NOTRE DAME, Ind. -- The first day of the NCAA individual singles and doubles championship saw the most-ever first-round upsets in the singles draw on Monday at the Courtney Tennis Center at the University of Notre Dame, host of the 1998 NCAA Division I Women's Tennis Championship. Four of the top eight seeds in the 64-player singles draw were eliminated in the first round for the first time ever since the championship began in 1982.

Stanford's second-seeded sophomore Anne Kremer lost 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 to San Diego's Zuzana Lesenarova to become the first No. 2 seed to lose in the first round since Lucie Ludvigova of Texas in 1994. William & Mary's eighth-seeded Lauren Nikolaus, who was named ITA Player of the Year on Sunday, was the first seeded singles player to lose, dropping a 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 match to Tulsa's Anoushlka Van Exel. Fifth seed Sandy Sureephong of Texas and sixth seed Annica Cooper of UCLA also dropped first round matches.

Top-seeded Mirela Vladulescu of Alabama-Birmingham survived a match point against her in second set to rally for a 2-6, 7-6 (3), 6-3 first round win over Vanderbilt's Julie Ditty. Third-seeded Amanda Augustus of California, fourth-seeded Vanessa Webb of Duke and seventh-seeded Holly Parkinson of BYU all won among the top eight seeds.

All top four seeds in doubles won, including Florida's top-seed and two-time defending NCAA champion team of senior Dawn Buth and junior Stephanie Nickitas who won their 11th straight NCAA championship doubles match with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Richmond's Lesia Bilak and Bridget Merrick. Three No. 5-8 seeds lost, including Kremer and Teryn Ashley who were beaten by Purdue's Jennifer Embry and Mary Beth Maggart. Embry and Maggart will face Notre Dame's Tiffany Gates and Jennifer Hall in the second round who rallied for a 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 win over Arizona State's Alison Nash and Celene McCoury.