DURHAM, N.C. (www.NCCUEaglePride.com)  - The Lady Eagles of North Carolina Central University return to the courts for the 2012 regular season, ready to go racket-to-racket with the 49ers of UNC Charlotte in Charlotte, N.C., on Sunday, Jan. 29.

In his 15th season as the head women’s tennis coach, David Nass returns seniors Cameron Chatman and Maritsann Sinclair and No. 1 singles player Olesya Palko, while welcoming freshmen Ekaterina Nekrasova and Rebecca Wood.

 During the 2010-11 campaign Palko led the Lady Eagles with 15 wins over seven losses in the No. 1 spot, as Chatman competed as No. 2 singles player achieving a record of 15 wins in only four losses.

In doubles play, the senior and junior pair conjoined their efforts as the No. 1 doubles team and finished the season with 12 wins and seven defeats.

Sinclair, who completed her collegiate volleyball career in the fall of 2011, was a member of the 2009-10 NCCU women’s tennis and returns while working towards her projected May 2012 graduation.

Joining the mighty maroon are newcomers Nekrasova and Wood.  Nekrasova hails from Severodvinsk, Russia, as Wood is a native of Nottinghamshire, England.

This season, NCCU will travel to 12 institutions and hosts eight home matches.  Of those 20 matches, five of those contests will be Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference matchups, along with a possible MEAC Tournament appearance on March 13-15 in Raleigh, N.C.

Visit the official NCCU Athletics website www.NCCUEaglePride.com for up-to-date information on Lady Eagle Tennis.