Women's Tennis

Saluting the Class of 2020 | Women's Tennis

Saluting the Class of 2020 | Women's Tennis
Posted: Apr 09, 2020

FOREST, Va. --- This an unprecendented time in the world of collegiate athletics, with spring sports and championships canceled due to the landscape surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. The stoppage of competition, while affecting all student-athletes, was especially painful for the senior class of 2020 with an abrupt end to their careers. In a new series of features, the ODAC would like to honor this class of athletes and celebrate them for their years of contributions to their respective programs at each of the conference's 15 member schools.

In this installment of our "Saluting the Class of 2020" features, the ODAC showcases the seniors from our women's tennis programs.

Washington and Lee University has long been the banner carrier for ODAC women's tennis as the Generals have corralled 29 of the 37 championships the league has awarded. That includes each of the past 17 conference trophies. Each of W&L's seniors -- Lily Horsley, Madison Hutchins, Anna Kreynin, and Gabby Moore -- has helped contribute to those crowns.

On a national level, Washington and Lee played two matches in each of the past three NCAA team tournaments. Horsley and Kreynin contributed to several victories in those matches. Both posted singles wins in a 5-4 victory over Sewanee in 2019 with Horsley adding another singles triumph in a 5-0 win over Franciscan in 2018. In that match, Horsley and Kreynin were a part of separate winning doubles tandems.

RELATED: ODAC Tournament History | ODAC Women's Tennis NCAA History

When it comes to ITA rankings, the Generals seniors have helped to keep W&L well-positioned in final national and regional polls. While 2017 data was unavailable on the ITA site, the Generals finished 18th nationally both in 2018 and as play halted this season. W&L was 23rd in 2019. Regionally, the Generals slotted fifth in the Atlantic South in each of the past three seasons including 2020.

Individually, the University of Lynchburg's Christina Harris appeared in the final Atlantic South rankings in both 2018 and 2019. She slotted 25th in 2018 and climbed to 16th in the final 2019 survey. W&L's Horsley ranked 10th on the 2018 doubles chart with partner Valerie Marshall.

RELATED: ITA Rankings Platform

Harris has literally re-written the record books at Lynchburg. She set single-season records for singles victories in each of her first two seasons, going 17-1 in 2017 and 22-3 in 2018. She followed up with a 20-2 mark in 2019 and was 7-3 this year, which leaves her with a school-record 71 wins for her career. She was voted Lynchburg's "Female Rookie of the Year" in 2017 and its "Female Athlete of the Year" in 2019.

Sweet Briar College's Emily Wandling nearly accomplished the same feat for the Vixens. Wandling came within one victory of tying the SBC singles record with 49 wins compared to the 50 victories by Virginia Edahl from 2006-10. Wandling ranks second in Vixens history in doubles wins (38) and overall combined wins (87) with both totals trailing those achieved by Edahl (55 and 105, respectively).

Randolph College's Ashley Schmitz and Keyu Jin are ranked first and third, respectively, on the WildCats singles victory charts. When adding in this season's totals, Schmitz collected 59 total wins to place six victories ahead of Jenna Sweet's 53 wins from 2013-17. Jin capped her career with 51 wins.

CAREER RECORDS: Randolph Women's Tennis | Sweet Briar Women's Tennis

When it comes to awards, 15 student-athletes from the class of 2020 have earned at least one All-ODAC honor since 2017. That includes four players that appeared on an awards list each season. Harris tops that chart as the 2019 ODAC Player of the Year and 2017 ODAC Rookie of the Year earned first team status at #1 singles each year plus a first team #1 doubles nod in 2017 and second team #1 doubles recognition in 2018.

Jin and Schmitz also featured on All-ODAC lists each season. Jin was first team at #1 doubles and second team at #1 singles in 2017 and 2018. In 2019, she was second team at both #1 singles and #1 doubles. Schmitz was second team at #4 singels in 2017 and #2 singles in 2018, but jumped to first team at #2 singles in 2019. She added a second team selection at #2 doubles to last year's showing.

Randolph-Macon College's Landon Aud is the final athlete to appear on all three lists. She was second team at #3 doubles in 2017 and #5 singles in 2018. She earned a first team appointment at #4 singles in 2019 in addition to a second team slotting at #2 doubles.

Listed below is a breakdown of all the past All-ODAC awards earned by members of the class of 2020. The ODAC honors two teams in women's tennis, an All-ODAC First Team (1st) and an All-ODAC Second Team (2nd) at six singles flights and three doubles flights. Some flights have more than one honoree (i.e. #1 singles has two 1st team and two 2nd team honorees).
(Abbreviation key: 1s = #1 singles; 1d = #1 doubles, etc.)

  • Whitney Kiser, BC | 2017: 2nd at 2s --- 2018: 1st at 2s
  • Nicole Shifflett, BC | 2018: 2nd at 2d
  • Christina Harris, LYN | 2017: 1st at 1s/1d --- 2018: 1st at 1s / 2nd at 1d --- 2019: 1st at 1s --- 2017 ROY / 2019 POY
  • Keyu Jin, RAND | 2017: 1st at 1d / 2nd at 1s --- 2018: 1st at 1d / 2nd at 1s --- 2019: 2nd at 1s/1d
  • Ashley Schmitz, RAND | 2017: 2nd at 4s --- 2018: 2nd at 2s --- 2019: 1st at 2s / 2nd at 1d
  • Landon Aud, R-MC | 2017: 2nd at 3d --- 2018: 2nd at 5s --- 2019: 1st at 4s / 2nd at 2d
  • Kristin Dantzler, R-MC | 2018: 1st at 1d --- 2019: 2nd at 2d
  • Morgan Fuqua, R-MC | 2019: 2nd at 1d
  • Courtney Jenkins, R-MC | 2019: 2nd at 3d
  • Madeline Herring, RC | 2017: 2nd at 2d --- 2018: 1st at 4s
  • Carolyn Kitsock, RC | 2018: 1st at 5s/3d --- 2019: 2nd at 2s
  • Emily Wandling, SBC | 2019: 2nd at 1s
  • Lily Horsley, W&L | 2019: 1st at 1d
  • Madison Hutchins, W&L | 2017: 1st at 5s
  • Anna Kreynin, W&L | 2017: 1st at 4s --- 2019: 1st at 2d

RELATED: All-ODAC Awards -- 2017 | 2018 | 2019

Showcased below are graphics and/or videos introducing you to each of the women's tennis players from the class of 2020. Click on the graphic or one of the links below a video to be sent to that player's bio to learn more about them. Be sure to check out the senior features published by ODAC member athletic departments throughout the spring.

For more 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 following @odacathletics on Twitter and Instagram.