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2006 Women's Tennis Spring Preseason Poll Release
Valparaiso favored to defend women’s tennis title in preseason poll
Valparaiso's Jill Dierberg |
Valparaiso's Rachel Janssen |
IUPUI's Mallory Stemle |
Southern Utah's Veronica Cortes |
Oakland's Angie Trecola |
ELMHURST, ILL. - Valparaiso, which won its first-ever women’s tennis Tournament title a year ago, is favored to defend its championship as the Crusaders took the top spot in the 2006 Mid-Continent Conference Women’s Tennis Preseason Poll. The voting panel is comprised of the league’s nine head coaches, who could not vote for their own team.
Valpo, which has not lost a regular-season conference match in two years, received seven first-place votes to secure the top spot with 63 points, while IUPUI recorded the other two first-place votes on its way to a second-place showing with 57 points. Oral Roberts and Southern Utah tied for the third spot with 43 points apiece, while Western Illinois completed the Top 5 with 31 tallies. Oakland (30), Chicago State (27), Centenary (21) and UMKC (9) round out the poll.
Valparaiso head coach Tim Maluga, the 2005 Coach of the Year, will look to a talented returning core to lead the way to another title. Jill Dierberg and Rachel Janssen will lead the Crusaders after being named All Mid-Con a year ago. Adding depth to the squad will be Kate Evangelist, Jenny Schwartz and Charmaine Stanislaw who combined for a 12-2 mark during the fall campaign.
IUPUI will look to return to the top of the Mid-Con after a loss in the semifinals a season ago. Head coach Andrea Lord will look to Mallory Stemle, an All Mid-Con performer a year ago, Jessie Ritchie and Andrea Burkhardt to lead the Jaguars to the top of the Mid-Con. Ritchie was a team-best 8-2 in singles play during the fall, while Burkhardt went 4-4 in singles and a Mid-Con best 6-1 in doubles with partner Allison Thompson.
Oral Roberts enters the spring season on the heels of a solid fall campaign and are poised to break through to the top of the Mid-Con. Emily Arkell, Adrianna Garcia and Corrine Langston will look to lead the Golden Eagles back to the prominence they enjoyed during the 1998-02 seasons, which saw ORU win five tourney titles in as many tries.
Southern Utah was idle during the fall season but is coming off an appearance in the Mid-Con Championship match a year ago. The T-Birds top returnee is second team All Mid-Con performer Veronica Cortes, the 2005 Newcomer of the Year. Cortes recorded a team-best 13-4 mark, including 6-2 in Mid-Con play to lead SUU to the brink of a title. Experienced veterans Casie Brooks, Cristina Garcia and Lisseth Hoyos return to give SUU depth as they look to claim the first-ever women’s tennis title in school history.
Western Illinois looks to move up the Mid-Con standings and get into the Championship tourney on the strength of some key returnees. Constanza Comacho and Andrea Courtney tied for the team lead in singles wins during the fall and also were a formiable doubles pairing. Jennifer Lutzke and Danielle Moy will also be counted in the Westerwinds’ quest for a title.
Oakland hopes to carry the momentum of a strong fall season into the spring campaign. Angie Trecola led the Golden Grizzlies in the fall with a perfect 5-0 mark in singles as well as a 3-1 mark in doubles with partner Lauren Sanchez-Murphy. Jessica Erickson, Michelle Maxfield and Amanda Scheer will also be key components to the OU push.
Chicago State head coach Titania Harris will lead a young but talented group into the 2006 season. Harris will rely on Cristina Vlase and Samantha Islas to provide leadership for CSU. Ulanda Fulford, Erica P. Watkins and Erica Wilkes will provide depth as Chicago State looks to qualify for the Mid-Con Championship for the first time in school history.
Centenary only competed in one event during the fall season but are poised to have a strong spring campaign on the strength of talented newcomers and veteran returnees.Two-time Player of the Year Anja Schmidt has graduated from the Ladies’ lineup leaving Christine Majchrowicz and Heather Kelley to provide experience and key leadership to a young squad. The Ladies will also rely on Versha Sharma and Jennifer Majchrowicz in their quest for the Mid-Con title.
UMKC did not play in any matches during the fall but will look to turn the corner and move up the Mid-Con standings in 2006. The ’Roos will rely on Sarena Apte, Moli Boyd and Anna Grodzinsky to provide the leadership as they look to bounce back into contention for the Mid-Con title.
 
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