday, Sept. 15.
Senior Kanyapat Narattana and junior Karyn Guttormsen, as well as freshmen Carla Tur Mari and Megan McCray will all make the trip to compete in the tournament.
The Tournament Field
The Duke Invitational will feature players from some of the best programs in the nation, including Texas A&M, William and Mary, UNC, Alabama, Texas, Florida, Ole Miss, Miami, Furman and the host team Duke.
Every team with a player competing in the tournament field this weekend finished the 2013 dual season ranked in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association team rankings and four finished ranked in the top ten.
Cowgirls in the Rankings
The Oklahoma State women's tennis doubles team of senior Kanyapat Narattana and freshman Carla Tur Mari will begin the 2013 fall tournament season slotted as the 47th-ranked doubles team in the nation, according to the rankings released by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association last Friday afternoon.
In addition to the preseason rankings, the ITA also released the selections for the 2013 Riviera/ITA Women's All-American Championships in Pacific Palisades, Calif. Narattana and Tur Mari will compete in the event's pre-qualifying rounds beginning on Saturday, Sept. 28. The pre-qualifying event will be hosted by UCLA in Los Angeles, Calif.
Eyeing the Opposition
The Duke Invitational will showcase some of the best players from around the nation. The teams appearing at the tournament combine to feature 27 players appearing in the ITA singles preseason rankings and 12 doubles teams included in the ITA doubles preseason rankings.
This weekend's tournament will also feature plenty of young talent. Six players from Duke, North Carolina, Florida, Alabama and Texas A&M appear in the ITA's preseason Freshman/Newcomer rankings.
They're Back
The Cowgirls will take the court this weekend to compete for the first time since their NCAA tournament match against UCLA in Los Angeles, Calif., last May. The loss capped an impressive and exciting season in which the Cowgirls made their first appearance in the conference championship match for the first time since 2003 and made back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances for the first time since 1991. Oklahoma State also finished the season ranked second in the ITA Central Region.
From Coach Young
On the Duke Invitational:
"I am excited to begin the fall season and watch these four girls compete. The field is very strong, which will give us a good, early gauge of where these girls are in their development. Our entire team has been working hard and I look for that to pay off this weekend with solid play on the court."
Fresh Faces
The 2013 fall season brings several changes to the Cowgirl tennis roster. The team returns three players from the spring campaign but head coach Chris Young brought on five newcomers to the squad over the summer. The newcomers include sophomore transfer from Kansas State Miranda Erisman, as well as freshmen Megan McCray, Morgan McCray, Mariah Burke and Carla Tur Mari.
Among the new faces is first year assistant coach Courtney Steinbock. Steinbock, a native of Lubbock, Texas, was brought into the program earlier this summer after spending three years as assistant coach at Mississippi State. Steinbock has also held positions at Wichita State, Washington State and her alma mater, the University of Kansas.
Racking Up Wins
Cowgirl Senior Kanyapat Narattana currently sits at No. 13 on the list for most overall wins in the Big 12 era with 49 wins. Narattana sits two wins behind Zana Masnic for the 12th spot on the list and eight spots behind Lauren Simmons for tenth. If Narattana breaks the top ten, she would be the second Cowgirl recruited and coached by Chris Young to do so. Malika Rose broke the top ten last season and finished her career in eighth place on the list with 63 wins.
A Win's a Win
Cowgirl junior Karyn Guttormsen had a solid dual season competing in the six spot for Oklahoma State in 2013, recording a 14-8 mark. The Cowgirls posted a 12-2 record in matches where Guttormsen took the victory.
Keeping the Streak Alive
Over the past couple of seasons, senior Cowgirl Kanyapat Narattana and former teammate Malika Rose have become staples in the ITA doubles rankings, reaching as high as No. 14 in last fall's preseason rankings. Although Rose is gone, Narattana was featured in the 2013-14 preseason rankings released last Friday, along with freshman Carla Tur Mari. The last time Narattana didn't appear in the ITA doubles rankings was March 27, 2012.
