St. Scholastica picked to win second-straight UMAC women's tennis title in 2017
ST. PAUL, Minn.---Over the last three years, the College of St. Scholastica and the University of Northwestern have battled it out in women’s tennis for both the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) regular season title and the postseason championship. The 2017 season should be no different as the two squads were clear favorites for the top two spots, respectively, in the UMAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll announced Tuesday.
The Saints were slotted for the top spot with 24 points and four first place votes, while the Eagles were picked second with 18 points and one first place vote. St. Scholastica has won at least a share of the UMAC title twice in the last three seasons, but hopes to make it two-straight outright titles after going 10-0 in 2016.
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Poll |
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Team Previews |
The Eagles have alternative plans, though, as they have taken the UMAC postseason title in each of the last three seasons with an upset 6-3 victory over the Saints in the championship last May. They will also look to surprise the Saints in 2017 during the regular season in searching for their first outright crown since 2015 after sharing the title in 2014 with St. Scholastica.
Both squads saw success in and out of the conference season with St. Scholastica finishing 19-6 and Northwestern at 23-6. The two teams were both rewarded with bids to the NCAA Championships as ‘Pool B’ selections.
The Saints rolled to regular season success in conference play dropping just four total matches in singles play (56-4) and losing just once in doubles (29-1). Their closest victories in the regular season came against the Eagles when they went 7-2 in the first match and 6-3 in the second. Thanks to their success, the Saints made their fifth-straight NCAA tournament appearance.
With five returning All-UMAC selections from a year ago and no starters lost, it’s no surprise that reigning UMAC Coach of the Year Wells Patten’s squad was dubbed for the conference title to be decided this spring.
Leading the talented core returners for the Saints are seniors Jessica Solberg and Madeleine Scanlan who were nearly unstoppable last season. As a doubles duo, Solberg and Scanlan went 19-5 at the No. 1 position – their 19 wins were second-most in Saints’ program history for a single season. The pair was also ranked No. 15 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Central Region Doubles Rankings on April 14.
Solberg led the Saints at the No. 1 singles spot a year ago going 6-2 in conference play with both her losses coming at the hands of 2016 UMAC Player of the Year Karen Moe of Northwestern. She ended the season 15-11 overall earning her second-career all-conference nod.
Scanlan has built a legacy at St. Scholastica as she entered the 2017 season just four singles wins and two doubles wins shy of becoming the third player in program history to record 50 singles and 50 doubles victories in a career. The senior picked up her third-straight All-UMAC honor last season after going 7-0 in conference play and 18-5 overall.
The Saints also return All-UMAC picks Sarah Coryell, Elise Hauer and Daniela Rojas to their stacked lineup. Coryell went 25-3 in singles matches racking up the second-most wins in a single season for the Saints. The junior went 10-0 in conference play. As a rookie Hauer went 14-6 overall and 4-1 in conference singles. She combined with Rojas for a 5-0 UMAC doubles record at the No. 2 spot.
Regular starters and doubles pair Alexia Brascugli and Katelyn Rice should also be integral in the Saints’ anticipated success in 2017. The two went 13-5 overall and 4-1 in conference play last season with most wins coming at the No. 3 spot in the lineup.
Holding on to the league title won’t be easy for the Saints – Northwestern returns five of its top players including Moe who had an unforgettable junior season. She earned her third straight All-UMAC honor after posting a remarkable 26-2 singles record and 20-8 doubles mark. Moe was unstoppable in conference play going 10-0 and she also saw herself rank as high as No. 21 in the ITA Central Region Individual Rankings. She enters the 2017 ranked No. 14 in the region.
In addition to Moe, fellow senior All-UMAC player Tina Matetich is back for the Eagles, as is Brooke Lapinski who earned her second All-UMAC honor in as many seasons. The two spent some time together playing doubles and each earned at least seven victories in both singles and doubles for conference matches.
The Eagles lost just Rachel Bostrom from the 2016 lineup, and should get solid contributions again this season from Nikki Edin and Emily Knight who each earned five singles wins against league opponents.
Martin Luther College finished third in the conference standings a year ago going 6-4 in conference play with all of its losses coming to St. Scholatica and Northwestern. The Knights were slated to finish third again this season with 16 points – just two behind the Eagles and only one ahead of Bethany Lutheran College in fourth with 15.
