LEANN BURKE / THE DEPAUW
Both the men’s and women’s tennis teams begin their competitive season later this month, something they have been working all year for. From fall season, to senior run practices, to conditioning, the varsity tennis players have been dedicated to preparing for the upcoming spring season.
“During the offseason Coach Riggle can’t be on the court with us at all,” sophomore John Daseke said. “The seniors run practices, lifts and conditioning nearly everyday of the week.”
Beyond organized practices, players were expected get some work in on their own.
“I made sure I spent a lot of time on court this offseason so that I could come into the season fully prepared,” sophomore Patrick Farrell said.
The girls have also tried to stay on the court as much as possible.
“Most of us would hit and play practice sets about 3-4 times per week,” sophomore Maddie Lee said.
As far as team workouts went, the senior class took the lead on keeping everyone in shape.
“We really took advantage of our time,” senior Claire Marshall, who is getting ready for her final season, said. “The seniors created a schedule consisting of weekly lifts, captains practices and timed runs. Not only has this helped our team maintain fitness, but also has brought the team closer together.”
However, physical preparation can only take the team so far, as Marshall acknowledges.
“Our team will need to stay mentally tough through all matches, as well as stay consistent, or even increasing the level of play during every match,” Marshall said.
“We need to arrive at every match feeling confident, ready to play smart, and do whatever it takes to win,” added senior Kaitlin Pickrel.
The men’s team lost two top singles players last year, making finding replacements their biggest hurdle for this upcoming season.
“Finding players to step up and win at the top of our singles line up [is needed],” Daseke said. “We are incredibly strong in doubles and very deep in singles, but we lost our top two singles players last year, so we need guys to step up and fill that void.”
An important part of filling voids is the first-years, who look strong for both teams.
“The freshman class is solid and constantly improving,” Daseke said. “Sean Carroll was able to play at the 6th singles spot in the fall, which is pretty impressive for a freshman. I think I am more impressed with the improvement Grant Potts and Michael Kolbus have made this offseason.”
First-years aren’t the only new faces on the men’s team, however. Joining the Tigers is Dan Rodefield, a sophomore transfer student from Division I Bradley University.
“He's been a tremendous addition to our team,” senior Chris Bertolini said.
The women’s team is also excited about their class of first-years.
“We have a great group of freshmen this year,” Lee said. “Standouts may include Alyssa Seneviratne and Waverly Wituski, but I think anything is possible with any of the four freshmen. They are all very hard-working, dedicated and talented players that are going to definitely help our team find success this season.”
The men begin the spring season this Saturday when they host Principia College at 3 p.m. and the women get their season underway later this month.