Iowa has been in the national sports spotlight for the last six months because of the success of its football and men’s basketball programs, but no one seems to know the Hawkeyes have another team lighting it up with an undefeated record.
The women’s tennis team, off to its first 6-0 start since 2008, will head to Norman, Oklahoma, on Saturday and Feb. 21 to face Oregon and Oklahoma.
This year’s team comprises mostly underclassmen with two juniors and a senior thrown into the mix. One of the upperclassmen, Natalie Looney, a junior transfer from South Carolina, has stepped up big-time, head coach Katie Dougherty said.
“Natalie Looney just transferred in from South Carolina and has done a great job for us, really stepped into a leadership role, from honestly Day 1, I’m very pleased with her,” Dougherty said.
The Hawkeyes depend heavily on the veterans for leadership and to get the job done on the court; all three compete in both singles and doubles.
“They set the tone for us week in and week out,” Dougherty said. “There are expectations set at Iowa and the Big Ten: We need to be competitive, we need to compete for championships, and for ourselves, we need to get back into the top 75 and then build from there. ”
The Hawkeyes started this season with a win at home against Missouri State, and their most recent victory came in a dominant performance over Illinois State. This weekend is the first time this season that the Hawkeyes will play on the road, giving them a test to show what they are made of.
“I really just want to go out there, and give it my all, and be able to do the best I can with the things I can control,” Looney said.
The women’s team will try to mature quickly on the road.
“I think the whole culture of the team is motivating,” Loony said. “The coaches are motivating, and it’s a tough sport, it’s so mental and physical at the same time. The biggest thing I’ve learned is just to show up to do the best you can every day.”
The Iowa men’s team is also set to go on the road; they will travel to Wichita State on Feb. 21. The Hawks are 4-2 this season but have struggled this season on the road.
The No. 66 Hawkeyes have lost to Middle Tennessee State and Princeton. They will try to bounce back this weekend and possibly raise themselves in the top 75.