Franklin Pierce, the reigning NE10 champion, enters the 2021 fall season as the favorite in the Women’s Tennis Coaches’ Poll, recording 99 points and nine first-place votes – holding off Adelphi (88 points, one first-place vote) and Stonehill (78 points, one first-place tally) for the top spot. The Ravens claimed their first-ever NE10 Championship this past May with a victory over two-time reigning champion Stonehill.
The NE10 Women's Tennis Championship is scheduled to begin with the quarterfinal round on Wednesday, October 20, and continue with the semifinals on Friday, October 22. The NE10 Championship final is tabbed for Sunday, October 24. Higher seeds will host each match throughout the tournament.
NO. 1 FRANKLIN PIERCE
Franklin Pierce enters the 2021 fall season as a heavy favorite in NE10 women’s tennis, commanding nine first-place votes on its way to the top spot in the Coaches’ Poll. The Ravens won the NE10 and NCAA East Region titles in the spring, earning a trip to Arizona to compete in the NCAA quarterfinals.
First-year head coach Alejandro Andres will lead the Ravens, as they look to capitalize on their success earlier this year – going 14-1 (9-0 NE10) during the spring. Franklin Pierce opens the season on the road at Endicott on Thursday, September 2, and begins conference play at American International on Saturday, September 11.
As the Ravens look to repeat as league champions, a couple key dates are Saturday, October 9, at home against Stonehill in a rematch of the NE10 Championship final in May and Tuesday, October 12, on the road at Adelphi.
Key Returning Players
- Maria Penalver Aguilo – NE10 Rookie of the Year (2021 spring); All-Conference Second Team at No. 1 singles and No. 2 doubles (2021 spring); All-Rookie Team (2021 spring); 6-1 at No. 1 singles in NE10 play.
- Himani Mor – All-Conference Second Team in No. 1 doubles and All-Conference Third Team in No. 2 singles (2021 spring); 6-1 at No. 2 singles in NE10 play.
NO. 2 ADELPHI
Adelphi secured 88 points and one first-place tally to finish second in the NE10 Women’s Tennis Coaches’ Poll, coming off an impressive 10-2 (9-1 NE10) season in the spring. The Panthers seek their first conference title since winning it in three consecutive seasons from 2015 to 2017. In the spring, Adelphi advanced to its eighth semifinal since joining the NE10.
Under recently-promoted head coach Rebecca Fakas, the Panthers begin the season by hosting Jefferson on Saturday, September 4. The NE10 schedule starts with a bang, as Adelphi travels to play Stonehill on Saturday, September 11, in a match that includes two teams that have accounted for six of the past seven NE10 championships.
The Panthers end the regular season with three-straight home matches, including one on Tuesday, October 12, against reigning NE10 champion Franklin Pierce.
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS
- Barbie Quagliardi – All-Conference First Team in No. 2 singles and No. 1 doubles (2021 spring); Perfect 10-0 in No. 1 doubles during NE10 play.
- Amanda Franstedt – All-Conference First Team in No. 4 singles and No. 2 doubles (2021 spring); Combined 18-1 record in NE10 play (10-0 at No. 2 doubles).
NO. 3 STONEHILL
Stonehill claimed 78 points and one first-place vote to finish in third of the NE10 Coaches’ Poll, as the Skyhawks come off a spring season where they finished as the league runner-up for the 10th time in program history. A loss to Franklin Pierce in the championship final ended Stonehill’s pursuit of a third-straight NE10 title.
Head coach Lynne Smith leads the program in her second season, which is slated to begin conference play with a big home matchup against Adelphi on Saturday, September 11. When the Skyhawks play the Panthers, it will be a rematch of their NE10 semifinal contest in the spring season (Stonehill win, 4-0).
The Skyhawks, who have won a league-best seven NE10 titles all-time, will travel to play at Franklin Pierce on Saturday, October 9. Stonehill looks to avenge its NE10 and NCAA East Region Championship losses to the Ravens this past spring.
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS
- Cristina Solorzano Valencia – All-Conference Third Team at No. 1 singles (2021 spring); 5-1 record at No. 1 singles in NE10 play.
- Steffi Antao – Record of 4-2 at No. 2 singles and 6-2 in No. 1 doubles during NE10 matches.
NO. 4 LE MOYNE
Le Moyne, an NE10 semifinalist from the spring season, earned 72 points for a fourth-place finish in the Coaches’ Poll. The Dolphins are coming off an 8-3 (7-2 NE10) season under head coach Jeff Lonczak. Over each of the past four seasons, Le Moyne has advanced to at least the NE10 semifinals – and earned NE10 runner-up in the 2019 season.
The Dolphins begin their 2021 season at home against D’Youville College on Friday, September 10, before starting NE10 play the next day at home against Southern New Hampshire. Big home matches are scheduled for Saturday, October 2, against Adelphi and on Saturday, October 16, against Stonehill.
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS
- Marta Nunez – 5-2 combined singles record playing at the top three flights; 4-3 combined doubles record at No. 1 and 2.
- Birdem Oz – 3-2 at No. 1 singles and 3-4 at No. 1 doubles during NE10 matches in the spring season of 2021.
