Saturday, January 21
Raleigh, N.C.
9:00 a.m.
Davidson College
at
#34 N.C. State
Head coach Caroline Price along with seniors Stephani Synn (top), Katharine Dicconson (middle) and Romina Clemente.
Caroline Price Enters 30th Year as Davidson W. Tennis Opens 2012
1/18/2012 5:18:00 PM | Women's Tennis
Gavin McFarlin - Assistant SID
2012 Schedule
Find Your Favorite Wildcat Action Shot at DavidsonPhotos.com
DAVIDSON, N.C. — Having registered 23 years of records of .500 or better, the Davidson women's tennis team enters its 30th year under the guidence of head coach Caroline Price seeking winning year No. 24 as they open the 2012 campaign this weekend at nationally ranked N.C State. and vs. Winthrop.
The Wolfpack are ranked 34th in the first ITA rankings this year, while Winthrop is 67th.
The Wildcats, who will are hunting for their first Southern Conference league title, play their first three matches on the road, before hosting Gardner-Webb and N.C. A&T, Feb. 4, to open its home slate of matches this year.
In anticipation of the 2010 season, below is a look at the Season Preview....
Now in her 30th season at the helm, head coach Caroline Price will enter the 2012 campaign seeking to capture the program's first Southern Conference tournament title after finishing runner-up three times in the last seven years.
The Wildcats look to regroup after breaking in five freshmen and finishing just 5-20 overall, 1-9 in the SoCon, a season ago. It was the first time since 2001 they had a record below .500. Nine of the last 11 years though they have had a winning mark, and of coach Price's 29 seasons, the Wildcats have finished at or above .500 in 23 of them. Despite last year's tough season, coach Price still was able to capture her 400th career win.
This year's club will feature the return of nine letterwinners from last year, including a trio of seniors who will look to lead a young team. Of the nine returners, four of them were starters and eight of them saw playing time either in singles or doubles.
Singles
After finishing with 83 singles wins in 2010, Davidson had just 34 last year. The 'Cats had a tough go of it against SoCon foes, with just 10 wins.
• Senior Katharine Dicconson: Played in four singles matches in 2011 ... scored sixth career singles win, a 6-3, 6-2 win at No. 6 over Elon, picking up second career SoCon win as well.
• Senior Romina Clemente: A doubles specialist first two years, the senior got into 15 singles matches a year ago ... Wildcats' main No. 5 and 6 singles player ... scored first career SoCon winner with a victory against Chattanooga ... earned three of four singles wins at home.
• Senior Stephani Synn: Battled injuries in the middle stages of the season last year, but still got into 14 singles matches ... has 19 career wins entering last year ... played in 12 matches at No. 1 and will look to hold that spot during 2012 ... has 10 league wins for her career.
• Junior Catherine Wood: Did not play in any official matches during sophomore season.
• Sophomore Frizzi Bschorer: Earned a start in nine singles matches, going 2-6 with an unfinished ... picked up first collegiate win vs. N.C. A&T, 6-1, 6-2 ... filled the No. 4, 5 and 6 slots in 2011.
• Sophomore Nisha Crouser: Of the five freshmen last year, she saw the second-most action ... played in 22 singles matches as one of the Wildcats' main No. 2 & 3 player ... first career win was a 6-1, 6-1 triumph vs. N.C. A&T.
• Sophomore Elise Held: Played at the No. 5 and 6 positions during first year ... went 1-4, with all five decisions coming against SoCon opponents ... earned first collegiate win vs. Western Carolina, a straight set 6-0, 6-1 win at No. 5.
• Sophomore Tamara Hill: Opened freshman campaign with a pair of wins vs. N.C. A&T and UNC Asheville last year ... played five singles matches in all, splitting between No. 5 and 6 slot.
• Sophomore Brites Moniz-Soares: Had a strong start to Wildcat career by leading the team with eight singles wins in 2011... sported an 8-15 record overall, getting two of those wins vs. the league ... played No. 2-4 positions and is expected to fill the No. 2 slot in 2012.
Newcomer
• Freshman Blake Nickles: Ranked 11th in South Carolina ... received Merit Scholarship from Montessori and graduated valedictorian ... part of the first graduating class from Montessori School of Anderson ... great grandfather and grandfather both played sports at Davidson ... great grandfather M Ray Doubles played football and basketball, while grandfather wrestled.
Doubles
Davidson's doubles teams finished the 2011 season with a 28-47 mark and closed out at 12-18 in SoCon matches. The Wildcats used 17 different combinations for all three positions.
