Anundsen To Coach Collegiate National Team
6/16/2015 11:20:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Gavin McFarlin - Assistant SID
DAVIDSON, N.C. — Head coach Sara Anundsen of the Davidson women's tennis team was recently named one of four women's collegiate tennis coaches to be picked to be part of the USTA Collegiate National Team this summer.
The prestigious honor will have Anundsen coaching this summer some of the top collegiate ranked players in the country at different women's professional tennis tournaments. Joining her is Laura Granville, head coach of the Princeton women's tennis team, Lee Taylor Walker, Texas Christian's head women's coach, and assistant coach Riza Zalameda of Columbia University.
Anundsen will coaching and traveling with the players, including Jamie Loeb and Brooke Austin, two of the top female players in college this year. Loeb played for North Carolina and won the NCAA singles championship title this spring, which gave her a wildcard into the U.S. Open in New York. She ended her season nationally-ranked No. 3 in the country. Austin, who won SEC Player of the Year, SEC Freshman of the Year and ITA National Rookie of the Year this season, was right behind her in the rankings, finishing fourth after playing No. 1 singles for Florida. The duo are two of four nominees for the 2015 Honda Sport Award for tennis.
It was an outstanding first year for Davidson under Anundsen. She led the 'Cats to their most wins since 2010, going 12-10 overall on the season and finishing 3-2 in their first year in the Atlantic 10. The Wildcats opened the year strong, winning five of their first six matches, including running off a five-match win streak, which was also the longest since 2010, after falling to nationally-ranked Virginia Tech to open the season. Davidson also performed well on its home courts, going 8-4.
Anundsen saw her freshman class produce one of the most successful seasons in recent history. The quartet of Anna Catharine Feaster, Ava Todd, Ally Sexton and Cassidy Shell went a combined 47-19 in singles action and added another 28 victories in doubles. Feaster and Todd won 19 and 16 singles matches, respectively, and were each honored by the Atlantic 10. Feaster earned A-10 All-First Team and was named the league's rookie performer of the week three times. Todd was just as good, earning a spot on the league's second team with junior Elaina Cummer. She also took home a weekly award four different times. Todd's impressive season included a 16-match win streak, the longest since Kelsey Linville had a 13-match streak in 2005.
The first-year head coach's season was also highlighted by being named into the Colorado Tennis Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2015. Anundsen was one of four inducted, joining Kelly Lovato, Cory Ross and Art Thomson, as part of the 15th annual hall of fame gala.
The prestigious honor will have Anundsen coaching this summer some of the top collegiate ranked players in the country at different women's professional tennis tournaments. Joining her is Laura Granville, head coach of the Princeton women's tennis team, Lee Taylor Walker, Texas Christian's head women's coach, and assistant coach Riza Zalameda of Columbia University.
Anundsen will coaching and traveling with the players, including Jamie Loeb and Brooke Austin, two of the top female players in college this year. Loeb played for North Carolina and won the NCAA singles championship title this spring, which gave her a wildcard into the U.S. Open in New York. She ended her season nationally-ranked No. 3 in the country. Austin, who won SEC Player of the Year, SEC Freshman of the Year and ITA National Rookie of the Year this season, was right behind her in the rankings, finishing fourth after playing No. 1 singles for Florida. The duo are two of four nominees for the 2015 Honda Sport Award for tennis.
It was an outstanding first year for Davidson under Anundsen. She led the 'Cats to their most wins since 2010, going 12-10 overall on the season and finishing 3-2 in their first year in the Atlantic 10. The Wildcats opened the year strong, winning five of their first six matches, including running off a five-match win streak, which was also the longest since 2010, after falling to nationally-ranked Virginia Tech to open the season. Davidson also performed well on its home courts, going 8-4.
Anundsen saw her freshman class produce one of the most successful seasons in recent history. The quartet of Anna Catharine Feaster, Ava Todd, Ally Sexton and Cassidy Shell went a combined 47-19 in singles action and added another 28 victories in doubles. Feaster and Todd won 19 and 16 singles matches, respectively, and were each honored by the Atlantic 10. Feaster earned A-10 All-First Team and was named the league's rookie performer of the week three times. Todd was just as good, earning a spot on the league's second team with junior Elaina Cummer. She also took home a weekly award four different times. Todd's impressive season included a 16-match win streak, the longest since Kelsey Linville had a 13-match streak in 2005.
The first-year head coach's season was also highlighted by being named into the Colorado Tennis Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2015. Anundsen was one of four inducted, joining Kelly Lovato, Cory Ross and Art Thomson, as part of the 15th annual hall of fame gala.
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