This Friday begins the Wildcat Invitational for the women’s tennis team. They will be playing at the Hilton Tucson El Conquistador Golf and Tennis Resort from Friday to Sunday.

“We look forward to the opportunity to play an individual event at home,” head coach Vicky Maes said in a press release. “This is a first for our program and we certainly expect our girls to perform well. We have been working hard on the court and I’m eager to see the newbies in action.”

The UA will be host to NAU, New Mexico State, UTEP, Iowa State, Cal State-Northridge, and UTSA.

The teams will play both single and double events in this multi-bracket event. Friday’s matches include one round of doubles play, followed by two rounds of singles play. The second day of the Invitational will start with two rounds of singles, followed by one round of doubles. Sunday will determine the winners with one round of both singles and doubles.

“I see this event as an opportunity to see where we are physically and mentally after five weeks of practice,” Maes said. “While there are more improvements to make, I have been impressed with the progress I have seen in singles play so far.”

All of the women on the roster are set to compete, with the exception of seniors Lacey Smyth and Kim Stubbe.

Every day of the Invitational begins at 9 a.m. and all events are free of charge.

— Follow Makenzie Thiel @makenziethiel