SAN ANGELO - The Angelo State tennis team will play its first match of the 2018 spring season at 3 p.m. Thursday, taking on Hardin Simmons in Abilene, Texas.
The Belles are competing this season for the first time since the spring of 1986 with Chris Bizot leading the program as head coach.
ASU competed in three tournaments in the fall, with the six Belle players going a combined 25-24 in singles matches.
Sophomore Maria Delgadillo led the team during the fall season with a 6-2 record in singles matches. Freshman Lucie Maitrot followed behind with five wins, both Virginie Becht and Zoe Gubbels earned four wins and Melanie Dreux and Ena Ovcina won three matches each.
Both Delgadillo and Maitrot earned spots in the Oracle/ITA Division II South Central Regional Rankings announced at the end of the fall. Degadillo was ranked No. 14 in the region while Maitrot placed a few spots back at No. 18. As a team, the Belles were recognized in the Oracale/ITA Division II South Central Preseason Regional Rankings in the No. 10 spot this spring.
Bizot has also added Division I transfer Yasmine Ansari for the spring of 2018. Ansari transfer from Louisiana Lafayette after going 2-4 in singles play and 3-0 in doubles. Prior to ULL she was ranked as high as No. 22 on the Moroccan Women's circuit and ended the 2016 season with a final ranking of No. 33.
Hardin-Simmons was picked to finish third in the West division of the American Southwest Conference for this season after losing four starters from last year's squad.
Following the matchup with the Cowgirls, Angelo State will take on Texas Weslyan on February 8 in Fort Worth before playing their first home match against St. Edward's at 10 a.m. on February 10 at the ASU Tennis Courts. The home opener will begin with a ceremony at 9:45 to welcome tennis back to campus and there will be free food and giveaways for fans as well.
