Aug. 24, 2010
Each day Siena athletic communications is highlighting a fall sport with in-depth preseason coverage. Check SienaSaints.com daily to follow the progress of your Saints through season previews, feature stories, Q&A's and video.
The Siena women's tennis program is coming off its most successful decade ever. The Saints regularly finished among the top four teams in the MAAC and won their initial conference championship in 2006 to earn their first trip to the 64-team NCAA Championships. The top players in program history donned the Green and Gold over the past 10 years helping set the foundation for exciting things to come.
In September of 2009, Andy Christodoulou took over the Siena program marking the start of a new era. He promptly guided the Saints to a fourth place MAAC finish in his abbreviated first season and established an expectation for success on and off the court.
Christodoulou has bold goals for the future of women's tennis at Siena, but he stresses that championships will come with a blend of smart recruiting, hard work and pausing to enjoy the road to success. The journey starts anew this fall.
"We will go after the 2010-11 season aggressively and with purpose," Christodoulou said. "We understand the challenges that await us. The team is committed to improving, and as we do, we will gain confidence. We recognize the work and investment required for success, but we will have a lot of fun along the way."
Being a women's tennis student-athlete at Siena requires a commitment to enriching the campus community through achievements on the court, in the classroom and throughout the Capital Region.
"Our players must balance their time between academics, meetings, practices, travel, games and all the other activities that go along with a fulfilling college life," Christodoulou said. "Our players are very dedicated students who are always striving for high academic standards. It's not easy, but the rewards are great."
Siena's fundamental mission is one of service, and the women's tennis program aspires to play a leadership role in this regard. The Franciscan values of the College coupled with the athletic department's vanguard "Saints in the Community" program provide plenty of opportunities for student-athletes to get involved.
"The team gives back to the community as much as possible throughout the year," Christodoulou said. "We participate in a lot of charitable activities, including: the Northeastern Regional Food Bank, the Ronald McDonald House and adopting needy families during the holiday season."
The program welcomes back nine student-athletes for the 2010-11 season, including the top six singles players.
Components
The road to a MAAC Championship typically begins at the No. 1 singles spot and the Saints are fortunate to have one of the league's best players in rising junior Jasleen Sandhu. Sandhu will anchor Siena's singles and doubles competition after playing against the league's top players as a sophomore.
Sandhu has a complete game and leads by example. Her continued improvement will pace the Saints and ultimately help determine how improved this year's team can be.
"Jasleen gained great experience as an underclassman playing No. 2 singles as a freshman and top singles last year," Christodoulou said. "We have big expectations for her in her last two years with the program and are confident that she can help lead the way to the top of the MAAC."
Danielle Crill will likely retain her spot as the No. 2 singles player after posting a winning record in MAAC action at that spot as a sophomore. While Sandhu is a quiet leader, Crill can be called upon to motivate the team through her words and actions. She is extremely consistent and is one of the team's hardest workers.
"Danielle showed great improvement as a sophomore, and if she can continue to elevate her game, she will be a real force in the MAAC," Christodoulou said.
The third singles spot figures to draw the stiffest competition. Senior Jessica Asselin played No. 3 for most of the 2009-10 season and she will again see a key role in the Saints' singles and doubles success. Asselin dramatically improved her doubles record in her second season and she is regarded as the hardest hitter on the team.
Freshman Carly Holloway will challenge for a top three singles spot immediately. Christodoulou's first prized recruit should mesh perfectly with the program, and her high skill level will enable her to contribute for each of her four years with the program.
"Regardless of how our lineup shakes out, Jess and Carly will play a big part in our success this season," Christodoulou said. "It is imperative that the top four singles spots are well represented in the college game, and Carly's addition will make this a strength of this year's roster."
The addition of Holloway also means junior Nicole Ross will likely have an easier time with things sliding to No. 5 singles. Ross had a strong sophomore season winning half her matches at No. 4 singles, meaning she should help the Saints score several key points at the No. 5 spot this year.
Brtittany Filip and Elora Benfer will compete for the final singles spot and both players will see doubles action as well. Filip played No. 5 singles as a freshman and showed great promise while her classmate finished the year with an impressive 8-5 record scoring many key points at the bottom of the rotation.
"Brittany and Elora represent a big part of the future of the program," Christodoulou said. "They both got their feet wet as freshman and showed they can step up when the match is on the line."
Jennifer Messing, Jennifer Galante, and Kellie Scullin each will provide valuable depth and could crack the playing roster as their respective games improve. Messing is in her final year with the program and she will be looked to for her outstanding leadership skills. Galante is a junior with good footwork and a great attitude and Scullin may be the best athlete in the program.
"It is normal to see players make significant progress in their play during the summer," Christodoulou said. "Some will improve more than others. The lineup will shape and work itself out within the first few weeks. Our depth this year is much better than last season, and our main goal is to get a many wins as possible especially in the MAAC. We can only do this as a team not as individuals."
Focus
The road to a MAAC Championship requires commitment to a broad spectrum of skills, characteristics and values. Christodoulou has identified three major areas of focus for this year's squad.
"There are several things we will work on, but the top three will be: fitness, doubles play and mental toughness," he said. "If we can improve in these areas, the results will show themselves on the court."
The schedule will again be challenging, affording the team the opportunity to challenge itself against some of the region's top programs in an effort to ready itself for the critical MAAC Championships in April. This year's team will utilize the redone Siena tennis courts as the primary home facility while playing some winter matches at the nearby Tri-City Fitness and Tennis Club.
Tri-City fitness is considered one of the premier tennis and fitness clubs in the country, receiving national recognition not only as a facility but also its renowned teaching staff. It is a 200,000 square foot multipurpose complex featuring 12 courts and a 10,000 square foot fitness center.
Coupled with the new-look Siena courts, the Siena women's tennis team has two first class venues to compete in.
