Fox Valley Conference
Fox Division
Crystal Lake Central
Coach: Katie Lashbrook (second season)
Last year: Fourth at FVC Meet
Top returning players: Jillian Wallace (sr.), Evelyn Youel (sr.), Emma Buckingham (sr.), Ally Frankowski (sr.), Carley George (jr.), Jenna Lomax (jr.), Sarah Mondello (sr.), Cassie Nelson (sr.), Maddie O’Donnell (jr.), Caitlyn Smith (sr.), Shannon Ellman (sr.)
Top newcomers: Maddie Fox (so.), Anna Marchetti (jr.), Sarah Massett (so.), Lily Motley (jr.)
Worth noting: Wallace and Youel return after placing in the top 12 in the state finals in doubles. The Tigers look to defend their FVC Fox Division title.
Grayslake Central
Coach: Chuck Lawson (seventh season)
Last year: Seventh at FVC Meet
Top returning players: Nikki Tatsuguchi (so.), Raquel Ruiz (so.), Brenda Zador (jr.), Alexa Schneider (sr.), Pranalee Patel (sr.), Yuliya Mykhaylovska (jr.), Sarah Adornetto (jr.), Kaitlyn Barrett (sr.), Ally Gately (sr.), Paige Vaughn (sr.), Olivia Love (so.)
Worth noting: Tatsuguchi and Ruiz, both sophomores, will play No. 1 and 2 singles respectively this season.
Grayslake North
Coach: Jill Tomasello (ninth season)
Last year: 10th at FVC Meet
Top returning players: Nathalia Moran (sr.), Cayle Dole (sr.), Racher Crutcher (sr.)
Top newcomers: Erin Hendrix (jr.), Cassie Friedman (jr.), Alyssa Piekarx (jr.), Kaitlyn Christiansen (jr.)
Worth noting: After losing most of their doubles combinations from a year ago, the Knights are looking to rebuild, but still hope to finish in the top half of the FVC.
Hampshire
Coach: Bill Jepsen (first season)
Last year: Tied for 12th at FVC Meet
Top returning players: Hannah Hougland (so.), Julie Schreiner (jr.), Amanda Schultz (jr.), Monica Patthana (sr.), Katelyn Schoedl (jr.), Madison Zilch (jr.), Abby Eischen (jr.)
Top newcomers: Paige Larson (jr.), Hayley Raad (jr.), Roshni Patel (jr.), Jenny Magalit (jr.)
Worth noting: Hougland in singles and Patthana and Schreiner in doubles return as state qualifiers. Jepsen is new to the area but has coached for the past six years in California.
Johnsburg
Coach: Rick Bailey (26th season)
Last year: Sixth at FVC Meet
Top returning players: Tiffany Maggioncalda (sr.), Erika Szramek (sr.), Rachael Molidor (sr.), Olivia Kasprzyk (sr.), Kataryna Altabelli (sr.), Nicole Spears (jr.)
Top newcomer: Nicole Wochinski (jr.)
Worth noting: Maggioncalda moves up to No. 1 singles after playing No. 2 last year. Bailey said she has worked hard to be a No. 1 player.
Woodstock
Coach: Jessie Justice (second season)
Last year: 11th at FVC Meet
Top returning players: Ana Fedmasu (jr.), Amy Fischbach (jr.)
Top newcomers: Karen Evans (jr.),
MacKenzie Smith (jr.)
Worth noting: Fedmasu returns at No. 1 singles after qualifying for state with a third-place finish in the Cary-Grove Sectional.
Woodstock North
Coach: Mike Buehler (fourth season)
Last year: 14th at FVC Meet
Top returning players: Sierra Meiners (sr.), Cally Maire (sr.), Sadie LeFever (sr.), Kellie Smith (sr.), Alex Glod (sr.), Danielle Hurmis (sr.), Madison Wirfs (sr.)
Top newcomers: Kelsey Parlogean (jr.), Allie Lavin (so.), Isabel Walsh (so.), Annalee Bartlett (so.), Fanny Garcia (so.), Leslie Garcia (jr.), Laura “Lulu” Nicks (fr.)
Worth noting: Buehler said his program is moving in the right direction and has players with three years of varsity experience. Offseason camps have helped grow the Thunders’ numbers to the largest in their history at 38 players.
Valley Division
Cary-Grove
Coach: Laurie Bender (first season)
Last year: Eighth at FVC Meet
Top returning players: Macy Koepke (sr.), Alyssa Derer (sr.), Jessica Hinojosa (sr.), Anna Michaelchuck (sr.)
Top newcomers: Ali Sturtecky (jr.), Rachel Langer (jr.), Lauren Betz (so.), Tori Baranowski (so.), Sanjana Rao (fr.)
Worth noting: This is Bender’s first year as the head of the varsity program, but she has coached the frosh/soph boys and girls teams for more than 20 years.
Crystal Lake South
Coach: Don Nead (18th season)
Last year: First at FVC Meet
Top returning players: Julia Thome (sr.), Rachel Rasmussen (sr.), Jacqueline Boorom (sr.), Kelsey Laktash (sr.), Kaitlin Bookout (jr.)
