Contact: Jenna McElroy, Sports Info & Social Media Intern, mcelroy@midwestconference.org
GRINNELL, Iowa – The Midwest Conference (MWC) women’s tennis coaches picked Grinnell College to win its third consecutive league title in the annual preseason coaches’ poll. In 2017, the Pioneers completed their second consecutive undefeated conference season and posted a 19-5 overall record.
Grinnell received eight first place votes and a total of 80 points for its number one selection. The coaches view Lake Forest as the biggest threat to the Pioneers attempt at a three-peat. The Foresters picked up the other two first-place votes and received a total of 74 points to finish second in the poll.
Based on the coaches voting, the battle for third place in the conference should be a tight one as St. Norbert College (62) and Cornell College (60) were separated by only two points for third and fourth, respectively. Lawrence University rounds out the top-five picking up a total of 46 points.
Knox College is selected to finish sixth with 35 points, while the next three teams are separated by just four points as Monmouth College took seventh (30), followed by Illinois College in eighth (27) and Ripon College in ninth (26). Beloit College rounds out the poll with 10 points.
The 2018-19 season gets underway on Saturday, August 25 with Monmouth at Blackburn College, while MWC play opens with Ripon at Lawrence on Thursday, September 6. The MWC Individual Tournaments in singles and doubles, hosted by Lawrence University at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, complete the fall portion of the schedule on October 13-14.
Full Preseason Poll Results:
| 1. Grinnell |
80 (8) |
6. Knox |
35 |
| 2. Lake Forest |
74 (2) |
7. Monmouth |
30 |
| 3. St. Norbert |
62 |
8. Illinois College |
27 |
| 4. Cornell |
60 |
9. Ripon |
26 |
| 5. Lawrence |
46 |
10. Beloit |
10 |
Below is a team-by-team preview of all MWC programs:
Beloit College Buccaneers
Head Coach: George Williams (3rd season) 0-35, 0-18 MWC
2017: 0-17, 0-9 MWC
Projected 2018 MWC Finish: 10th
Returning Starters: 5
The Buccaneers return five players from last year’s squad for Coach Williams' third season. Beloit’s most frequent No. 1 and 2 singles players, Hayden Lamphere and Priya Heinen, look to lead an experienced junior class back into the win column in 2018. Lamphere’s and Heinen’s doubles partners, Meghan Davis and Emma Hahn, respectively, also return to once again team up at the No. 1 and No. 2 doubles flights.
Cornell College Rams
Head Coach: Peter Dumas (2nd season) 12-8, 7-2 MWC
2017: 12-8, 7-2 MWC
Projected 2018 MWC Finish: 4th
Returning Starters: 3
Cornell graduated the program’s all-time career wins leader Julia Thome and singles wins leader Gabriella Ferro, but the team does return No. 2 and No. 3 singles players Abbey Nelson and Raquel Ruiz. Ruiz looks to bring home a MWC Championship this year after finishing runner-up at No. 1 doubles in 2017 and at No. 3 doubles in 2016. The two juniors, along with senior Janice Elkerton, look to continue the Rams streak of four consecutive winning dual seasons.
Grinnell College Pioneers
Head Coach: Paige Madara (3rd season) 34-12, 18-0 MWC
2017: 19-5, 9-0 MWC
Projected 2018 MWC Finish: 1st
Returning Starters: 5
In 2018, the Pioneers won their second consecutive MWC regular season title and Coach Madara was named the MWC Coach-of-the-Year in her second season. Grinnell returns four MWC singles champions and a MWC champion doubles pairing. Milica Cyrkota capped an impressive freshman season by winning the No. 1 singles flight and being named the MWC Newcomer-of-the-Year. No. 3 singles champion Ali Hickey and No. 4 singles champion Abby Nielson return as the two also teamed up to win the No. 2 doubles flight last year. Senior Lily Hamilton seeks her third straight title after winning the No. 5 flight in 2016 and the No. 6 flight in 2017.
Illinois College Lady Blues
Head Coach: Andrew Bartelmo (6th season) 20-48, 7-36 MWC
2017: 6-10, 2-7 MWC
Projected 2018 MWC Finish: 8th
Returning Starters: 4
The Lady Blues return top players Sally Hixson and Kalisa Goertz. Hixson won six matches at the No. 1 singles flight, while Goertz won 10 at the No. 5 flight and was 6-3 in conference play. Goertz’s doubles partner, Madelyn Deardorff, also returns as the tandem went 9-5 at the No. 3 doubles spot in 2017. Deardoff also won six games as the No. 6 singles player.
