GREENVILLE, S.C. -- The nation's top women's tennis talent will descend upon Furman this weekend, as the 35th annual Debbie Southern Furman Fall Classic will be held Friday through Sunday at the Mickel Tennis Center in Greenville, S.C. The tournament will feature ten teams, in a flighted competition (i.e. no team winner, just individual flight champions for singles and doubles).
Eight of the ten teams competing in the tournament were ranked in the top 39 in the 2022 final ITA Collegiate Tennis rankings: North Carolina (3), Duke (4), Ohio State (15), Wake Forest (23), Vanderbilt (27), South Carolina (28), Georgia Tech (32), and Furman (39). Clemson concluded last season ranked 63rd, while Mississippi State was 68th.
Two rounds of doubles will begin at 9 a.m. on Friday, followed by a round of singles at 1 p.m. Play will continue on Saturday and Sunday, beginning at 9 a.m. each day. Admission is free to the event. Follow @FurmanWTennis on Twitter for updates in case of inclement weather.
"The Debbie Southern Fall Classic is always a highly competitive event which draws some of the best collegiate teams in the country," said Furman head coach Michelle Dasso. "We take pride in showcasing our campus and tennis venue and are thankful for the many volunteers and sponsors that help make this event so special. The level of play and energy will be extremely high, as it is the first collegiate event of the fall for many of the participants. I personally couldn't be more excited to coach my Furman players for the first time on our home courts."
Furman finished the 2022 season with a 22-7 overall record and claimed the SoCon's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament by capturing its 21st league title. The Paladins ranked as high as 19th nationally, a program record, after defeating No. 26 Alabama and 24th-ranked Texas Tech at the prestigious Blue Gray Tournament. Furman, which made its 14th appearance in the NCAA tournament, returns the reigning SoCon Freshman of the Year, Sara Snyder, who was ranked 65th nationally in the spring of 2022. Snyder, Ellie Schulson, and Jess Dawson all earned spots on the SoCon All-Freshman team and the All-SoCon second team for singles last season.
