2007 conference champions: Badger -- Waunakee (North); Madison Edgewood (South). Big Eight -- Middleton. Capitol -- Watertown Luther Prep.

Best WIAA individual showings: Division 1 -- Janesville Craig's Barbara Ochotnicka (31-2) finished third in singles; Middleton's Naomi Wolff and Jillian Horner lost in the second round. Division 2 -- Caroline Stark (35-1) of Walworth Big Foot-Williams Bay won the state singles title; Michelle Searer and Laura Phelan of Madison Edgewood and Ellen Blum and Jen Yih of Walworth Big Foot-Williams Bay lost in the state quarterfinals.

Best WIAA team showings: Division 1 -- Madison East and Middleton lost in the state quarterfinals. Division 2 -- Walworth Big Foot-Williams Bay lost in the finals to Milwaukee University School, which won its fourth straight state title.

BIG QUESTIONS

Where is Rachel Margolies? The Madison West junior, who reached the third round of last year's state meet, is sidelined indefinitely with a foot injury. Regents coach Peter Dermody has moved talented freshman Sam Nagin into the No. 1 spot until Margolies, who won the Big Eight singles title as a freshman and missed part of her sophomore season with a back injury, can return.

What has conference realignment done for the balance of power? Verona brings a competitive team into a Big Eight Conference dominated by Middleton, Madison East and Madison West in recent years and Fort Atkinson made its Southern Badger debut Tuesday with a 7-0 win over three-time defending conference champ Madison Edgewood. But the conference that stands to gain the most -- both in quality and quantity -- is the Rock Valley, which breaks away from the Capitol to form its own conference with Walworth Big Foot (and Starck), Jefferson (and Beth Ganser), East Troy, McFarland and Whitewater.

Who's missing at Middleton? Senior Amie Kolimas, the Big Eight No. 2 singles champion last year, left the team to train at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Fla. The good news for the Cardinals is they have solid seniors at the top of the singles lineup in Jillian Horner (25-4 in doubles last season) and Kat Nelson (30-2 at No. 3 singles).

What's new at Sauk Prairie, Waunakee, Madison Memorial and Oregon? Coaches. Well, that's not entirely true at Oregon where Roger Pribbenow takes over a team that he coached from 1980 through 2001.

FAST FORWARD

WSJ PRESEASON ALL-AREA TEAM

Singles

First team: Beth Ganser, sr., Jefferson; Alyssa Larson, sr., Waunakee; Rachel Margolies, jr., Madison West; Caroline Starck, sr., Walworth Big Foot-Williams Bay.

Second team: Leah Dahl, jr., Fort Atkinson; Courtney Halbach, sr., Madison Edgewood; Jillian Horner, sr., Middleton; Paige Schaefer, sr., Madison East.

Honorable mention: Brandi Dohmen, sr., Portage; Kathyrn Karapysch, NA, DeForest; Megan Kasten, sr., Verona; Samantha Knox, so., Watertown Luther Prep; Abby Landsness, sr., Madison La Follette; Sam Nagin, fr., Madison West; Kat Nelson, sr., Middleton; Mara Weiner, sr., Madison East.

Doubles

First team: Bianca Bellissimo, fr., and Olivia Foley, sr., Middleton; Ellen Blum, sr., and Jen Yih, sr., Walw. Big Foot-Williams Bay; Brianne Brandenburg, sr., and Alli Deichl, sr., Fort Atkinson; Laura Phelan, sr., and Molly Mullane, sr., Madison Edgewood.

Second team: Theresa Dietzel, sr., and Cheyanne Urso, sr., McFarland; Lizzie Malzfeldt, sr., and Katelyn Ludeking, sr., Milton; Hailey Smith, jr., and Taylor Storbakken, so., Janes. Craig; Hillary Schroeder, sr., and Nellie Mitchell, jr., Madison East.

Honorable mention: Danielle Atkins., sr., and Becca Taylor, jr., Verona; Jessica Fredrick, jr., and Brianna Kleinfeldt, jr., Lodi; Lydia Free, jr., and Allie Leyrer, jr., Watertown Luther Prep; Ashley Hermanson, jr., and Gwen Sutter, jr., Monroe; Pam Lehman, sr., and Melissa Hill, sr., Monroe; Hannah Martin, so., and Callie Haag, sr., Madison La Follette.

2007 conference favorites: Badger -- Sauk Prairie, Waunakee (North); Fort Atkinson, Madison Edgewood (South). Big Eight -- Middleton, Madison East, Madison West. Capitol -- Watertown Luther Prep, Lodi. Rock Valley -- Walworth Big Foot/Williams Bay.

MARK YOUR

CALENDAR

Sept. 25, 27: Rock Valley Conference meet (UW-Whitewater).

Sept. 26-27: Badger Conference meet (Nielsen Tennis Stadium).

Sept. 27: Capitol Conference meet (Lodi).

Oct. 3: Big Eight Conference meet (Nielsen Tennis Stadium).

Oct. 6 or 7: WIAA subsectional meets.

Oct. 8: WIAA sectional meets.

Oct. 16-18: WIAA state individual meet (Nielsen Tennis Stadium).

Oct. 24-25: WIAA state team tournament (Nielsen Tennis Stadium).