Alicia Beck
  • Physical Education
  • Class of 2018
  • Bismark, N.D.

Beck, UW-Whitewater Women's Tennis Host NCAA Tournament Regional

2016 May 11

Alicia Beck, a native of Bismarck, ND, and graduate of St. Mary's Central High School, is a member of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women's tennis team, which will host a seven-team NCAA Division III Tournament Regional this week at Wangerin Courts in Whitewater.

The Warhawks (22-5 overall), appearing in their ninth straight national tournament, earned an automatic bid after winning the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Team Tournament on April 30.

UW-Whitewater will play St. Scholastica (19-6) in the first round Thursday at 10:30 a.m. Also competing in first round matches at UW-Whitewater are Hope (18-4) and Northwestern-St. Paul (23-6), and Gustavus Adolphus (21-7) and Wheaton (Ill.) (18-1).

Should the Warhawks advance to round two, they would play the winner of Hope/Northwestern-St. Paul on Friday. The winner of the match between Gustavus Adolphus and Wheaton (Ill.) will advance to play Chicago (11-5), which received a first round bye.

The remaining two teams will face-off on Saturday with the opportunity to advance to the Elite Eight in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Beck, a sophomore at UW-Whitewater, is majoring in physical education.

See below for a complete preview of this weekend's regional round.

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women's tennis team has asserted itself as an, if not the, elite team in the state of Wisconsin over the course of the last decade.

The team's dominance over in-state opponents is remarkable. The Warhawks have not lost a WIAC match dating all the way back to October 7, 2006. UW-W has not lost to an NCAA Division III opponent from the state of Wisconsin since that same date, 109 dual matches ago.

Head Coach Frank Barnes stated, "It's an honor to be the representative of the very tough WIAC for the ninth consecutive time. For the players to come up strong year after year with a target on their back says a lot about their toughness."

The Warhawks' success against state opponents has been a large reason why they are making their ninth consecutive NCAA Division III Tournament appearance. The Warhawks will host six teams for the first three rounds of NCAA competition beginning Thursday.

Up first for the Warhawks is St. Scholastica. The Warhawks and Saints have met once in program history and that was back in the 2008 NCAA Tournament. With one senior in the lineup, the Warhawks won that match, 5-2.

Barnes noted of their first round opponent, "St. Scholastica is a strong team that had great matches this year with our conference rivals. They showed their power at the top of the lineup in doubles, and depth in singles in their 5-4 matches with UW-La Crosse and UW-Eau Claire. I expect a tough first round match."

Eight years later the 21st-ranked Warhawks again feature a lineup with just one senior. UW-W is led by junior Megan Humphreys (Kenosha/Tremper) at No. 1 singles and freshman Gabi Kitchell (Wausau, Wis./D.C. Everest) at No. 2. Humphreys, a two-time All-American, is ranked fourth in the Central Region with a 26-7 record. Kitchell is an impressive 39-1 in singles play and ranks eighth in the region.

Sophomores Bridgid McGuire (Slinger/Slinger), Alexandra Talyansky (Mequon/Homestead) and Jillian Wallace (Crystal Lake, IL/Central) and junior Rachel Siemon (Crystal Lake, IL/South) typically make up the rest of the singles lineup for UW-W. The Warhawks enter tournament play with a dual match record of 22-5, making it the ninth straight season with 20 or more wins.

The Warhawks, ranked third in the Central Region, have been equally impressive in doubles. Humphreys pairs with McGuire as the top-ranked team in the region for a 31-4 record. Alicia Beck (Bismarck, ND/St. Mary's Central) teams up with Wallace at two doubles and together they are ranked 14th in the region with a record of 28-8. The third doubles tandem of Kitchell and Taylansky have racked up an impressive 25-2 record in their first season playing together.

With bragging rights in the state, the Warhawks look to extend those to the national level. UW-W has advanced to the third round in NCAA play in three of the last four seasons. This is the first time in school history the women will host NCAA postseason play.

Information about the other six teams competing at UW-Whitewater's regional site is below.

University of Chicago

National Ranking: 9

Regional Ranking: 1

Record: 11-5

Highlights: The Maroons are making their eighth consecutive and ninth overall NCAA Division III Tournament appearance. Ariana Iranpour leads the Maroon with 19 wins in singles play and teams up with Courtney Warren in doubles. The pair is 8-2. This season Chicago finished third in the UAA Championship.

History with UW-Whitewater: The Warhawks and Maroons met back on April 2nd with UChicago coming away with a 5-3 win. The Maroons hold the series advantage with the Warhawks with a record of 13-4. UW-Whitewater lost to UChicago in the NCAA Tournament in both 2012 and 2013.

Gustavus Adolphus College

National Ranking: 36

Regional Ranking: 9

Record: 21-7

Highlights: The Golden Gusties are returning to the tournament for the first time since 2012. Prior to 2012, GAC had a 22-year run in which it appeared in the national tournament, including winning the National Championship in 1990. Michaela Schulz and Lizzy Stanczyk lead the Golden Gusties as a doubles team and as singles players.

History with UW-Whitewater: A notable rivalry has shaped over the course of the last several years between these teams. The last ten meetings between GAC and UW-W have been split right down the middle, 5-5, but the Warhawks have won the last four. However, the Gusties have ended the Warhawks' season in the NCAA tournament three times - 2008, 2010 and 2011.

Hope College

National Ranking: 34

Regional Ranking: 8

Record: 18-4

Highlights: This will be Hope's 5th straight NCAA appearance and 11th overall. The Flying Dutch qualified after defeating Kalamazoo in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Tournament. Hope, currently on a 14-match win streak, is led by senior Anna Garcia and junior Nancy Benda.

History with UW-Whitewater: These two teams have met just a handful of times in the last few years. The Warhawks' earned their first win over Hope last season but the Flying Dutch lead the all-time series 3-1.

University of Northwestern-St. Paul

National Ranking: not ranked

Regional Ranking: not ranked

Record: 23-6

Highlights: This is UNW's first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. The Eagles finished as runner-up in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference regular season but defeated the College of St. Scholastica in the UMAC Tournament. UNW is led by Karen Moe, Rachel Bostrom and Tina Matetich who have each surpassed the 100 career win mark in singles and doubles play.

History with UW-Whitewater: Based on the record books, these two teams have never met.

College of St. Scholastica

National Ranking: not ranked

Regional Ranking: not ranked

Record: 19-6

Highlights: This is St. Scholastica's 5th NCAA Tournament appearance and second in a row. CSS won the UMAC regular season title for the 19th time in the last 20 seasons. The Saints are led by Jessica Solberg and Madeleine Scanlan who have paired up in doubles for 19 wins - the second-most wins by a duo in a single season in program history.

History with UW-Whitewater: These teams have met just once - back in the 2008 NCAA Tournament in St. Peter, Minnesota. The Warhawks won 6-1.

Wheaton College

National Ranking: not ranked

Regional Ranking: 13

Record: 18-1

Highlights: This is Wheaton's 10th NCAA Championship appearance. The Thunder finished second at the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Championship last fall but won the CCIW's spring tournament to earn the league's automatic bid. Senior Julie Buursma was named CCIW Player of the Year and freshman Sara Magnuson is a perfect 20-0 in singles play.

History with UW-Whitewater: Due to proximity, the Thunder and Warhawks have met many times. This season the Warhawks topped the Thunder 8-1 in Whitewater. UW-W holds the all-time series lead with a record of 22-15.