From the Sidelines, a Coach’s Column: Women’s Tennis

The Sewanee Tennis teams compete in both the fall and spring semesters. Although spring is the traditional season including over 20 dual matches, the SCAC Championships, and the NCAA Tournament, the teams compete each fall in the USTA/ITA Regional Championships. The singles and doubles champions are awarded a birth in the ITA National Championships held in Mobile, Alabama each October.

The past weekend as many families joined together with their Sewanee students on the mountain, the Women's tennis team hosted over 100 singles players and 49 doubles teams from 13 schools throughout the southeast. Sewanee's outstanding facilities including ten outdoor courts, a tennis stadium, and 3 indoor courts give us the opportunity to host this prestigious championship each year.

Sewanee's Tiger Tennis team entered 15 singles players and seven doubles teams in the event. With such a large draw, Sewanee placed nine players in the main draw, three players in the Atlantic draw, and two in the South draw. Freshman Kate Stanford led the way by reaching the semi-finals of the championship division. Along the way she upset 2009 NCAA singles champion Lorne McManigle of Emory University in straight sets before falling to eventual champion Zara Dawson, also from Emory. Sophomore Jenny Liles, who played number one for the Tigers last season, reached the quarterfinals of singles by winning three matches and the semi-finals of doubles with Stanford by winning three more. Junior Michelle Flume and Sophomore Anne Garland advance to the final eight in doubles and both won two tough rounds in the main draw of singles as well.

Junior Kathleen Catherall was crowned the Champion of the Atlantic Draw winning an incredible five matches in one day on Saturday. Her fitness level and commitment to training were evident as she fought off severe leg cramps in her fourth match of the day while being down four match points. Catherall eventually prevailed in the third set tiebreaker and went on to reach the finals of doubles with Miriam Pate as well. Their opponents in the finals were another Sewanee team of Sophomore Mary Katherine Horne and Freshman Elizabeth Lee.

Seniors Lindsay Wilburn and Ashley Macon each won their respective consolation brackets. Other outstanding performances came from Julia Wood, Derry Roberson, and Meredith Lawrence. Freshman Mary Taylor Tepper and doubles specialist Laura Szyperski also look to add depth to the Sewanee line-up this year.

"This was a great championship event for our team. We showed strength and depth in our line-up from the top on down. Our young players performed very well and we have a core group of seniors that are excellent leaders. Our players are energized and already looking forward to the spring semester."