The Knights will need to have its young returners step up after losing five starts from a year ago including All-UMAC selection Elizabeth Broring. Both Rachel Riedinger and Sophia Birner tallied five overall wins last year in singles. Riediger has also been relied upon heavily in her first two seasons – she has played consistently in the No. 2 singles position and will need to have a solid season if the Knights hope to earn a postseason tournament berth.
Under new Head Coach Jill Bailey, Bethany Lutheran could look to shake up the standings with six starters slated to return in 2017. The Vikings earned one first place vote from the coaches but will be without All-UMAC awardee Taylor Nordhausen. They should see Sabrina Batalden, Alicia Kranz and Madalyn Elmquist contribute significantly after knotting up five or more overall singles wins each a year ago.
The University of Minnesota Morris was selected to place fifth with 10 points, while North Central University rounded out the poll with seven points in sixth. The Cougars lose All-UMAC player Kayla Kraemer, but have Emily Johnson returning after competing in the top half of the lineup a year ago earning six overall wins. They also welcome new head coach Jalen Voss. The Rams will also look to pull together several wins under new Head Coach Amanda McDonald.
UMAC play began opening weekend with North Central taking on Northwestern. They will then face St. Scholastica Saturday, while the remainder of the matches won’t begin until later in February. The thick of the conference season kicks off March 24 with five teams in action. Northwestern and St. Scholastica will also meet for the first time of 2017 on March 25 in Duluth, Minnesota.
The following weekend, Minnesota Morris will look to knock off Martin Luther on April 1 with the hopes of returning to the postseason tournament for the first time since 2014. April 8 will see Bethany Lutheran try to knock off the Eagles and the Rams before facing local rival martin Luther on April 11.
Northwestern and St. Scholastica will meet again in St. Paul on April 13 before hosting a trio of matches on April 17 with North Central and Minnesota Morris. Martin Luther and Bethany Lutheran will meet again on April 19 before all six teams are in action April 22. The season wraps April 29.
The UMAC postseason tournament will take place beginning Friday, May 5 and run through Saturday, May 6, at the University of Minnesota Baseline Tennis Center in Minneapolis. With the addition of programs from Crown College and University of Wisconsin-Superior for the 2018 season, this will be the final season of the UMAC tournament at the U of M as the format will move next spring to a high-seed host with a NCAA automatic qualifying bid on the line.
Complete UMAC Schedule
2017 UMAC Women's Tennis Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. St. Scholastica - 24 points (4 First Place Votes
2. Northwestern - 18 points (1 First Place Vote)
3. Martin Luther - 16 points
4. Bethany Lutheran - 15 points (1 First Place Vote)
5. Minnesota Morris - 10 points
6. North Central - 7 points
Team Previews
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1. College of St. Scholastica
Wells Patten | 21st Season |
2016 Season
10-0 UMAC, 19-7 Overall | 1st |
Postseason: NCAA Tournament First Round (L 1-5 to UW-Whitewater)
Starters returning: 7
Starters lost: 0
Top Returners
- Madeleine Scanlan, Sr. | 2014, 2015, 2016 All-UMAC | 2016: Singles – 18-5, Doubles – 19-6 |
- Jessica Solberg, Sr. | 2014, 2016 All-UMAC | 2016: Singles – 15-11, Doubles – 20-7 |
- Sarah Coryell, Jr. | 2016 All-UMAC | ITA Scholar-Athlete | 2016: Singles – 25-3, Doubles – 4-1 |The 25 singles wins are the second-most in a single-season in program history |
Need to Know
- The duo of Solberg/Scanlan tied for the second-most wins by doubles team (19) in a single-season in 2016
- Scanlan is four singles wins and two doubles victories shy of becoming the third player in program history to record at least 50 singles and 50 doubles wins in a career.
- The Saints have made five NCAA Tournament appearances since 2007.
2. University of Northwestern
Matt Swigart | 5th Season |
2016 Season
8-2 UMAC, 23-6 Overall | 2nd |
Postseason: Won 2016 Postseason Tournament (Win vs. Martin Luther, 9-0; Win vs. St. Scholastica, 6-3); Advanced to NCAA Tournament (Loss vs. Hope, 5-0)
Starters returning: 5
Starters lost: 1
Top Returners
- Karen Moe, Sr. | 2016 UMAC POY; 2016, 2015, 2014 All-UMAC |2016: Singles – 26-2, Doubles – 20-8 |
- Tina Matetich, Sr. | 2016 All-UMAC | 2016: Singles – 19-7, Doubles – 20-9 |
- Brooke Lapinski, Jr. | 2016, 2015 All-UMAC | 2016: Singles – 21-5, Doubles – 20-5 |
Top Losses
- Rachel Bostrom | 2015 All-UMAC | 2016: Singles – 17-2, Doubles – 16-2 |
Need to Know
- The Eagles upset No. 1-seed St. Scholastica to claim their third-straight UMAC Postseason Championship in 2016.
