BEAUMONT, Texas – The recent decisions to cancel the remainder of the 2020 spring athletics schedule has left a void for sports fans across the country. LamarCardinals.com thought it would be a great time to look back at some of the great moments, athletes and coaches that have helped Lamar University stand out in the competition arena. Over the course of the coming days and weeks, LamarCardinals.com will be posting stories – in no particular order – reliving some of these great moments.
   
At the start of the spring 2008 semester, the Lamar University women's tennis team was taking its first steps of what would go on to be the greatest season in program history. Coming off a strong 14-10 (.583) campaign with an 8-3 (.727) mark in Southland Conference matches, the Cardinals would take a huge step forward in 2008.
 
After opening the year with back-to-back shutouts, the Cardinals would drop a hard-fought 5-2 decision at Rice. The setback against the Owls would be the team's only loss over the course of the next 15 matches, and one of only two losses during the regular season. The victims of LU's win streak included New Mexico State, North Florida, Florida A&M, Marist and UT Pan American (now UT Rio Grande Valley) and also included ever single league school save for one.
 
Not only was LU posting a record-setting season in the win column, but the victories were coming in dominant fashion. The Cardinals recorded 14 shutout victories in 2008, including a stretch of four straight where they didn't surrender a point. Big Red also had six other matches where they surrendered only a point to their opponents.
 
The Cardinals entered the Southland Conference Championships as the league's No. 2 overall seed behind league freshman of the year Mariaryeni Gutierrez (the program's second-straight rookie of the year selection). The fact that LU came up just short in the chase for a regular-season title didn't halt their momentum in the tournament. The Cardinals cruised past their first two opponents by a score of 8-0 to set up and showdown with regular-season champion Southeastern Louisiana in the finals. The Red and White left no doubt in the finals dispensing of SLU, 4-2, to receive the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Championships where they faced Fresno State.
 
The Cardinals season ended on the West Coast in the NCAA opening-round match but not before the Cardinals would go on to post a school record 24-3 (.889) regular-season mark for win percentage. That season still stands as the second-best season (in terms of wins) in program history (26 in 1983).
 
Following the season, several Cardinals were named to the All-Southland Conference squad. In addition to receiving freshman of the year honors, Gutierrez was also named first-team All-SLC after posting a perfect 23-0 record at No. 2 singles and received second-team honors in doubles play with teammate Andrea Martinez. Joining Gutierrez on the first team was Kaltrina Harbuzi, while Manami Kuroda garnered second-team honors.
 
Please continue to check back with LamarCardinals.com as we continue to update more Great Moments in Cardinals History.