As their final fall season as Michigan's top doubles team comes to a close, senior Sarah Cyganiak and junior Sora Moon are the 14th-ranked pair in the nation according to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's first ranking of the year.
Rankings are determined by players' records from the previous spring and summer seasons as well as their performances this fall.
Cyganiak and Moon are the No. 1 seed in the doubles competition of the ITA Midwest Championship, which begins today in Madison.
"We have a good shot at winning this tournament," Moon said.
Both will also play in the singles event along with teammates Tumeka Harris, Brooke Hart, Erryn Weggenman and Danielle Lund. Cyganiak is the No. 5 seed in the singles competition.
Michigan is the only school to qualify six players in the singles bracket, the maximum allowed from one school.
"We're really close as a team and it's exciting that we're all going," Harris said.
"This is a great tournament with the best teams in the region and the best players," Michigan coach Bitsy Ritt said. "There is a lot at stake."
Other teams competing include all the Big Ten schools, except Penn State. Players from the top 15 teams in the nation will also participate.
"This tournament provides a great opportunity for our players to play against other top players in the region," Ritt said.
With top-ranked competition among them, the three freshmen are looking forward to their first ITA tournament.
"Most of us freshman are going in with the wait-and-see attitude," Weggenman said.
The Wolverines have worked hard this season hoping to end the fall season with a good record.
"They've been progressing nicely and have shown improvement," Ritt said. "Hopefully, we've used our time wisely, and I'm pleased with how they've done."
The team has only competed in two tournaments this season, the William & Mary Invitational and the Eck Classic. At the Eck Classic, Lund won the Flight four singles draw, and Hart finished second in Flight two. Cyganiak and Moon made it to the finals of Flight one.
"As a team we have had a really good past couple of tournaments, and we hope to carry it over," Weggenman said.
The winners from this tournament will qualify for the National Team Indoor Championships to be held in Madison on Feb. 20-23.
"This team is fired up, bursting with energy and enthusiasm and prepared to battle," Cyganiak says.