FRESNO, CA -- The Fresno Pacific women's tennis team opens its season next Saturday with an historic number looming -- 58.
That's the number of consecutive conference wins by the
Azusa Pacific men's tennis team from 2002 to 2008 -- a
Golden State Athletic Conference record for any sport.
Coach Neil Castro's Sunbirds are close, having amassed a 54-0 record in four years of GSAC play. And there's no reason to think they won't have another strong conference season again this spring.
Coming off their fourth straight runner-up finish in the NAIA tournament, Fresno Pacific returns five players from the lineup that reached last year's national final.
Returnees
Katia Sabate,
Vanessa Heroux,
Yulia Blinovskaya,
Elizabeth McFeeters and
Ashley Sherr will be joined by freshmen
Sara Celma,
Erika Januskova and
Cristina Vallardes.
Castro said the newcomers give his team a depth he's not seen in his four years at Fresno Pacific.
"This is the best team we've had, depth-wise," he said. "We're strong all the way through the lineup.
"Hopefully, that will be the difference maker."
The Sunbirds open next Saturday (Feb. 13) at home against CSU Stanislaus.
GSAC publicist Sheri Pine said the longest conference
winning streaks are 58 by Azusa Pacific men's tennis, followed by the Sunbirds women's 54 and 53 by Vanguard women's basketball from 2004-05.
Fresno Pacific women's volleyball has won 43 straight matches.