RC, RMC Join W&L in Top Three

FOREST, Va. --- Washington and Lee University, winner of the past 13 conference women's tennis championships, was again slated to hoist the trophy at the close of the 2016 season after collecting 100 total points and 10 first place votes to lead the ODAC Women's Tennis Preseason Poll. Roanoke College sits second with 87 tallies, while Randolph-Macon College rounds out the top-three with 81 points and the remaining top nod from the league's head coaches.

Washington and Lee, which climbed to #4 in the ITA national poll, ran thru its ODAC slate with an 11-0 record on the way to the conference postseason's top seed.  The Generals posted a trio of 5-0 wins to secure its 25th overall title, defeating Sweet Briar College, Bridgewater College, and Roanoke.

W&L opened NCAA Division III Team Tournament action with a second-round triumph over N.C. Wesleyan, 5-0.  The Generals' stay in the team tournament came to a close in round three via a 5-3 setback to 13th-ranked MIT.

Play continued for three Generals in the NCAA singles and doubles tournaments, with each garnering ITA All-American honors. Sonja Meighan, a four-time winner of the ODAC's Player of the Year award, joined Brooke Donnelly in winning first round matches, but both athletes were eliminated in the second round.  Meighan and Patricia Kirkland made a deep run in the doubles competition. After recovering from a set down to draw even with the Williams College duo of Juli Raventos and Linda Shin, Meighan and Kirkland saw their careers conclude via a 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 decision in the national semifinals.

Twenty-four athletes took home All-ODAC honors in 2015, with 11 set to return to courts across the conference.  That includes five All-ODAC First Team performers from a season ago.  W&L features three first teamers in Mary Elizabeth Shutley, Michelle Fleenor and Brooke Donnelly.  Fleenor garnered her accolades in both the singles (#5) and doubles(#3) ranks, with Shutley honored at #3 singles and Donnelly at #2 doubles. Bridgewater's Maria Hawkins picked up singles and doubles laurels at the top flight position in both disciplines. Randolph-Macon's Kelsie Grice earned her place at #2 singles.

The 2016 spring season begins with non-conference play on the weekend of Saturday, February 13.  The first set of ODAC contests are slated for Saturday, February 20.

Listed below is the complete 2016 ODAC Women's Tennis Preseason Poll as well as preview capsules for each of the ODAC women's tennis programs.  For more information on ODAC women's tennis, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the ODAC's home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com.  Don't forget to become a fan of the ODAC on Facebook and follow @odacathletics on Twitter.