NO. 5 SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE
Southern New Hampshire secured 71 points, on its way to the fifth-place position in the NE10 Coaches’ Poll. The Penmen went 7-4 (7-3 NE10) in the 2021 spring season and advanced to the NE10 quarterfinal round before losing to Le Moyne. Head coach Greg Coache enters his 15th season at the helm for SNHU.
A home match against Franklin Pierce, the reigning NE10 champion, is how the Penmen start their 2021 campaign. SNHU hosts Adelphi on Saturday, September 25, and travels to play Le Moyne on the road on Monday, September 27, in a rematch of the NE10 quarterfinals this past spring. The Penmen look to capture their first NE10 title in a decade.
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS
- Magdalena Hubickova – NE10 Player of the Year (2021 spring); All-Conference First Team at No. 1 singles and All-Conference Third Team at No. 1 doubles (2021 spring); 8-1 at No. 1 singles and 7-2 at No. 1 doubles in NE10 play.
- Alexxa Etienne – All-Conference Second Team at No. 2 singles and All-Conference Third Team at No. 1 doubles (2021 spring); 8-1 at No. 2 singles and 7-2 at No. 1 doubles in NE10 play.
no. 6 NEW HAVEN
New Haven recorded 56 points and a sixth-place finish in the Coaches’ Poll. The Chargers went 5-8 (4-6 NE10) in the 2021 spring season and advanced to the NE10 quarterfinals before falling to eventual runner-up Stonehill. Led by fifth-year head coach Hannah Fetters, New Haven looks to have a deeper run into the NE10 Championship this fall.
The new season begins for the Chargers with NE10 play at Saint Anselm on Sunday, September 12. The first home match for New Haven is scheduled for just two days later against SNHU on Tuesday, September 14.
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS
- Ivana Andric – All-Conference Second Team at No. 1 singles (2021 spring); 5-0 at No. 1 singles and 6-0 overall in NE10 matches.
- Nicole Mika – Played in seven singles matches against NE10 opponents, earning a pair of wins at the No. 3 flight (2021 spring).
NO. 7 ASSUMPTION
Assumption earned 43 points for a seventh-place finish in the Coaches’ Poll, as the Greyhounds prepare for the 2021 fall season under new head coach Mike Roberts. Assumption went 5-7 (4-6 NE10) during the 2021 spring season, while earning a victory in the first round of the NE10 Championship – the program’s first-ever NE10 postseason win.
Conference play begins for the Greyhounds at home against Saint Michael’s on Sunday, September 12.
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS
- Julia Chappell – Record of 3-4 at No. 1 singles and 3-6 at No. 1 doubles during NE10 contests in the spring of 2021.
NO. 8 BENTLEY
Bentley earned 37 points for an eighth-place finish in the Coaches’ Poll under head coach Rick Edelmann, who is in his ninth season with the program. The Falcons open the 2021 fall season at the Holy Cross Invitational on Saturday, September 4, with NE10 play beginning at home against Adelphi on Sunday, September 12.
Bentley advanced to the NE10 quarterfinals in the 2021 spring season with a victory over Saint Anselm in the first round.
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS
- Adriana Hiraldo – All-Rookie Team (2021 spring); Competed at No. 1 singles in six NE10 matches for the Falcons.
- Alessa Matuty – Record of 2-2 in singles play during NE10 matches in the 2021 spring season.
NO. 9 AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL
American International, coming off a winless 2021 spring season, looks to bounce back in the fall with a schedule that opens at home against Franklin Pierce on Saturday, September 11. Under third-year head coach Tanner DeVareness, the Yellow Jackets prepare for their 10-match NE10 schedule with key returning upperclassmen.
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS
- Meri Jimeno-Vicente – Started nine matches at No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles for the Yellow Jackets in the 2021 spring season.
- Sophie Roberge – Started nine matches at No. 2 singles and eight matches at No. 2 doubles in the 2021 spring season.
NO. 10 SAINT ANSELM
Saint Anselm finished the 2021 spring season with a 2-9 (2-8 NE10) overall record under head coach Matt Tiberii. The Hawks will start their 2021 fall campaign in the Holy Cross Invitational on Saturday, September 4. NE10 matches loom shortly after, with road contests at Stonehill on Sunday, September 5, and Franklin Pierce on Wednesday, September 8.
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS
- Emily Jacy – Record of 2-5 in nine matches at No. 1 singles against NE10 opponents in the 2021 spring season.
- Anastasia Kapothanasis – Record of 3-4 in nine matches at No. 2 singles against NE10 opponents in the 2021 spring season.
NO. 11 SAINT MICHAEL'S
Head coach Megan Collins enters her second season at the helm of the Saint Michael’s program. The Purple Knights went 0-8 during the 2021 spring season and look to rebound in the fall – beginning with a home match against SUNY Plattsburgh on Wednesday, September 8. Conference play begins on the road at Assumption on Sunday, September 12.
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS
- Abby Edelmann – Started eight matches at No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles for the Purple Knights in the 2021 spring season.
- Ella McKenna – Team captain in 2020-21; Record of 4-4 at No. 3 doubles during NE10 contests in the 2019 season.
Credits:
NE10 Women's Tennis Institutions