Last year: 12-4, 4-0 OHC.
Returnees: Seniors — Renae Pavlatos, Allison Brougher, Katie Mitchell. Junior — Cathy Kurian. Sophomores — Brandi Lyons, Brenna McCombs.
Newcomers: Senior — Morgan Stage. Junior — Rachael Myers.
FYI: Pavlatos and McCombs both went 18-7 last year at No. 2 and No. 3 singles. Pavlatos made the News-Sun All-Area second team. ... The Irish have graduated the News-Sun Area Player of the Year in the last two seasons: Leah Ann Miller and Frannie Trempe.
Coach’s comment: “We lost our first singles player and first doubles players. Everyone is going to have to move up. I’ve got five of seven back. We’re positive.”
Greeneview
Coach: Troy Terrill, third season.
Returnees: Seniors — Karli Maynard, Emily Ellis. Juniors — Julia Benson, Logan Carter.
Newcomers: Seniors — Caty Saunders, Allison Horman.
FYI: Benson will be the No. 1 singles player, with Maynard playing No. 2 and Ellis No. 3.
Coach’s comment: “We’re not young, but we feel really young. We should be a little better than last year just based on experience alone.”
Greenon
Coach: Steve Wilson, third season.
Returnees: Seniors — Meghan Graver, Lindsey Strickland, Sara Thatcher; Jamie Melton. Sophomores — Shelby Marshall, Megan Reed, Marisa Brown, Kirsten Diviak, Kassie Lambert; Shawn McMahan.
Newcomers: Senior — Sarah Acus-Souders. Sophomore — Kaitlyn Bandel. Freshman — Kristen Ward.
FYI: Thatcher and Strickland will compete for the No. 1 spot.
Coach’s comment: “This will be the first year we have actual depth. We’ll be able to do a little more. In years past, everyone had just picked up a racket for the first time. This will be the first time I can set the lineup and keep the lineup.”
Kenton Ridge
Coach: Sherri Bennett, 15th season.
Last year: 4-13.
Returnees: Seniors — Hannah Benston; Megan Schmitt; Emma Sellars; Karishma Nezhad; Brigette Castiaux. Junior — Fran Pippig.
Newcomers: Seniors — Stephanie Ervin; Brittany Kerttula; Katie Redavide; Elizabeth DeSalle. Junior — Emily Bonar. Sophomore — Hayley Zawada. Freshman — Ashley Wallace.
FYI: Schmitt and Benston will compete for the No. 1 singles spot. Benston, a News-Sun All-Area second team selection, played No. 1 last year. Schmitt played No. 2 and Sellers No. 3.
Coach’s comment: “I definitely think we’re going to be improved from last year. The girls have worked hard. We’re probably stronger in the doubles area than the singles, but my singles have gotten better.”
Northeastern
Coach: Jane Warren, 18th season.
Last year: 12-4, 2-2 OHC.
Returnees: Seniors — Amber Blanton; Lauren Davy; Sarah Flach; Molly Parker; Priscilla Finchum. Juniors — Karley Stites; Samantha Dennin; Mara Elder; Brittney Gragg. Sophomores — Amanda Boetticher; Jessica Bowen; Halley Hinderer; Miranda Rusk.
Newcomers: Senior — Shelby Miller. Junior — Justine Whitley. Sophomore — Sydney Fielding. Freshman — Madison Fielding.
FYI: Davy will play No. 1 singles. She went 11-5 last year and made the News-Sun All-Area first team. Parker and Blanton will play No. 2 and No. 3 singles, respectively.
Coach’s comment: “Five of our seven varsity players will be seniors, so that solid nucleus and leadership hopefully will put us in a good position in our matches.”
Northwestern
Coach: Ainsley Rechel, first season.
Last year: 17-0, 15-0 CBC.
Returnees: Seniors — Helen Hua; Hayley Sullivan. Junior — Lacey Lannom.
Newcomers: Senior — Alyssa Waters. Juniors — Megan Wilson, Chelsie Brandyberry, Taylor Horner. Sophomore — Ellen Snyder.