2016 Poll Position: 4th 2015 Records - Overall/ODAC: 9-8/7-4 2015 Tournament - Seed/Result: #5 Seed/Eliminated in Semifinals Head Coach: Jordon Robinson Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: Maria Hawkins (#1 Singles/#1 Doubles)   Second Team: None Returning Singles Wins Leaders (top-5) Maria Hawkins -- 17-4 (14-2 at #1) Shannon Quinn -- 8-11 (5-4 at #3) Whitney Cash -- 6-15 (4-6 at #5) Ashley Price -- 5-12 (4-4 at #4) Leanne Smithers -- 4-9 (2-6 at #6) Returning Doubles Wins Leaders (top-3) Maria Hawkins (w/ Marla O'Bryan) -- 11-4 (11-2 at #1) Ashley Price/Shannon Quinn -- 6-6 (6-6 at #2) Whitney Cash/Haley Lloyd -- 6-3 (5-3 at #3)		2016 Poll Position: 3rd 2015 Records - Overall/ODAC: 14-4/9-2 2015 Tournament - Seed/Result: #3 Seed/Eliminated in Semifinals Head Coach: Charles Gray Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: Kelsie Grice (#2 Singles)   Second Team: Melissa Tomlin (#3 Singles), Sarah Hinson (#5 Singles), Kelsie Grice (#1 Doubles) Returning Singles Wins Leaders (top-5) Kelsie Grice -- 12-0 (11-0 at #2) Melissa Tomlin -- 12-0 (11-0 at #3) Sarah Hinson -- 11-1 (11-0 at #5) Molly Jesseman -- 9-3 (9-2 at #4) Returning Doubles Wins Leaders (top-3) Kelsie Grice (w/ Angelina Sportelli) -- 10-1 (10-1 at #1) Molly Jesseman/Melissa Tomlin -- 10-2 (10-2 at #2) Sarah Hinson (w/ Hannah Trueblood) -- 8-1 (8-1 at #3)
2016 Poll Position: 7th 2015 Records - Overall/ODAC: 2-10/1-10 2015 Tournament - Seed/Result: Did not qualify Head Coach: TBA Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: None   Second Team: None Returning Singles Wins Leaders (top-5) Lauren Riner -- 4-9 overall Sveva Mazzari -- 1-0 (1-0 at #1 - injured much of season) Returning Doubles Wins Leaders (top-3) Lauren Riner (w/ Stella Di Michele) -- 2-1 (1-1 at #2) Sveva Mazzari (w/ Chiara Mossi) -- 1-1 (1-1 at #1)		2016 Poll Position: 2nd 2015 Records - Overall/ODAC: 13-6/10-1 2015 Tournament - Seed/Result: #2 Seed/Eliminated in Finals Head Coach: Daniel Ragsdale Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: None   Second Team: Emma Barker (#2 Doubles), Kristen McDowell (#2 Doubles) Returning Singles Wins Leaders (top-5) Kaity Diskerud -- 12-3 (4-1 at #6) Briell Smith -- 9-4 (6-2 at #2) Reed Kegel -- 8-5 (4-2 at #3) Lydia Dey -- 7-1 (4-0 at #4) Emma Barker -- 7-6 (3-5 at #4) Emily Henderson -- 7-8 (6-8 at #1) Returning Doubles Wins Leaders (top-3) Emily Henderson/Reed Kegel -- 7-4 (7-1 at #1) Emily Henderson/Briell Smith -- 7-1 (7-1 at #1) Emma Barker/Kristen McDowell -- 6-4 (5-4 at #2)
2016 Poll Position: T-9th 2015 Records - Overall/ODAC: 6-9/3-8 2015 Tournament - Seed/Result: Did not qualify Head Coach: Dave McCain Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: None   Second Team: None Returning Singles Wins Leaders (top-5) Fernanda Gonzalez -- 7-10 (5-7 at #3) Nora Prokosch -- 6-10 (5-6 at #4) Luci Gordon -- 3-10 (3-4 at #5) Chandler McDonald -- 1-6 (1-5 at #6) Returning Doubles Wins Leaders (top-3) Fernanda Gonzalez/Nora Prokosch -- 7-6 (7-6 at #2) Fernanda Gonzaelz (w/ Allison Hewitt) -- 2-1 overall Luci Gordon/Chandler McDonald -- 1-5 (1-5 at #3)		2016 Poll Position: 6th 2015 Records - Overall/ODAC: 12-6/6-5 2015 Tournament - Seed/Result: #6 Seed/Eliminated in Quarterfinals Head Coach: Larry Hubbard Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: None   Second Team: Amy Rapp (#3 Doubles), Caitlin Tilton (#3 Doubles) Returning Singles Wins Leaders (top-5) Amy Rapp -- 15-7 (11-3 at #4) Caitlin Tilton -- 14-5 (10-3 at #5) Molly Barb -- 9-11 (9-6 at #1) Returning Doubles Wins Leaders (top-3) Amy Rapp/Caitlin Tilton -- 10-2 (10-2 at #3) Molly Barb (w/ Shannon Allin) -- 8-13 (8-8 at #1) Caitlin Tilton (w/ Amber Lake) -- 3-0 (2-0 at #3)
