Saints ready for fifth-straight UMAC women's tennis title in 2020
ST. PAUL, Minn.---Recent history in Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) women's tennis has seen the College of St. Scholastica and the University of Northwestern battle for conference titles and opportunities to compete in the NCAA postseason. However, the Saints have regained control atop the conference and are predicted to capture at least a share of their fifth-straight conference regular season title in 2020 as St. Scholastica topped the Preseason Coaches’ Poll announced Tuesday.
The Saints earned 48 points and six first-place votes to mark them as a heavy favorite again this season, while the Eagles were again picked second with 43 points and two first-place nods.
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Poll |
Team Previews |
2020 Schedule |
Last season, the Saints cruised to a perfect 7-0 UMAC season dropping just four total games in seven matches and no more than one to a single opponent. They finished 17-7 overall including seven wins in their final seven matches with two 8-1 confrence tournament wins over the University of Minnesota Morris and Northwestern, respectively, to capture their 20th postseason championship.
The Saints welcome back three All-UMAC performers in Elizabeth Fink, Brynne Hauer and Madilyn Jankila who will need to step up into the top of the line-up this season after losing several key performers from the top three spots. Hauer and Jankila each had double-digit singles wins in the rookie seasons and should be key contributors along with veteran Fink.
The Eagles look to make their eighth-straight UMAC tournament championship match but will need to do so without several consistent All-UMAC performers from the last four years. The experienced junior trio of Shawna Spears, Mafee Rinta and Jessica Gross will lead a young Eagle squad that boasts no seniors with hopes of upsetting the Saints in the new decade.
The University of Wisconsin-Superior will look to make a third-straight UMAC postseason tournament appearance in as many seasons as a varsity program. The Yellowjackets were picked third with 37 points and will be under new leadership of CeeJay Schaffner. Junior All-UMAC performers Alison Tollas and Megan Dulong lead a lineup that includes five returners from last year's lineup.
The final playoff spot should be up for grabs with three teams separated by just six total points in sports 4-5-6. Minnesota Morris was tabbed fourth with 29 points, while Bethany Lutheran College earned 24 points to edge Martin Luther College in sixth with 23 points.
The Cougars hope for back-to-back tournament appearances with return of All-UMAC performer Sam Tate to lead a young and talented squad. The Vikings will have new leadership under Nick Perrin but welcome back Taylor Bolduan who was All-UMAC as rookie with five singles wins in 2019. The Knights bring back former UMAC Player of the Year Anna Hemmelman for her final season after going 13-1 in conference play over the last two years.
North Central University and Crown College rounded out the poll with 12 points for seventh and nine points for eighth, respectively. Top singles player Madalyn Meetz returns for the Rams, and Lauren Sporleder is the top returner for the Storm.
Several teams open up with non-conference action in the next two weeks before getting into conference competition mid-February. The UMAC tournament is set to begin Monday, April 27 with semifinal action before the championship match on Friday, May 1.
2020 UMAC Women's Tennis Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. St. Scholastica - 48 points (6 First Place Votes)
2. Northwestern - 43 points (2 First Place Vote)
3. Wisconsin-Superior - 37 points
4. Minnesota Morris - 29 points
5. Bethany Lutheran - 24 points
6. Martin Luther - 23 points
7. North Central - 11 points
8. Crown - 9 points
Team Previews
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BLC |
CC |
CSS |
MLC |
NCU |
UMM |
UNW |
UWS |
Bethany Lutheran College
Nick Perrin | 1st Season |
2019 Season
3-4 UMAC, 6-10 | 5th |
Top Returners
- Taylor Bolduan, So. | 2019 All-Conference | 2019: Singles—5-11, Doubles– 5-11 |No. 1 singles & doubles player |
- Shoshana Bruner, So. | 2019: Singles Record, Doubles Record |No. 2 singles & No. 1 doubles |
- Jessalyn Aune-Smith, So. | 2019: Singles – 6-8, Doubles— 5-9|No. 5 singles |
Need to Know
Coach Perrin previously served as the women’s tennis head coach at Minnesota-Morris in 2015-16.
