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| 2008 NCAA Champions |
Eph Tennis History
The Williams women’s tennis team has earned many accolades
and titles since the team’s inception in 1971. In 1994,
NESCAC allowed teams to participate in the NCAA Division III Tennis
Championships for the first time. This move transitioned the
Williams tennis team from competing at the highest level among New
England small colleges, to setting their sights on achievements at
the national level.
In its first NCAA tournament, Williams finished 2nd overall,
falling in the finals to UC San Diego with Julie Greenwood
’96 and Becky Mallory ’94 capturing the NCAA
championship title in doubles. Since this first year of
national competition, Williams has qualified and competed in the
NCAA championship tournament every year winning a second doubles
championship title in 1996 with the partnership of Julie Greenwood
and Porter Harris ’96.
The Ephs won their first NCAA team championship in 2001 and
repeated in 2002, becoming the first Division III women’s
tennis team to win back-to-back championships. In 2008, the
team won its third NCAA Championship title in an epic 5-4 victory
over previously undefeated Washington & Lee!
Additionally, Cary Gibson ‘09 and Grace Baljon ‘10 made
program history as the first two players to advance to the
semifinal round of the NCAA individual singles tournament. Cary
Gibson advanced to the finals and finished second recording the
Ephs' highest finish in the NCAA singles championship. The 2008
Ephs rookie head coach Alison Swain '01 was a member of the first
Eph team to win the NCAA title.
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| 2001 NCAA Champs: (l. to r.): Julie
Mallory, Brooke Gibson, Alison Swain, Kate Troy, Stephanie Hall, Caroline Wasserman, (front row) Julie Greenwood, Selma Kikic and Tracy Cheun |
The philosophy of the program is grounded in each player's
commitment to the team. The team is a close group of highly trained
and highly skilled tennis players who work hard to maintain the
program's success. Workouts are designed to maximize team
improvement. Practice time is used to improve the strength of the
doubles teams, to improve singles strategy through drills and
conditioned sets, and to increase court coverage through speed
work.
The Williams women’s tennis team competes in both the fall
and spring seasons. During the fall, Williams faces the best
Division III competition in New England and New York including:
Amherst, Middlebury, Vassar, Wellesley, and Tufts. Williams also
competes in the ITA tournament each fall where several former
Williams players have earned All-American honors for winning either
the doubles or singles draws. Since the 1990s, 17 Williams players
have earned All-American honors.
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| 2002 NCAA Champs: Front (l. to. r): .Jasmine
Bradley, Selma Kikic, head coach Julie Greenwood, Rebcca Marques and Steele Thomas. Standing: Amy Shapiro, Tracy Cheung, Steph Hall, Julie Mallory, Brittany Binet and Kate Troy |
In 2007 junior Cary Gibson took home the ITA singles title,
winning in three sets over teammate and runner-up Grace Baljon,
while the doubles tandem of Allie Rottkamp ’08 and Nikki
Reich ’11 earned a second place finish in the doubles
draw.
The fall season culminates with the New England Team
Championships, which features six singles flights and three doubles
flights. In 2007, Williams took home three singles titles and
one doubles championship.
The off-season of November - February is a time when athletes can
raise their endurance levels, make technique changes, and increase
their strength training programs. Players who do not play a winter
sport are encouraged to hit informally with other teammates on the
four indoor courts in the Towne Field House.
The spring season, which starts February 15, is designed to
prepare the team and individuals for national level competition.
The team uses a trip over spring break to travel to warmer weather
and compete against top teams from other NCAA regions. Last
year’s one and a half week spring break trip featured wins
over Pomona-Pitzer, University of Redlands, Trinity (TX), and
Emory.
Dual matches are scheduled at the end of April against top New
England and NESCAC opponents in order to prepare for the NCAA
championships. Additionally, the team competes in the traditional
Williams - Amherst - Wesleyan Little Three Championships every
spring. Williams has won the Little Three Championships 14
times.
The NCAA championships are scheduled for mid-late May each year
and culminate the spring season for the Ephs.
The Williams tennis facilities offer the serious tennis player a
place to train throughout the academic year with 19 hard courts for
practices and matches. In the fall and the spring, the team has
eight indoor courts available. During the winter, the team has
access to four indoor courts in Towne Field House. Williams is a
terrific option for the student-athlete who wants to continue to
improve her tennis game while receiving the best in liberal arts
education.
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The Torrence M. Hunt Tournament
Cours have played host |
The Williams women's tennis program has consistently produced
successful, competitive teams since the program's inception in
1971. The Williams team has finished among the top ten schools in
New England Division III every year since 1971, and in the 1990s
has established itself as one of the top Division III schools both
in New England and nationally -- NCAA champions: 2001, 2002 &
2008; second place 1994 & 1999; third place 2003 & 2004;
4th place 2007. Moreover, the program focuses on the attributes of
team camaraderie and sportsmanship. In 2003, the Williams
tennis team was awarded the ITA National Sportsmanship Award for
all of college tennis. Ultimately, the team’s
commitment to competitive excellence and each other continues their
legacy of success.