2016 Poll Position: 8th 2015 Records - Overall/ODAC: 8-11/5-6 2015 Tournament - Seed/Result: #7 Seed/Eliminated in Quarterfinals Head Coach: Brian Kastner Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: None   Second Team: None Returning Singles Wins Leaders (top-5) Htet Myat San -- 8-6 (4-5 at #6) Amelia Verkerk -- 8-7 (5-6 at #5) Jhovanna Salmeron -- 4-12 (2-8 at #4) Rikako Hirayama -- 2-5 (2-3 at #6) Returning Doubles Wins Leaders (top-3) Htet Myat San/Jhovanna Salmeron -- 4-5 (2-2 at #2) Rikako Hirayama/Amelia Verkerk -- 2-0 (2-0 at #3) Amelia Verkerk (w/ Victoria Coffee) -- 2-0 (1-0 at #1)		2016 Poll Position: 11th 2015 Records - Overall/ODAC: 4-10/2-9 2015 Tournament - Seed/Result: Did not qualify Head Coach: Marty Perry Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: None - Jackie Lee (ROY)   Second Team: None Returning Singles Wins Leaders (top-5) Jackie Lee -- 8-4 (5-1 at #3) Mia Proctor -- 7-5 (7-5 at #1) Kristen Walden -- 4-7 (3-1 at #3) Returning Doubles Wins Leaders (top-3) Jackie Lee/Mia Proctor -- 5-6 (5-6 at #1) Kristen Walden (w/ Tiye Johnson) -- 3-2 (3-2 at #2) Kristen Walden (w/ Marisa Cifuentes) -- 2-0 (2-0 at #2)
2016 Poll Position: T-9th 2015 Records - Overall/ODAC: 0-14/0-11 2015 Tournament - Seed/Result: Did not qualify Head Coach: Josef Manilla Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: None   Second Team: None Returning Singles Wins Leaders (top-5) Jerica Simmons -- 1-10 (1-1 at #6) Returning Doubles Wins Leaders (top-3) Jerica Simmons (w/ Katie Kline) -- 1-2 (1-2 at #3) Kelsey Dowling/Jerica Simmons -- 1-4 (1-0 at #6)		2016 Poll Position: 1st 2015 Records - Overall/ODAC: 24-5/11-0 2015 Tournament - Seed/Result: #1 Seed/Champions Head Coach: Erin Ness Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: Mary Elizabeth Shutley (#3 Singles), Michelle Fleenor (#5 Singles/#3 Doubles), Brooke Donnelly (#2 Doubles)   Second Team: None Returning Singles Wins Leaders (top-5) Brooke Donnelly -- 22-6 (12-3 at #2) Michelle Fleenor -- 12-3 (3-1 at #6) Mary Elizabeth Shutley -- 9-8 (4-0 at #3) Emily Kochard -- 5-1 (2-0 at #5) Returning Doubles Wins Leaders (top-3) Brooke Donnelly (w/ Meghan Buell) -- 25-5 (12-4 at #2) Michelle Fleenor (w/ Kelsey Vella) -- 15-7 (8-6 at #3) Mary Elizabeth Shutley (w/ Allison Hupalo) -- 3-0 (2-0 at #2)
2016 Poll Position: 5th 2015 Records - Overall/ODAC: 11-6/8-3 2015 Tournament - Seed/Result: #4 Seed/Eliminated in Quarterfinals Head Coach: Jamie Megginson Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: None   Second Team: Sarah Parker (#2 Doubles) Returning Singles Wins Leaders (top-5) Jenna Sweet -- 14-2 (9-2 at #3) Sarah Parker -- 12-6 (9-4 at #2) Dina Velazco -- 5-12 (3-11 at #1) Returning Doubles Wins Leaders (top-3) Sarah Parker (w/ Heather Parra) -- 12-4 (12-4 at #2) Jenna Sweet/Dina Velazco -- 8-8 (8-8 at #1) Jenna Sweet (w/ Heather Parra) -- 2-0 overall