2006 season preview

August 31, 2006

NORTON, MA- Wheaton College's longest-tenured coach welcomes her 27th women's tennis team to the Clark Tennis Courts for the fall of 2006, as Lynn Miller is optimistic about the return of five starters from a team that compiled a respectable 9-6 overall record a year ago and 4-3 mark in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC).

"We should have a team at least as good as last year," said Miller. "How much better remains to be seen, as much of that will depend on how quickly the freshmen develop. The majority of the returners have come back stronger and the team possesses a pretty good work ethic with solid chemistry. What more does a coach want."

Coming off their eighth consecutive season with a .500 record or better, the Lyons would like to at least maintain their middle-of-the-pack standing in the competitive eight-team NEWMAC, especially knowing they'll be hosting their first conference tournament come late October. The top six regular season finishers qualify for the single-elimination tourney, with the top two seeds receiving byes.

Miller, along with first-year assistant coach Lauren Tredeau '03, prepares for a fall schedule that features 11 dual matches and three tournaments, including first-time opponents Simmons College and Rutgers University at Newark. Simmons was both the regular season and tournament champion in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) in 2005. Wheaton will also have an extensive spring slate, returning to Hilton Head, South Carolina, in March to play a four-match set for the first time in three years.

The coaching staff's plan of attack is to play seven or eight of the team's 10-member squad in the starting lineup of every match. "We're going to try seven players initially," said Miller. "Our schedule becomes more difficult as the season wears on, which allows us to get some of our younger players experience from the outset, but I also want to reward our players who have been with the program and earned a starting role."

Leading Wheaton's balanced squad of two seniors, two juniors, a pair of sophomores and four freshmen are a trio of upperclassmen. Senior captain Jamie Weiss (Chicago, IL/Francis W. Parker School) and senior Darby McDermott (Briarcliff Manor, NY/Hackley School) return following their travels abroad last spring, while junior Briana Jackson (Redding, CT/Joel Barlow) is coming off a sophomore season which featured a 12-7 singles record.

Miller indicates Weiss, McDermott and Jackson will most likely comprise the top three singles slots, but that the order isn't final. "All three players are pretty close to one another talent wise and this hasn't happened in a few years," stated Miller. "I could play any one of them in any of the top three positions and not a whole lot would change."

Surging to the fourth position is first-year player Katherine Knies (Purdys, NY/North Salem), of whom Miller speaks highly. "I would not be surprised if Katie becomes a captain one day," added Miller. "She has great leadership potential, is coachable, positive and athletic."

The fight for the final two spots will be between junior Maya Milic-Strkalj (Philadelphia, PA/Friends' Central School) and sophomores Mallory Farmer (Washington, CT/The Gunnery) and Oriana Federico (Andover, MA/Lawrence Academy). Federico, who was easily the most improved player in the preseason, has solidified number five, while the final singles position is still up for grabs. Milic-Strkalj went 6-2 as a singles starter in 2005, Farmer was 7-5, and the tandem combined for a 4-2 mark as teammates in doubles play.

Doubles pairings appear set for the top two slots, with Weiss and Knies joining forces at number one and McDermott and Jackson playing side by side at two. The third doubles position isn't set, but Milic-Strkalj or Farmer should make up half of the team, with the other half still undetermined.

Looking for spot starts and exhibition matches while making adjustments to the college game will be first-year players Stefana Albu (Westford, MA/Westford Academy), Alexandra Magee (Abington, PA/Saint Stephen's Episcopal School) and Dainya Sylvester (Duxbury, MA/Duxbury).

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