The College of St. Scholastica
Wells Patten | 24th Season |
2019 Season
7-0 UMAC, 17-7 | 1st |
Postseason: UMAC Tournament Champions; Lost to UW-Whitewater 5-0 in First Round of NCAA Tournament
Top Returners
- Elizabeth Fink, Sr. | 2019 All-UMAC | 2019: 8-11 Singles Record, 9-8 Doubles Record |
- Brynne Hauer, So. | 2019 All-UMAC | 2019: 15-4 Singles Record, 14-6 Doubles Record | Tied for second on the team with 15 singles wins and 14 doubles victories |
- Madilyn Jankila, So. | 2019 All-UMAC | 2019: 11-5 Singles Record, 12-3 Doubles Record |
Need to Know
The Saints are coming off their 20th UMAC Tournament championship.
Crown College
Eric Shourds | 3rd Season |
2019 Season
0-7 UMAC, 0-14 | 8th |
Top Returners
- Lauren Sporleder, Jr. | 2019: Singles Record: 0-13, Doubles Record: 1-12
- Sierra Allison, Jr. | 2019: Singles Record: 0-14, Doubles Record: 0-14
- Abby Engrav, So. | 2019: Singles Record: 0-14, Doubles Record: 0-14
Martin Luther College
Arlen Koestler | 25th season |
2019 Season
2-5 UMAC, 5-12 | 6th place |
Top Returners
- Anna Hemmelman, Sr. | 2016, 17, 18 All-UMAC; 2017 UMAC Player of the Year | 2019: 13-4 Singles (6-1 UMAC), 8-9 Doubles (4-3 UMAC) |
- Ella Loersch, Sr. | 2019: 3-13 Singles (2-5 UMAC), 3-14 Doubles (2-5 UMAC) |
- Tatum Bollmeier, So. | 2019: 9-6 Singles (4-3 UMAC), 7-10 Doubles (2-5 UMAC) |
Need to Know
Anna Hemmelman is 13-1 in number-one singles matches in UMAC play the last two seasons.
North Central University
David Stabley | 1st Season |
2019 Season
1-6 UMAC, 2-13 |7th |
Top Returners
- Madalyn Meetz, Sr. | 2019: Singles (4-10) at No. 1, 2, and 3
- Nicole Swanson, Sr. | 2019: Singles (8-7)
- Sierra Hunter, Sr. | 2019: Singles (2-12)
University of Minnesota Morris
Miranda Brown | 2nd Season |
2019 Season
4-3 UMAC, 6-7 | 4th |
Postseason: UMAC Tournament appearance
Top Returners
- Sam Tate, Jr. | All-UMAC| 2019: Singles Record 7-4, Doubles Record 6-7
- Kat Burquest, Sr. | 2019: Singles Record 5-6, Doubles Record 5-6
- Kate Obright, So. | 2019: Singles Record 3-10, Doubles Record 7-6
University of Northwestern
Matt Swigart | 8th Season|
2019 Season
6-1 UMAC, 14-11 | 2nd |
Top Returners
- Shawna Spears, Jr. | 2019: Singles – 10-11, Doubles – 14-9 | Went 3-0 at no. 2 and 5 singles in 2019
- Mafee Rinta, Jr. | 2019: Singles – 14-7, Doubles – 15-8 | Went 5-1 in the UMAC at no. 6 singles in 2019
- Jessica Gross, Jr. | 2019: Singles – 4-0, Doubles – 4-3 | Went 3-0 in UMAC at no. 3/5 singles in 2019
Need to Know
Coach Matt Swigart has taken his team to the UMAC Championship match in 7 of the last 7 seasons. This year’s team features no seniors, six returners, three first-years and a transfer.
University of Wisconsin-Superior
CeeJay Schaffner | 1st season |
2019 Season
5-2 UMAC, 8-9 | 3rd |
Postseason: Lost in UMAC Semifinals to No. 2-seed Northwestern, 7-2
Top Returners
- Alison Tollas, Jr. | 2019 All-UMAC First Team | 2019: 6-10 Singles Record, 5-2 Doubles Record
- Megan Dulong, Jr. | 2019 All-UMAC First Team | UMAC Player of the Week Feb. 18, 2019 | 2019: 4-12 Singles Record, 7-8 Doubles Record
- Emily Wald, Jr. | 2019: 6-10 Singles Record, 8-7 Doubles Record
Need to Know
CeeJay Schaffner enters his first season as head coach, hoping to lead the Yellowjackets back to the UMAC tournament for a third consecutive season.