Top newcomers: Hannah Rakofski (fr.), Kylee Fetzner (sr.), Ella Mazurek (sr.), Danielle Baietto (jr.), Alaina Brunetti (jr.), Anusha Subramanian (jr.), Kristina Smithana (jr.), Holly Rainey (jr.)
Worth noting: The Gators return state qualifiers Thome and Laktash, who both qualified for state in doubles with graduated partners. After winning the FVC Meet at No. 2 singles last year, Thome looks to be one of the area’s top singles players.
Dundee-Crown
Coach: Stephanie McClure (first season)
Last year: Tied for 12th at FVC Meet
Top returning players: Camille Balch (jr.), Lexi Hawkey (sr.), Katelyn Ashacher (sr.), Morganne Schmidt (sr.), Taylor Heather (sr.), Felicia Zaporowski (sr.), Hannah Rakow (sr.)
Top newcomers: Kimmy Skvarla (jr.), Tessa O’Bert (sr.), Ellie Gentile (jr.), Natalie Bieri (jr.), Jessica Stiefer (jr.), Christine Johnsen (jr.), Danielle Pautz (jr.), Kayla Martin (jr.)
Worth noting: McClure said she has a lot of talent on her team and is looking to develop their strengths and be competitive in the FVC.
Huntley
Coach: Barry Wells (ninth season)
Last year: Fifth at FVC Meet
Top returning players: Ally Pietrusiak (sr.), Brooke Romero (sr.), Tamara Funke (sr.), Jessica Chalas (sr.), Jantzen Rosales (sr.), Katie Gallegos (sr.), Pooja Patel (sr.), Venicia Alvarez (sr.), Alicia Pietramale (sr.)
Top newcomers: Nicolette Davila (sr.), Haley McCartney (sr.), Jackie Wyslak (sr.)
Worth noting: Wells will start an all-senior lineup, which will give them great experience, especially at doubles.
Jacobs
Coach: Jon Betts (ninth season)
Last year: Second at FVC Meet
Top returning players: Emma Nickoley (sr.), Dena Kontos (sr.), Rachael Buttolph (sr.), Emily Halvorson (sr.), Ashley Kosy (so.)
Top newcomers: Miranda Corbett (sr.), Lauren Bayer (sr.), Morgan Vachio (jr.), Hannah Jackowski (jr.), Chloe Moders (jr.), Sara Elliott (jr)
Worth noting: Kosy returns from a successful freshman season in which she won the South Elgin Sectional and looks to again be one of the top singles players in the area.
McHenry
Coach: Kyle Funkhouser (seventh season)
Last year: Ninth at FVC Meet
Top returning players: Brittany Goebel (sr.), Lauren Goebel (jr.), Emily Zalewski (jr.), Sydney Dyer (sr.), Emily Waszak (sr.)
Top newcomers: Alyssa Das-Weeks (jr.), Emeris Raquel (jr.), CiCi Lentz (sr.), Carol Vo (jr.), Sophie Hecht (jr.), Becky Bove (jr.)
Worth noting: Brittany Goebel looks for a strong senior season after qualifying for state last year with a fourth-place finish in the Grayslake North Sectional.
Prairie Ridge
Coach: Jim Benson (first season)
Last year: Third at FVC Meet
Top returning players: Callie Schmit (sr.), Natalie Favia (jr.), Anna Kuechenberg (sr.), Mikaela McNally (jr.), Emily Barnes (sr.), Elise Dassow (sr.), Nikki Rice (sr.), McKenzie Zettlmeier (sr.)
Top newcomers: Leenah Alas (jr.), Leah Asen (jr.), Katie Cox (fr.), Veronica Jewell (jr.), Abby Paul (jr.), Madeline Smith (jr.), Shelby Steverson (jr.), Annie Timm (fr.)
Worth noting: Benson moves over from the Jacobs’ boys team to coach his alma mater. Schmit in singles and Favia and Kuechenberg in doubles return as state qualifiers.
Big Northern Conference
Marengo
Coach: Sonesacksith Siripanya (first season)
Top returning players: Laura Ganvick (sr.), Ellie Smith (sr.), Caitlyn Nakoneczny (sr.)
Top newcomers: Jackie Pulak (jr.), Megan Hanelt (jr.), Mati Kissack (so.), Abbie Varble (so.), Rebecca Schultz (jr.), Alexyz Sanchez (so.), Sarah VanValkening (jr.), Elizabeth Arrigoni (jr.)
Worth noting: Siripanya said her team is young, with only three seniors, but should be strong in doubles and looks to surprise some teams.
Suburban Christian Conference
Marian Central
Coach: Ginny Larsen (sixth season)
Top returning players: Abby Waters (jr.), Kaitlin Pinter (sr.), Megan Mink (sr.), Ashley Graf (sr.)
Top newcomers: Sydney Waters (fr.), Rachel Melchionna (jr.), Ariel Majewski (jr.)
Worth noting: With only four returning varsity players, Larsen said she expects her team to improve as the season progresses as they gain match experience.
– Rob Smith, rsmith@shawmedia.com