The University of Minnesota Duluth will close out the 2004 women's tennis season as well as its 25th, and final, year as a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference member Saturday and Sunday (April 17-18) when the Bulldogs head to Winona, MN, for the NSIC Championships.

THE TEAMS: The Bulldogs will be joined by fellow defending co-champion Winona State University, Bemidji State University, Minnesota State University-Moorhead, the University of Minnesota-Morris and Southwest State University.

THE RECORDS: The Bulldogs finished the 2004 regular season with a 10-7 overall record, which included a 4-0 record against NSIC opponents.

THE COACH:The 2003 NSIC Coach of the Year, Dan Doyle is wrapping up his fourth season as the UMD head coach. Doyle has directed the Bulldogs to a 38-26 overall record, one NSIC championship (in 2003) and two runner-up league finishes. A native of Duluth, Doyle served a two-year head coaching stint with both the Denfeld High School girl's and boy's tennis programs (1996-97). He later spent one season as the head girl's hockey coach at Red Wing High School.

DEFENDING CHAMPIONS: The Bulldogs enter the 2004 NSIC tournament boasting three-returning singles champions. Last year, senior Jenny Whalen (No. 4), senior Rachel Stutelberg (No. 5), and sophomore Beth Standke (No. 6) all walked away with individuals titles in 2003. Stutelberg and Whalen also are the reigning No. 3 doubles champions.



The Bulldogs also return senior captain Amber Fischer, who finished as the runner up at No. 4 singles in 2002 and No. 2 singles in 2003. Fischer also placed second (with since- departed Allison Warn) at No. 1 doubles one year ago.

ABOUT THE BULLDOGS: The Bulldogs have amassed an overall singles record of 49-37 this season and are 30-18 in doubles competition. Standke and fellow sophomore Kara Skildum are tied for the team lead with ten wins in singles play this spring. Whalen and Stutelberg sport a team-high 13-3 overall doubles record (primarily at No. 2).

DOMINATING DOGS: UMD has finished either first or second each of the past 16 NSIC Championships, winning at least a share of six league crowns (1993, 1995-97, 2000 and 2003) during that stretch.