RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) women's tennis team had a strong year in 2022, from spring success to a competitive fall. Now, the Vaqueros are aiming to keep the program trending upward as the start of the 2023 spring season nears. 
 
"We're ready to compete right off the bat. We competed really well during the fall, we completed a lot of inter-team matches and half the team played official matches over the break, so we're ready to go," women's tennis head coach West Nott said. 
 
UTRGV's great team chemistry creates high-energy environments both at practice and at matches. The Vaqueros radiate positive energy, and they believe it gives them an edge. They focused on culture in the fall semester as five newcomers integrated into the team, and now everyone has their sights set on attacking the spring season as one. 
 
Nott is excited about the depth and potential of UTRGV's roster. The consistent competition between the student-athletes has made each individual sharper and it fosters a team culture of gritty play and having a strong mentality. Juniors Isabelle Bahr and Lea Karren, sophomore Marjorie Souza and freshman Yaiza Vazquez are all top performers Nott said could potentially claim the No. 1 spot in the lineup. Every spot in doubles and singles will essentially be up for grabs match to match as Nott allows the Vaqueros to fight for playing time with his meritocratic approach to setting the lineup. 
 
"The team thrives with this competition. No one can relax. No one can get complacent. It's a really healthy thing for our team and it's something we need in order to compete for a Western Athletic Conference (WAC) championship. I anticipate a lot of flexibility within the lineup this year," Nott said. 
 
"Izzy has been rock solid for our team day in and day out with her attitude and competitive spirit. Marjorie has a big game. She can upset a lot of top players and she's gotten a lot stronger in the weight room. Lea has made a massive jump because she played probably 20-plus matches over the summer and played really well in the fall. I think she's hungry to prove herself in a dual match situation because she hasn't had the opportunity to really shine because of injuries," added Nott. "Yaiza, as a freshman, has really pushed Lea, Marjorie and Izzy in practice. She makes the matches tough, if not beating them, and for her it's just about getting more experience. And at the bottom it's a complete dog fight between the rest of the team." 
 
Right out of the gate, UTRGV will challenge itself with road matches against Baylor and Houston to open the season Jan. 21-22. Those opponents will be good measuring tapes to see where the Vaqueros are starting and what they should focus on to be competitive down the road. Nott said facing those proven programs allows his team to play loose with no pressure, but he still expects them to strive for a win. He believes the Vaqueros have what it takes to claim the doubles point and a chance at surprising Houston. 
 
As the season rolls on, the Vaqueros have a few goals they want to achieve – beating rival Texas A&M-Corpus Christi for the first time since Feb. 2018, qualifying for the WAC Tournament as one of the top eight teams in the conference, and reaching the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2016. The Vaqueros will lean on and push one another to reach those goals.
 
"I tell the team you can make an impact without even hitting a tennis ball, whether it's cheering or how you go about practice or being professional on the days you're not competing," Nott said. "Stefanie Wilske, Barbara Martinez and Lea are huge vocal leaders on our team. We see it every day in practice so I have no doubt they're going to be loud and rambunctious and energetic. Once we get into the WAC Tournament, we can make some noise. You have to play good for three straight matches and I think we can do that. We know what we're capable of and our lineup is deep this year, so we're trying to win the last match of the WAC Tournament and make NCAAs." 

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