• No. 1 position: The Wildcats had five pairs of teams play the No. 1 spot, with Crouser and Moniz-Soares playing 11 matches together ... the duo went 2-9, getting both wins vs. the SoCon ... Crouser and Synn also paired together at No. 1, going 3-6 ... the duo won their first three matches.
• No. 2 position: Eight different teams were tried at the No. 2 slot, with Alison Rauh and Synn have the most success ... the since graduated senior and junior last year went 5-1, rattling off a season-ending five-match win streak ... four of those wins came against the SoCon ... Moniz-Soares also played at No. 2 with Rauh, going 4-6.
• No. 3 position: Davidson used nine different teams at No. 3 doubles a year ago ... Clemente and Dicconson had the best success, going 2-1 as a pair ... Dicconson also earned two wins with since graduated Samantha Galainena ... Bschorer played at No. 3 five times.
The Schedule
Davidson will open the season with four of its first six matches on the road, starting on Jan. 21 against Atlantic Coast foe N.C. State, which finished 15-8 a year ago. The Wildcats will also face Winthrop in a neutral site match the same day. The Eagles were nationally ranked in parts of last season, went 15-11 overall and reached the NCAA Tournament after winning the Big South Tournament.
Davidson will also face again as it did last year, UNC Asheville, Gardner-Webb, N.C. A&T, Virginia Tech and USC-Upstate. A year ago saw the Wildcats go 3-2 against those opponents.
Besides those non-conference teams, the Wildcats' non-conference schedule will also include Campbell, Richmond, Western Michigan, Boston and Case Western Reserve. Richmond advanced to the NCAA Tournament a year ago after winning the Atlantic 10 and Boston was also an NCAA Tournament qualifier.
Davidson will welcome cross-county rival Charlotte to town, Mar. 27. The two crosstown teams have faced each other 15 times, with the 'Cats owning a 16-9 all-time record.
The Wildcats will open SoCon play at home against Elon, March 11. They lost to the Phoenix for the first time in program history last year, 6-1, but own a 12-1 all-time record. Again, half of the Wildcats league matches will be at home. From March 31-Apr. 14, Davidson will close out the season with all conference matches.
Davidson has finished with at least seven wins in the SoCon in six of the last eight years.
The SoCon Tournament takes place April 19-22 in Charleston, S.C. Davidson had an early exit last year, falling 4-0 to College of Charleston in the first round.
The rest of the field will be looking once again to knock off Furman, which has taken eight tournament titles since 2000, or College of Charleston. The Cougars have won the title three consecutive years now after earning a 4-3 win vs. the Paladins in last year's final.
The Wildcats have reached the finals three times in the past seven seasons, but have yet to bring home the tournament title.
Find Your Favorite Wildcat Action Shot at DavidsonPhotos.com
DAVIDSON, N.C. — Having registered 23 years of records of .500 or better, the Davidson women's tennis team enters its 30th year under the guidence of head coach Caroline Price seeking winning year No. 24 as they open the 2012 campaign this weekend at nationally ranked N.C State. and vs. Winthrop.
The Wolfpack are ranked 34th in the first ITA rankings this year, while Winthrop is 67th.
The Wildcats, who will are hunting for their first Southern Conference league title, play their first three matches on the road, before hosting Gardner-Webb and N.C. A&T, Feb. 4, to open its home slate of matches this year.
In anticipation of the 2010 season, below is a look at the Season Preview....
Now in her 30th season at the helm, head coach Caroline Price will enter the 2012 campaign seeking to capture the program's first Southern Conference tournament title after finishing runner-up three times in the last seven years.
The Wildcats look to regroup after breaking in five freshmen and finishing just 5-20 overall, 1-9 in the SoCon, a season ago. It was the first time since 2001 they had a record below .500. Nine of the last 11 years though they have had a winning mark, and of coach Price's 29 seasons, the Wildcats have finished at or above .500 in 23 of them. Despite last year's tough season, coach Price still was able to capture her 400th career win.
This year's club will feature the return of nine letterwinners from last year, including a trio of seniors who will look to lead a young team. Of the nine returners, four of them were starters and eight of them saw playing time either in singles or doubles.
Singles
After finishing with 83 singles wins in 2010, Davidson had just 34 last year. The 'Cats had a tough go of it against SoCon foes, with just 10 wins.
• Senior Katharine Dicconson: Played in four singles matches in 2011 ... scored sixth career singles win, a 6-3, 6-2 win at No. 6 over Elon, picking up second career SoCon win as well.
• Senior Romina Clemente: A doubles specialist first two years, the senior got into 15 singles matches a year ago ... Wildcats' main No. 5 and 6 singles player ... scored first career SoCon winner with a victory against Chattanooga ... earned three of four singles wins at home.