FYI: Rechel takes over for Linda Bednar, the News-Sun All-Area Coach of the Year in 2010. Bednar retired after 18 seasons. Rechel is a graduate of Dublin Coffman and Wittenberg and was an assistant coach for the Northwestern boys team for the past two seasons. ... Northwestern graduated seven seniors, including News-Sun All-Area honorees MacKenzie Jenkins and Chelsea Diamond.
Coach’s comment: “I am very excited about this season. I feel incredibly blessed to have the opportunity to coach these girls and am grateful for the wonderful tennis program that coach Linda Bednar has built at Northwestern. After graduating seven seniors last year, this may be a rebuilding year for the Northwestern Lady Warriors, but I am optimistic about the team. We will have a lot of depth this year on the team. While we may be rebuilding in league and varsity experience, I am confident that the positive attitudes, effort and camaraderie of the girls will pay off in wins.”
Shawnee
Coach: Alyssa Peterson, second season.
Last year: 13-6.
Returnees: Seniors — Marissa Knowles; Brianna Noll. Juniors — Cassie Beam; Kenzie Detrick. Sophomores — Shelby Bussard; Maneka Long; Anna Spencer.
Newcomers: Junior — Megan Oxner. Freshmen — Rebecca Jeanneret; Rebecca McConkey; Victoria Perkins; Kamila Perkins; Kamila Portis; Emma Warax.
FYI: Detrick went 22-5 at No. 1 singles last year, and Knowles played No. 2 singles. The rest of the positions are up for grabs.
Coach’s comment: “Some of the girls who played reserve last year have been working hard this summer and have showed me they’re ready to step up and play varsity, which we’re going to need because we lost three seniors.”
Springfield
Coach: Deanna Brougher, fifth season.
Last year: 8-11.
Returnees: Seniors — Manisha Nezhad; Nikkee Amin. Juniors — Saarah Khan; Sarah Chaudhry; Erika Bardnell; Simra Ranginwala; Roma Cohski; Rachel Penwell. Sophomores — Kristin Campbell; Ellen Jochum; Nadisha Nezhad; Joy Rader; Unum Ranginwala; Nadia Fyed.
Newcomers: Juniors — Naomi Kestner; Carolina Mancilla. Sophomore — Allison Lough. Freshmen — Huda Ahmed; Kate Bennett; Cassie McLean; Whitney Parker; Nicole Pavlatos.
FYI: Manisha Nezhad and Saarah Khan played No. 1 and No. 2 singles, respectively, last season. They will compete with Pavlatos, Nadisha Nezhad and Simra Ranginwala for playing time in singles play. ... There are 22 players on the team. It usually numbers from 18-20.
Coach’s comment: “It’s a fantastic group of young ladies. We have a lot of depth. We’ve got some nice, solid players.”
Tecumseh
Coach: Jenny Culbertson, fourth season.
Last year: 5-15, 4-12 CBC.
Returnees: Seniors — Sydney Back; Catie Gracy; Amber Koepnick.
Newcomers: Seniors — Torry DeWitt; Krista Johnson. Juniors — Kaytlyn Boswell; Kylee Setner-Rogers. Freshmen — Taylor Culbertson, Erica Johnson, Victoria Holbrook.
FYI: Taylor Culbertson will step into the No. 1 spot. Back, Gracy and Koepnick will compete for the other singles spots.
Coach’s comment: “They’re working hard. We just don’t have a lot of skill. Tennis isn’t something they play year round at Tecumseh. They’re very excited about the sport and learning the sport. We have to start with the basics. The extra week of practice has helped out a lot.”
Urbana
Coach: Cindy Eickhoff, fourth season.
Last year: 15-5, 12-5 CBC.
Returnees: Juniors — Hayley Fannin, Lauren Coffman.
Newcomers: Juniors — McKenzie Fannin, Kayla Pena. Sophomores — Sarah Foster, Hannah Zerkle, Savanna Burcham.
FYI: Urbana graduated nine seniors, including News-Sun All-Area second team member Alicia Benavides.
Coach’s comment: “We’ll probably struggle because we don’t have the senior leaders, but I think they’ll give me everything they have, and I think we’ll get better as the season goes on.”
— David Jablonski