The Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference’s preseason coaches’ poll announced the IUS women’s tennis team as the preseason No. 1 team.
The women’s tennis team won their regular 2010-2011 season with a record of 14-4 and came out conference tournament champions.
“I wasn’t surprised,” Jenni Walters, IUS Women’s Tennis head coach, said. “The team that finishes first from the previous season usually gets voted to the top of the preseason rankings.”
The KIAC women’s coaches submitted their votes on how they believed the teams would finish in the upcoming season.
IU Southeast was selected as the No. 1 pick out of seven teams, with 62 points.
Following IU Southeast in the poll in the No. 2 position was Asbury, with 50 points and Midway College in the No. 3 position, with 47 points.
“We’ve won the KIAC poll for more than 10 years in a row now,” Walters said. “Until someone beats us in the regular season or tournament, there would be no reason we wouldn’t be picked as the preseason No. 1.”
Joe Glover, athletic director, said he believes Walters has done a good job in creating this winning team.
“[Walters] has done a really great job at recruiting talent and developing those players,” Glover said. “I think that the constant learning and developing has really helped them to be successful.”
The team has four all-conference players returning. Along with them, are group of freshmen to help motivate the team.
Walters said she credits the team’s high level of spirit as an important driving factor to their success.
“This team has a great attitude and work ethic,” Walters said. “Everyone gets along extremely well, and no one is afraid to work hard. Everyone who is on the team wants to be there, so there’s a common desire to do as well as they possibly can.”
Glover and Walters said the main focus of this season is to validate the preseason rank and make it a postseason victory.
“My expectations align with the preseason rankings,” Walters said. “I expect us to win all of our conference matches and the KIAC tournament, and I always expect to have fun along the way with the great group of women that we’re somehow usually able to put together.”
Emma LaDuke, history senior, said she sees this season as another chance to improve.
“You have different people coming in, and you just have to take each season at a time. I don’t look at the past and just focus on the future,” LaDuke said.
By HANNA WOODS
Staff
hrwoods@umail.iu.edu
