Evangel Tennis Sending Two To ITA National Championships
Springfield, MO - Evangel University is sending its first players in program history to the Intercollegiate National Championship Tournament this weekend to compete in the individual and doubles national championships. The event starts Thursday in Mobile, Alabama.
Freshman Marcela Rosales qualified for the national tournament winning the ITA Central-West Regional tournament in Kansas City earlier this year. She will represent Evangel along with her doubles partner Maria Martinez. The doubles of team of Rosales / Martinez also took the regional championship to qualify.
Rosales, a native of Leon, Mexico, will play the top seeded player in the 8-player field, Ana Veselnovic of Auburn-Montgomery at 10:30 a.m. Thursday. Martinez, a junior also from Leon, Mexico, and Rosales will face the doubles team from Oklahoma Baptist who are seeded 4th in the 8-team field. Their doubles match is scheduled for 3 p.m. Thursday.
Play continues at the tournament through Saturday. The ITA National Tournament allows for individuals to advance in national tournament play. The NAIA team tennis season in the spring only allows for teams to advance through postseason play. Rosales and Martinez are the first Evangel players to qualify for the national field.