SAN FRANCISCO — After a program-record 2014 season that included a trip to the NCAA Division II West Region Tournament and a third-place finish at the Pacific West Conference Tournament, six returners, three newcomers and a new head coach are ready to climb even higher in 2015 for Academy of Art women's tennis.
The Urban Knights completed a successful fall season in October under brand new head coach Nicole Briceño-Garzón that earned them a No. 14 national ranking to begin the year. Senior Nina Gajdosikova also begins the spring with national rankings of her own. A No. 43 singles ranking coupled with a No. 21 doubles ranking teaming with fellow senior Jenny Johansson makes Gajdosikova an important part of a core group that has been with the Knights through much of their recent success.
 
Gajdosikova and Johansson, along with senior Kinga Kurczbuch and juniors Michelle Dandik Zaale and Lucia Zavarcikova, were all with the Knights in 2013 when the team went 20-7 and won twice in the PacWest Tournament after an opening-round loss. Those five, coupled with sophomore Annika Schneider in her rookie season last year, helped lead ART U to its best win percentage at 17-4 in 2014. In the process, the Urban Knights booked their first-ever trip to the NCAA postseason with an appearance in the NCAA Division II West Regional.
 
But a quick 5-0 sweep at the hands of Hawaii Pacific – who would go on to win the region and travel to the NCAA national championship – has left the team with much to be desired.
 
The core of three seniors and two juniors join forces with Schneider in her second season and three freshmen who all look to make an impact.
 
Gabriela Rivas of San Salvador, El Salvador, and Marla Seaver of Rochester, Mich., join the squad for 2014-15. Dorota Markowska of Wystep, Poland, is the newest addition to the team, joining the Urban Knights over the winter.
 
Academy of Art's season begins Saturday at North Bay rival Dominican University of California. It continues in the North Bay on Feb. 20 at No. 23 Sonoma State before opening the home portion of the schedule on Feb. 22 versus No. 27 Cal State Stanislaus. The Knights make a trip to Hawaii March 18-21, facing No. 4 BYU-Hawaii, Chaminade and No. 6 Hawaii Pacific.
 
The season again culminates in Surprise, Ariz., with the PacWest Conference Tournament April 16-18, hopefully parlaying into a second straight trip to the NCAA Division II West Regional.