Women's Tennis | 2/1/2016 4:18:00 PM

Wingate, N.C.----The five-time defending regular season South Atlantic Conference champion Wingate University Bulldogs open the 2016 season Tuesday afternoon, traveling to Buies Creek to take on Campbell University at 2 p.m. The Bulldogs have also won four of the last five SAC Tournament championships. Wingate went 16-5 in 2015, with a perfect 11-0 mark in league play. The 'Dogs were 16-2 against NCAA Division II opponents.

Winners of nine SAC titles over the past five seasons, the 'Dogs have won 37 consecutive conference matches and 48 of their last 49. Wingate has earned five consecutive NCAA Tournament bids. The Bulldogs lead the conference with 13 NCAA Tournament appearances all-time. Wingate is ranked 35th in the preseason ITA top 50.

"I'm looking forward to getting the season started," head coach Michael Cabana says. "We were very limited in the fall for competition so it's exciting to get back on the court tomorrow. The ladies have been working hard despite some of the weather issues we have had this spring."

Wingate returns five players that won at least seven singles matches last year. Caroline Holland (Spartanburg, S.C.) is the lone senior for the Bulldogs. She played 17 matches at number two singles last year, going 9-8 with a 5-5 mark in league play. Sophomore Andrea Ternera (Bogota, Colombia) was the number one player for Wingate last season, picking up seven victories in 18 matches at number one singles.

Sophomore Oroma Womeodu (Memphis, Tenn.) made a big impact during her freshman season in 2015, going 14-6 in singles play with a 9-2 record against SAC opponents. She played 17 of her 20 matches at number three singles for the Bulldogs. The number four singles player last year was second team All-SAC selection Layla Tanik (Raleigh, N.C.), who went 11-0 against conference opponents while going 15-5 overall. She had 14 wins at number four singles and one victory at three singles.

Sophomore Maria Garcia (San Carlos, Venezuela) led the Bulldogs in wins in 2015, going 16-3 with a 9-1 SAC record. She notched 15 victories at number one singles and one win at four singles. Junior Sierra Parsons (Toronto, Ontario) picked up a singles victory and two doubles wins for the Bulldogs in 2015. Wingate has a pair of newcomers in freshmen Claudia De Andreis (Milan, Italy) and Sydney Homan (Huntsville, Ala.)

The doubles team of Garcia and Womeodu earned second team All-SAC doubles honors in 2015. The duo went 16-5 overall and 9-2 in the SAC, ending the season on a 10-match winning streak which included two SAC Tournament victories and a win in the NCAA Tournament. Holland and Tanik earned honorable mention all-conference doubles accolades last season, posting  a 12-4 record with an 8-1 mark in league play.

The Bulldogs open the season with four road matches, traveling to Campbell, Johnson C. Smith, North Carolina A&T and Mount Olive before the home opener Feb. 19 against Francis Marion. Wingate opens conference play Feb. 20 at home against Lincoln Memorial.