FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — After two consecutive winning seasons and back-to-back Big Sky regular season championship titles, the Northern Arizona women's tennis team will start a new chapter under the direction of head coach
Maciej Bogusz, who is in his first season with the blue and gold. The Lumberjacks were picked to finish second in the Big Sky Conference this season behind the Idaho Vandals, after falling to them in the championship match last season.
Fall Takeaway
Northern Arizona competed in six fall tournaments with all eight Lumberjacks getting a chance to compete including the newcomers in
Worthy Goldman,
Madi Moore,
Cora-Lynn von Dungern and
Ellie Millard. The fall season was comprised of standout performances from the returners in juniors
Hanneke Lodewijks and
Eirene Granville and sophomores
Brandy Walker and
Chiara Tomasetti who recorded winning records in both singles and doubles with 18 singles wins and 21 doubles wins.
For Bogusz, the fall season was for more than just development, but also a chance for him and the team to adjust to all the new dimensions that come with a new coach, new team and new style of play.
"It was a challenge because we [Maciej and
Ewa Bogusz] had just a few months with the team," said Bogusz. "They had a limited time to get to know us and our coaching style, but they have really bought into what we are doing. The fall is about development, building relationships and building the team's trust and although it will take some time, we have made extraordinary progress."
Trusting The Process
The Lumberjacks will be led by Bogusz and assistant coach
Ewa Bogusz, who will be in their first seasons with the NAU women's tennis team.
Since the Bogusz's arrival in the fall, the Lumberjacks have been working on the process.
"We have such a young team, so the mentality is everyone can improve," Bogusz explained. "We are really working on bringing that blue-collar mentality as a team, in the weight room and in individual practices. We aren't just playing for this season, but we are playing for the future too, so every practice and workout they do is setting up the foundation for this program for years to come."
Coming Off Success
The Lumberjacks will start the 2018 campaign with a young and experienced group with no seniors and four nationally ranked athletes. The ITA announced in November previously ranked pair
Tomasetti and
Lodewijks moved up four spots to tie at No. 53 and close behind at No. 56 is
Granville and
Walker.
The returning four have picked up a multitude of accolades this past season including Tomasetti being named Big Sky Freshman of the Year and ITA Mountain Region Rookie of the Year.
"The team has been very successful, not just last season, but the past couple of seasons and you can see that confidence in the returners," Bogusz said. "They have already competed in the finals of the conference tournament, they went undefeated [11-0] in the regular season last year and they know they are capable, which spreads to the other members of our team as well."
Getting After It
Northern Arizona will be put to the test the moment they take the court, starting the season with non-conference opponents like No. 24 Arizona State, Arizona, University of Texas – El Paso, New Mexico and Wyoming before competing in their first conference matchup against the Montana Grizzlies.
The 'Jacks will compete in a total of 22 matches, with only seven at home in the Aquatic and Tennis Complex in Flagstaff.
Of all of their season opponents, the Lumberjacks will face their toughest opponent in nationally ranked Arizona State who has two individuals ranked in singles action in No. 83 Savannah Slaysman and No. 93 Kelley Anderson in addition to three doubles pairs ranked in the Top-50.
The 'Jacks will also have to face off the early favorites on the road in the Idaho Vandals, who's roster includes nationally ranked No. 39 Marianna Petrei in singles.
First Up
The returning regular season champions, the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks will begin competition this weekend down in Phoenix, Ariz. against the Sun Devils. The two teams will compete Saturday, Jan. 20 at noon.