Knox College Prairie Fire
Head Coach: Meredith Witherell (2nd season) 7-11, 5-4 MWC
2017: 7-11, 5-4 MWC
Projected 2018 MWC Finish: 9th
Returning Starters: 1
Knox finished in fifth with a record of 5-4 in 2017, one win and place from qualifying for the MWC Team Tournament. The Prairie Fire seek that tournament berth in 2018 led by Bhumika Gupta. Gupta played a majority of the year as the No. 1 singles player as a first year and picked up seven victories.
Lake Forest College Foresters
Head Coach: Raquel Allen (2nd season) 33-13, 14-4 MWC
2017: 23-3, 8-1 MWC
Projected 2018 MWC Finish: 2nd
Returning Starters: 6
Raquel Allen had a successful first season as Foresters coach with a second place finish in the regular season with a record of 8-1 and taking second in the MWC Team Tournament. Lake Forest returns two MWC singles champions and a champion doubles pairing for 2018. Senior Allison Watts is back to lead the team after capturing the MWC title at the No. 2 flight last season, while freshman Gracie Gould picked up the MWC title at the No. 5 flight. The Foresters also had a couple runner-up finishes at No. 1 and No. 3 singles with Julie Lord and Leeza Bodnar. Lord and Bodnar then proved two is better than one as the pair won the No. 1 doubles flight.
Lawrence University Vikings
Head Coach: Steve Francour (6th season) 38-45, 20-21 MWC
2017: 6-11, 4-5 MWC
Projected 2018 MWC Finish: 5th
Returning Starters: 5
The Vikings will be led by senior Katie Nottberg who won nine matches at No. 1 doubles and five singles matches at the No. 3 flight. Number two doubles pair El Goblirsch and Annie Harincar return after the tandem won five matches and played in the MWC doubles tournament. Tillie Teske is back to build on a positive freshman year where she had seven wins at the No. 6 flight.
Monmouth College Fighting Scots
Head Coach: Brian Jordan (5th season) 15-68, 11-32 MWC
2017: 4-13, 3-6 MWC
Projected 2018 MWC Finish: 7th
Returning Starters: 6
The Fighting Scots moved up two spots in the standings last season and look to continue their climb in 2018 with the return of top players Emma Johanns and Natalie Curtis. Johanns won six matches at No. 2 singles and was part of the top doubles pair, while Curtis won seven matches at the No. 6 singles flight and competed at No. 2 doubles. Monmouth also returns its No. 3 doubles team of McKenzie DeVilder and Haley Johnston.
Ripon College Red Hawks
Head Coach: Robert Oertal (1st season)
2017: 3-17, 1-8 MWC
Projected 2018 MWC Finish: 9th
Returning Starters: 5
Ripon will be led by new head coach Robert Oertal and a group of four seniors. The Red Hawks are headlined by No. 1 and No. 2 singles players Courtney Olson and Morgan Makar who also teamed up at the No. 1 doubles flight in 2017. Carly Wesner is back at No. 4 singles, while her doubles partner from 2016, Samantha Kiesner, returns to the court in 2018. MacKenzie Warner looks to build on an encouraging freshman season where she tied for the team lead with five singles victories at the No. 3 flight.
St. Norbert College Green Knights
Head Coach: Casey Brice (2nd season) 15-14, 6-3 MWC
2017: 15-14, 6-3 MWC
Projected 2018 MWC Finish: 3rd
Returning Starters: 6
In head coach Casey Brice’s first season, the Green Knights finished fourth with a record of 6-3 and qualified for the MWC Tournament and return lots of experience for 2018. Claire Hetzel won the No. 3 doubles title, while Lauren Paulson returns after winning nine matches at the No. 3 singles flight. Meg Witt finished runner-up at the No. 2 singles flight after picking up eleven wins at the spot in the regular season tying fellow returner and No. 1 singles player, Jordyn Lawatsch for most on the team. Lawatsch teamed up with Paulson as the No. 2 doubles pair last season to lead the team with eight doubles victories.