Utica, NY (9-4-12) - The Utica College women's tennis team opens up the 2012 season next week as they host three consecutive matches at the friendly confines of the Utica College Tennis Courts starting on Tuesday, Sept. 11.  The Pioneers currently have 10 matches scheduled this Fall including seven in the Empire 8 Conference.

The Pioneers

UC brings a 10 women roster to the courts this season and looks to its five upperclassmen to lead the way.   Senior's Jennifer Persio (Cheshire, CT/Tilton ) and Nives Vujanic (Utica, NY/T.R. Proctor) return for their final campaign as Pioneers and will be accompanied by junior's Taylor Banovic (Utica, NY/Notre Dame), Cailee Williams and Elise Pape (New York Mills, NY/Holland Patent). Also, Sophomore Heather Brisson (Azusa, CA/Azusa) from Azusa, California will return for her second year campaign.

Four new student-athletes will take the court for the first time for the Pioneers including sophomore Andrenna Sykes (Westbury, NY/Westbury) and freshmen Melanie Guzman (Augosta, ME/Cony ), Doni Look (Bridgeport, NY/Chittenango) and Rose Zaloom (Utica, NY/T.R. Proctor).

Schedule Preview

Utica kicks off the season in conference play Tuesday, Sept. 11 as they welcome Ithaca College to campus for an afternoon match scheduled for 4 p.m.  The next day, Thursday on Sept. 12, the Pioneers will square off against Union College in non-conference action.  Then, on Saturday Sept. 15, UC wraps up its home stretch against E8 rival Elmira College at 1 p.m. before hitting the road for its first away match.

Utica will travel to Rochester, NY on Tuesday, Sept. 15 foran E8 battle with St. John Fisher College.  The match is scheduled for 4 p.m. at the Mendon Racquet Club in Pittsford, NY.

The Pioneers return home on Saturday, Sept. 22 for a non-conference contest with Cazenovia College scheduled for 1 p.m. before depart for two away contests.

The next weekend, UC will set out for back-to-back Empire 8 Contests, on the road, against Alfred University and Nazareth College.  Utica will face AU on Saturday Sept. 29 and the Golden Flyers of Nazareth on Sunday.  The competitions are set to start at 1 p.m. both days.

UC then returns home for its final season match at the UC Tennis Courts before closing out the Fall with consecutive matches on the road.  The Pioneers will host Hartwick College on Tuesday Oct. 2 for a 4 p.m. set volley. Utica heads to Stevens Institute of Technology on Saturday Oct. 6 for its last conference competition of the season which is scheduled for 2 p.m. and then travels across town to Hamilton College on Thursday Oct. 11 to face the Continentals in the season climax.

The Pioneers went 0-11 last season and look to improve this season under 26th year head coach John Nigro.