Nate Slack | Posted: 28 Feb 2021 | Updated: 5 Apr 2021

BYU returns home to take on Utah and GCU
BYU wten

PROVO, Utah – BYU women’s tennis (7-4) returns home for the first time in five weeks with matches against rival Utah (5-2) on Wednesday afternoon and Grand Canyon (1-4) on Friday morning.

BYU Notes (7-4, 0-0 West Coast Conference)

  • The Cougars are 7-4, most recently splitting a road trip to Eugene, Oregon. The Cougars dropped the first match to the Ducks 4-3 but defeated Seattle 7-0.
  • BYU has wins over Seattle, Boise State, Sacramento State, Fresno State, Dixie State (twice) and Weber State. The Cougars have losses to Oregon, Denver, Colorado and Cal Poly.
  • The Cougars have lost 3-of-4 but bounced back nicely from three straight defeats when they played Seattle.
  • After playing eight consecutive matches on the road, the Cougars begin a five-match homestand against Utah on Wednesday. Seven of the next nine matches will be at home.
  • BYU is led by senior Madeline Almedia Wanlass and sophomore Emilee Astle. The two combine for a 12-3 record in singles matches, including an impressive 5-0 start for Wanlass.
  • BYU’s underclassmen have performed well so far this season, going 29-13 in singles play. Newcomers Xenia de Luna (5-0) and Elizabeth Tullis (3-0) are yet to lose a singles match. Sophmores Helen Jiao and Emilee Astle have the highest winning percentage on the team with at least six matches played at .700.

Head Coach – Holly Parkinson Hasler

  • Alma Mater: BYU, 1998
  • Division I Career Record: 26-18 (3rd season)
  • Record at BYU: Same

BYU Doubles Records

  1. Anastasia Abramyan & Madeline Almeida Wanlass (0-1)
  2. Leah Heimuli & Kara Lin (5-1)
  3. Emilee Astle & Helen Jiao (4-1)
  4. Madeline Almeida Wanlass & Elizabeth Tullis (2-0)
  5. Anastasia Abramyan & Elizabeth Tullis (2-0)
  6. Anastasia Abramyan & Qianxin Kong (0-1)
  7. Anastasia Abramyan & Helen Jiao (3-2)
  8. Leah Heimuli & Emilee Astle (2-3)
  9. Qianxin Kong & Kara Lin (2-1)
  10. Kara Lin & Elizabeth Tullis (2-0)

BYU Singles Records

  1. Anastasia Abramyan (3-4)
  2. Leah Heimuli (6-4)
  3. Kara Lin (5-5)
  4. Emilee Astle (7-3)
  5. Helen Jiao (7-3)
  6. Madeline Almeida Wanlass (5-0)
  7. Xenia De Luna (5-0)
  8. Elizabeth Tullis (3-0)
  9. Qianxin Kong (2-2)

Utah Notes (5-2, 0-0 Pac-12)

  • Utah is 5-2, with its most recent defeat coming on the road at Denver, 4-0.  
  • Utah has wins over Boise State, Dixie State, Weber State, New Mexico State and Idaho State. The Utes’ losses have both come on the road, at Denver and No. 24 Texas A&M.   
  • The Utes are led by a trio of juniors in Anastasia Goncharova, Lindsay Hung and Anya Lamoreaux. Each player is 5-2 in singles play. Overall, the Utes post a 25-11 record in singles matches.  
  • BYU and Utah have played four common opponents so far this season. Both teams defeated Dixie State and Boise State by the same scores, but BYU beat Weber State 6-1, compared to Utah’s 4-2 win. The Cougars also lost at Denver 6-1 while Utah lost at Denver 4-0.
  • The last meeting between BYU and Utah came on Feb. 28, 2020. No. 45 Utah came away with a 4-3 home win over the Cougars. Utah leads the series 6-13 and has won 11 straight. BYU’s last win in the rivalry came during the 2008-09 season, 5-2.

Head Coach – Ric Mortera

  • Alma Mater: Oregon, 2010
  • Division I Career Record: 19-18 (3rd Season)
  • Record at Utah: 15-7 (2nd Season)

Utah Match Information — Wednesday, Mar. 3

Grand Canyon Notes (1-4, 0-0 WAC)

  • Grand Canyon is 1-4 after winning its first match of the year on Saturday against Omaha, 5-2. 
  • The Lopes’ lone win is against Omaha. They have losses to Arizona (twice), Cal Poly and No. 20 Arizona State.
  • The Lopes are 9-20 in singles play through six matches. Sophomore Natasha Puehse claims a third of those victories with a 3-2 record. Competing as the team’s top single player, Puehse’s first defeat came in the season opener at No. 20 ASU, 2-6, 4-6, and the second came Saturday in another two-set defeat.
  • The only meeting between BYU and GCU came last year on Jan. 24, 2020. The Cougars came away with a 4-3 victory in Arizona. With the match tied at 3-3, Wanlass secured the Cougars’ fourth point with a 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4victory in the No. 3 spot.  

Head Coach – Greg Prudhomme

  • Alma Mater: Arizona, 1993
  • Division I Career Record: 65-63 (8th Season — GCU was D2 until 2013-14)
  • Record at GCU: 142-115 (14th Season)

Grand Canyon Match Information — Friday, Mar. 5