Tennis fans won’t have to wait until springtime to witness some of the finest local collegiate talent, as students return to campus this month and a collection of top level tournaments welcome players back to the court and into competitive mode.
This weekend, defending Division III champions Claremont Mudd-Scripps resumed their streak of dominant play at the Fall Scramble, featuring top females from Pomona-Pitzer, Concordia Irvine, Azusa Pacific and Westmont. The Athenas posted an impressive 20-4 singles record, including a remarkable premiere performance by sophomore transfer Devon Wolfe, who lost only one game in four sets.
The Fall Scramble kicks off a busy autumn schedule of collegiate competition at all levels, leading to the 2020 quest for NCAA glory next spring.
Oracle continues to be a strong supporter of college tennis in the United States, with two events scheduled in upcoming months. The Oracle ITA Masters (Sept. 26-29) comes to Malibu as the season’s first spotlight event. Pepperdine’s Ashley Lahey, UCLA’s Jada Hart and Abigail Forbes, and USC’s Carson Branstine headline the local roster on the women’s side, while the men’s draw features USC’s Daniel Cukierman and Keegan Smith, as well as Pepperdine’s Corrado Summaria.
As the calendar turns into October, the women head to Pacific Palisades for the Riviera Invitational (Oct. 2-6). Palisades Tennis Center will showcase many of the region’s top talents, including Lahey, Hart, USD’s Solymar Colling and Pepperdine’s Jessica Failla. Also look for Trojan Angela Kulikov and the Waves’ Anastasia Iamachkine, plus a host of Southern California athletes in the qualifier and pre-qualifier.
Fall Schedule (W)
Oracle ITA Masters (Sept 26-29)
Riviera Invitational (Oct 2-6)
ITA Women’s All American Championships (Oct 5-13)
Macon Challenger (Oct 21-27)
ITA Regional Championships (Oct 24-28)
Kramer Classic (Oct 21-Nov 3)
Las Vegas Challenger (Nov 4 – Nov 10)
Oracle ITA National Fall Championships (Nov 6-10)
Fall Schedule (M)
Oracle ITA Masters (Sept 26-29)
Aztec Fall Invitational (Oct 4-6)
ITA Men’s All American Championships (Oct 5-13)
UCSB Classic (Oct 11-13)
ITA Regional Championships (Oct 17-20)
Kramer Classic (Oct 21-Nov 3)
Larry Easley Memorial Classic (Nov 1-3)
Oracle ITA National Fall Championships (Nov 6-10)
Southern California Intercollegiate Championships (Nov 7-10)