• Senior Stephani Synn: Battled injuries in the middle stages of the season last year, but still got into 14 singles matches ... has 19 career wins entering last year ... played in 12 matches at No. 1 and will look to hold that spot during 2012 ... has 10 league wins for her career.
• Junior Catherine Wood: Did not play in any official matches during sophomore season.
• Sophomore Frizzi Bschorer: Earned a start in nine singles matches, going 2-6 with an unfinished ... picked up first collegiate win vs. N.C. A&T, 6-1, 6-2 ... filled the No. 4, 5 and 6 slots in 2011.
• Sophomore Nisha Crouser: Of the five freshmen last year, she saw the second-most action ... played in 22 singles matches as one of the Wildcats' main No. 2 & 3 player ... first career win was a 6-1, 6-1 triumph vs. N.C. A&T.
• Sophomore Elise Held: Played at the No. 5 and 6 positions during first year ... went 1-4, with all five decisions coming against SoCon opponents ... earned first collegiate win vs. Western Carolina, a straight set 6-0, 6-1 win at No. 5.
• Sophomore Tamara Hill: Opened freshman campaign with a pair of wins vs. N.C. A&T and UNC Asheville last year ... played five singles matches in all, splitting between No. 5 and 6 slot.
• Sophomore Brites Moniz-Soares: Had a strong start to Wildcat career by leading the team with eight singles wins in 2011... sported an 8-15 record overall, getting two of those wins vs. the league ... played No. 2-4 positions and is expected to fill the No. 2 slot in 2012.
Newcomer
• Freshman Blake Nickles: Ranked 11th in South Carolina ... received Merit Scholarship from Montessori and graduated valedictorian ... part of the first graduating class from Montessori School of Anderson ... great grandfather and grandfather both played sports at Davidson ... great grandfather M Ray Doubles played football and basketball, while grandfather wrestled.
Doubles
Davidson's doubles teams finished the 2011 season with a 28-47 mark and closed out at 12-18 in SoCon matches. The Wildcats used 17 different combinations for all three positions.
• No. 1 position: The Wildcats had five pairs of teams play the No. 1 spot, with Crouser and Moniz-Soares playing 11 matches together ... the duo went 2-9, getting both wins vs. the SoCon ... Crouser and Synn also paired together at No. 1, going 3-6 ... the duo won their first three matches.
• No. 2 position: Eight different teams were tried at the No. 2 slot, with Alison Rauh and Synn have the most success ... the since graduated senior and junior last year went 5-1, rattling off a season-ending five-match win streak ... four of those wins came against the SoCon ... Moniz-Soares also played at No. 2 with Rauh, going 4-6.
• No. 3 position: Davidson used nine different teams at No. 3 doubles a year ago ... Clemente and Dicconson had the best success, going 2-1 as a pair ... Dicconson also earned two wins with since graduated Samantha Galainena ... Bschorer played at No. 3 five times.
The Schedule
Davidson will open the season with four of its first six matches on the road, starting on Jan. 21 against Atlantic Coast foe N.C. State, which finished 15-8 a year ago. The Wildcats will also face Winthrop in a neutral site match the same day. The Eagles were nationally ranked in parts of last season, went 15-11 overall and reached the NCAA Tournament after winning the Big South Tournament.
Davidson will also face again as it did last year, UNC Asheville, Gardner-Webb, N.C. A&T, Virginia Tech and USC-Upstate. A year ago saw the Wildcats go 3-2 against those opponents.
Besides those non-conference teams, the Wildcats' non-conference schedule will also include Campbell, Richmond, Western Michigan, Boston and Case Western Reserve. Richmond advanced to the NCAA Tournament a year ago after winning the Atlantic 10 and Boston was also an NCAA Tournament qualifier.
Davidson will welcome cross-county rival Charlotte to town, Mar. 27. The two crosstown teams have faced each other 15 times, with the 'Cats owning a 16-9 all-time record.
The Wildcats will open SoCon play at home against Elon, March 11. They lost to the Phoenix for the first time in program history last year, 6-1, but own a 12-1 all-time record. Again, half of the Wildcats league matches will be at home. From March 31-Apr. 14, Davidson will close out the season with all conference matches.
Davidson has finished with at least seven wins in the SoCon in six of the last eight years.
The SoCon Tournament takes place April 19-22 in Charleston, S.C. Davidson had an early exit last year, falling 4-0 to College of Charleston in the first round.
The rest of the field will be looking once again to knock off Furman, which has taken eight tournament titles since 2000, or College of Charleston. The Cougars have won the title three consecutive years now after earning a 4-3 win vs. the Paladins in last year's final.
The Wildcats have reached the finals three times in the past seven seasons, but have yet to bring home the tournament title.
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