- Karen Moe was ranked as high as No. 21 as an individual in Division III Central Region rankings during 2016.
- Northwestern earned its first-ever NCAA tournament berth as a ‘Pool B’ selection in May.
3. Martin Luther College
Arlen Koestler | 22nd season |
2016 Season
6-4 UMAC, 6-11 overall | 3rd|
Starters returning: 2
Starters lost: 5
Top Returners
- Rachel Riediger, Jr. | 2016: 5-10 Singles Record, 5-10 Doubles Record | Played #2 spot last two seasons |
- Sophia Birner, So. | 2016: 5-9 Singles Record, 5-9 Doubles Record | Played in the back half of the line-up last year |
Morgan Shevey, So. | 2016: 1-3 Singles Record, 0-5 Doubles Record | Saw most of her action the #6 spot last year |
Top Losses
- Acacia Foss | 2016: 5-12 Singles Record, 5-12 Doubles Record |Played #1 spot last two seasons |
- Elizabeth Broring | 2016 All-UMAC | 2016: 5-9 Singles Record, 5-7 Doubles Record |Played in top half of line-up |
- Charis Goelzer | 2016: 6-9 Singles Record, 5-10 Doubles Record |Played in middle of the line-up last year |
Need to Know
- MLC must replace five of its top seven performers from last year’s team that won six conference matches and finished third in the final standings.
- Rachel Riediger has played in the number two spot in the line-up for the last two seasons.
4. Bethany Lutheran College
Jill Bailey | 1st Season |
2016 Season
3-7 UMAC, 4-19 Overall | 4th |
Postseason: Lost to CSS in the semifinals 9-0 of the UMAC Postseason Tournament
Starters returning: 6
Starters lost: 1
Top Returners
- Sabrina Batalden, So. | 2016: 7-10 Singles Record, 2-8 Doubles Record |
- Alicia Kranz, Jr.|5-15 Singles Record, 3-19 Doubles Record |
- Madalyn Elmquist, So. | 2016: 5-12 Singles Record, 7-12 Doubles Record |
Top Losses
- Taylor Nordhausen | 2016 First-Team All-UMAC |2016: 2-15 Singles Record, 3-18 Doubles Record |
Need to Know
- Jill Bailey enters her first season as the Head Men's and Women's Tennis Coach
- The Vikings will look to veteran leadership to continue their quest for a UMAC Championship
- The Vikings will begin conference play on February 18th against North Central at the Lifetime Fitness in Fridley, Minn.
5. University of Minnesota Morris
Jalen Voss | 1st season |
2016 Season
3-7 UMAC, 3-9 Overall | T-4th |
Starters returning: 5
Starters lost: 1
Top Returners
- Emily Johnson, Jr. | 6-3 singles (2-0 at #1 singles, 2-2 at #2 singles), 3-5 doubles |
- Katelyn Foster, Jr. | 3-9 singles (1-5 at #2 singles, 2-4 at #3 singles), 2-9 doubles |
- Brittney Ferrian, Sr. | 2-7 singles, 0-8 doubles |
Top Losses
- Kayla Kraemer | 2016 All-UMAC | 6-6 singles (4-6 at #1 singles), 4-7 doubles |
Need to Know
- Jalen Voss enters his first year as head coach; he is also the men’s basketball assistant coach.
- The Cougars will look to return to UMAC postseason play for the first time since 2014.
6. North Central University
Amanda McDonald | 1st season |
2016 Season
0-10 UMAC, 0-13 Overall | 6th
Starters returning: 3
Starters lost:
Top Returners
- Esther Leung, So. | 0-13 #1 singles, 1-12 #1 doubles |
- Katrina Cox, Sr. | 0-6 in various singles, 0-4 #2 doubles |
- Jalia Cappelli, Jr. | 0-9 various singles, 0-6 #1 doubles |
Top Losses
- Lizzy Schaut
- Brianna Griffin
Need to Know
- Rams will add experienced high school players that should challenge for top three singles slots