30 August 2001
CONTACT: Stew Salowitz, (309) 556-3206
 
 

2001 IWU Women's Tennis Team Looks Solid

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. ­ Despite the absence of four of her top players from last fall, Illinois Wesleyan University women's tennis coach Sally Mangina is very optimistic about her team's chances this year.

IWU opens its season in a Quincy University tournament on Saturday, then plays a dual meet vs. Quincy on Sunday.

"I think we're more solid overall this season that we were last year and we have good talent and depth," said Mangina, whose team finished third in the 2000 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin tournament. "All of our players worked hard on conditioning during the summer and it shows. They reported to practice very fit and we've had some excellent preseason challenge matches."

The Titans must replace graduated seniors Nikki Ogrin, Nicole Skalski and Nicole Tiberi, all of whom are in the top 12 in IWU history for career singles victories, and Erika Herrin, last year's No. 5 singles player as a freshman, who has elected not to play tennis this fall.

The Titans' top four singles players in the preseason have been freshman Diane Arnold and junior Krista Vogel, both Bloomington High School products, and sophomores Deanna Deschler (Champaign, Central HS) and Mialy Ramaroson (Islamabad, Pakistan).

Last fall, Deschler played No. 1 singles and had a 10-10 record while placing third in the conference meet while Vogel was 10-6 at No. 3 singles. Arnold was a four-year tennis letterwinner and an all-conference player for the Purple Raiders.

Senior captain Alison Oliver (Bannockburn, Woodlands Academy), who has been named the team's "Most Improved Player" the past two years, and sophomore Lindy Wick (Highland, Breese Mater Dei) are others who will play in the top six singles positions.

Oliver was 4-1 overall in singles last fall, including a 3-1 record at No. 6, and teamed with Vogel for an 11-6 No. 3 doubles record.
 
Mangina has yet to determine doubles teams for the regular season, but indicated that Deschler and Ramaroson will comprise one doubles team for the tournament this weekend while Oliver will team with Wick.