Women's Tennis | 8/31/2021 9:57:30 AM
Nazareth will look to earn its second Empire 8 Championship in just over six months, as the 2021 women’s tennis season gets underway on Sept. 1. The top four teams will advance to the Empire 8 Championship Tournament, which will take place at Houghton College on Friday, Oct. 15 and Saturday, Oct. 16. The Empire 8 Champion will receive an automatic berth into the 2022 NCAA Division III Women’s Tennis Championship, which will take place starting in May.
Fans can watch the action all season long, free of charge on the
Empire 8 Network.
Players to Watch (Sorted by Alphabetical Order)
Lauren Boshart, Alfred, Sr., Oswego, NY/Oswego – Boshart will be counted to lead the way for Alfred and has maintained a singles record of 11-5 during the month of September in her collegiate career.
Taylor Gillespie, Russell Sage, Sr., Cobleskill, NY/Cobleskill-Richmondville – Gillespie earned All-Empire 8 second team honors in doubles during the 2019 season and will be poised to lead the Gators this fall.
Aliya Guzman, Nazareth, So., Fairport, NY/Fairport – Guzman became the fourth student-athlete in E8 women’s tennis history to be named both the Empire 8 Player and Rookie of the Year last spring. Guzman went 8-0 in both singles and doubles against league opponents to help lead Nazareth to the Empire 8 title.
Jade Killikelly, Hartwick, So., Jamaica, NY/The Mary Louise Academy – Killikelly returns after an impressive rookie season in which she earned All-Empire 8 second team honors in singles and third team doubles accolades.
Ellen Lyga, Utica, So., New Hartford, NY/Notre Dame – Lyga earned All-Empire 8 first team honors in both singles and doubles last spring and will be an E8 Player of the Year candidate this fall.
Mikayla Santulli, St. John Fisher, Sr., Central Square, NY/Christian Brothers Academy – Santulli was the 2019 Empire 8 Championship Most Valuable Player and is a multiple All-Empire 8 selection in both singles and doubles.
Elise Swanson, Houghton, Jr., Bemus Point, NY/Maple Grove – Swanson is a two-time All-Empire 8 selection, having earned second team singles accolades in both 2019 and Spring 2021.
Team Capsules (Sorted by Spring 2021 Standings)
Nazareth
The Golden Flyers will attempt to defend their Empire 8 title and win their fifth league crown this fall. Sophomore Aliya Guzman, the 2021 Empire 8 Player and Rookie of the Year Aliya Guzman returns after finishing undefeated in both singles and doubles competition against league foes. Seniors Caroline Keegan and Lauren Carr, along with Theresa Hecht will look to continue their success in 2021. Keegan and Hecht were All-Empire 8 third team selections last spring, while Carr garnered second team plaudits in 2019. Claire Pullen will be counted on to make an immediate impact as a first-year standout.
St. John Fisher
St. John Fisher will look to earn its second Empire 8 title in the last three seasons this fall. Last spring, the Cardinals advanced to the E8 Championship match after winning the league title in 2019. Senior Mikayla Santulli, the 2019 Empire 8 Tournament Most Valuable Player will be expected to lead the way for the Cardinals, along with senior Jackie Chouinard and sophomore Kathryn Strait. Santulli and Strait earned All-Empire 8 first team honors in doubles last spring, while Strait and Chouinard garnered second team accolades in singles.
Utica
The Pioneers are coming off their first Empire 8 Tournament win since 2006 and just missed earning a trip to the Empire 8 Championship match. Utica returns the dynamic duo of All-Empire 8 first team singles selections Ellen Lyga and Morgan Willis. The pair will be counted on to lead the Pioneers in the fall. Lyga went 7-1 in singles last spring, while Willis was 7-0. Haley Dekin also returns after winning four matches in the spring.
Houghton
Houghton will look to earn its third consecutive berth in the Empire 8 Tournament this season and make a run towards its first league title. First-year head coach Zach Shilvock returns three All-Empire 8 players in senior Erin Haley and juniors Elise Swanson and Chloe Esch. Haley was an All-Empire 8 first team pick in 2019 and a third team selection last spring, while Swanson has earned All-E8 second team plaudits in each of her first two seasons. Esch was a third team pick last spring. Returning veterans Maddi Soth, Tessa Brown and Sophia Yescott give Houghton strong depth for the 2021 season.
Russell Sage
The Gators of Russell Sage are just two seasons removed from winning a program-record 10 matches and earning the No. 3 seed in the Empire 8 Tournament. Senior Taylor Gillespie earned All-Empire 8 second team honors in doubles during the 2019 season and will be poised to lead the Gators this fall. Junior Maria Inserra, along with newcomers Kenedy and Maddie Cherry, Gwen Eichen, Danasia Gomes, Dudlie Salomon and Shantae Warren will see time on the courts this fall under first-year head coach Allison Coleman.
Hartwick
The Hawks advanced to their first Empire 8 Tournament since 2016 in the spring and are looking to build off that momentum in 2021. Sophomore Jade Killikelly returns after an impressive rookie season in which she won three matches at first singles and earned All-Empire 8 second team honors. She also partnered with senior Victoria Wilson to garner All-Empire 8 third team accolades in doubles. Newcomers Ryann Ashby, Valerie Kohberger, Colleen Marsh will vie for time in the starting lineup as well.
Alfred
The Saxons will look to make it back to the Empire 8 Tournament in 2021. Senior Lauren Boshart and junior Isabelle Benoit will lead the way for Alfred. Boshart has maintained a collegiate singles record of 11-5 during the month of September, giving Alfred high hopes to start the regular season. Sophomores Anna Gwozdz and Alex Rossen both played valuable match time with the Saxons during the spring and hope to build upon their experiences this fall. Abigail Call, Alexis Giordano and Macy Youngberg enter the new season as first-year talents aiming to make a positive impact for the program.
Final Spring 2021 Empire 8 Women’s Tennis Standings
Nazareth (8-1, 6-0 E8) – League Champions
St. John Fisher (6-2, 5-1 E8)
Utica (5-3, 4-2 E8)
Houghton (4-4, 3-3 E8)
Russell Sage (2-5, 2-4 E8)
Hartwick (1-6, 1-5 E8)
Alfred (0-6, 0-6 E8)
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