The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference women's tennis coaches forecast a fifth-place finish for the University of Minnesota Duluth in 2019 according to their preseason poll, which was released today.

Augustana University, the defending 10-time conference champios, were picked as the team to beat again this spring as the Vikings garnered all 11 first-place votes (head coaches are not allowed to vote for their own team) and 121 points. They were followed by Minnesota State University-Moorhead (the remaining first-place vote and 91 points), Winona State University (91 pts.), the University of Mary (86 pts.), UMD (78 pts.), and the University of Sioux Falls.

UMD welcomes back six veterans from a team that posted a 11-5 overall record (for its most wins since 2007) and tied for third place in the final NSIC standings at 8-3 (its highest conference finish in 12 years) while advancing to the league tournament for a third straight time.

Among the list of holdovers are the lone two Bulldog seniors -- team captains Megan Anderson, who spent last year handling the No. 1 singles and doubles roles, and Elsa Erickson (No. 2 double and No. 1 singles). UMD also retains the services of a pair of 2019 All-NSIC third team singles honorees in juniors Natalie Cahill and Isabel Thiner. Cahill topped the Bulldogs in singles victories last spring by going 12-2 (primarily at No. 3) --  including an 8-2 mark in NSIC play -- and opened the year by winning her first eight matches. Thiner posted a team-leading .909 winning percentage (off a 10-1 record) and went 7-1 against NSIC competition. Sophie Lynch, who enjoyed a rewarding rookie season by rolling up a 9-3 No. 4 singles record and teaming up Cahill to finish 10-3 at No. 2 doubles, and fellow sophomore Sarah Will (1-0 in singles and 1-3 in doubles) round out the list of UMD returnees.

The addition of freshmen Mallory Lithun (Armstrong High School) and Emily Rahrik (Owatonna H.S.) provides fifth-year head coach Jessica Worden and the Bulldogs additional firepower.

The Bulldogs will open the 2020 season this Friday (Jan. 31) with a match against cross-town rival St. Scholastica at 5 p.m. at the Duluth Indoor Sports Center.