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Here’s a look at the area girls tennis teams:
Coal City
Coach: Matt Leman (eighth season)
Last year: 10-8 in dual meets; fourth at Ottawa Sectional
Top returners: Trinidy Barrus, jr.; Molly Stiles, jr.; Skyler Wickiser, sr.
Key newcomers: Kylie Jackson, fr.; Abby Stiles, fr.
Worth noting: The Coalers lost 12 seniors from last season and have just one this year with Wickiser, who is expected to team with Abby Stiles at No. 1 doubles. Abby Stiles and Jackson – who should contribute in both singles and doubles – are exciting freshmen talents, while Molly Stiles and Barrus are expected to take on the top two singles spots.
Joliet Catholic
Coach: Tyler Eakle (10th season)
Last year: Third in East Suburban Catholic Conference; Marian Catholic Sectional champions; eighth at Class 1A state meet
Top returners: Molly Leeders, sr.; Sara Neville, sr.; Audrey Pender, sr.; Ella Pfanenstiel, jr.
Key newcomers: Caroline Pender, jr.; Sarah Sharp, jr.; Callie Streitz, fr.
Worth noting: The Angels begin life without Mia Bertino, who is playing at Valparaiso after placing in the top eight at state each of the last three seasons, including fifth last year.
Pfanenstiel will do her best to fill in at No. 1 singles. Neville and Audrey Pender won a sectional doubles title last year and a match at state. Streitz is a talented freshman addition.
Joliet Township
Coach: Kit Gillman
Last year: Third at Lockport Sectional
Top returners: Ashley Fabbre, jr.; Jessica Kyd, sr.; Megan Miller, jr.; Katie Munoz, sr.
Key newcomers: Sophia Baltz, fr.; Hannah Picco, so.
Worth noting: Joliet has to replace eight seniors from last season, including sectional singles champion Anne Starasinich. Fabbre, Kyd, Miller and Munoz are all returning contributors in doubles.
Lincoln-Way Central
Coach: Eric Balluff (first season)
Last year: SouthWest Suburban Red champions; Lincoln-Way West Sectional champions; tied for 34th at Class 2A state meet
Top returners: Micaela Cesta, sr.; Anna Florek, sr.; Michelle Mikos, sr.; Kara Rimkunas, jr.
Key newcomers: None
Worth noting: Rimkunas was a state qualifier at doubles each of the past two seasons with her sister, Emma, who has now graduated. Cesta was a state qualifier at doubles two years ago but also will be playing with a new partner after the graduation of Lily Malas. Florek and Mikos are a returning doubles tandem.
Lincoln-Way East
Coach: Wes Cooley (fifth season)
Last year: 16-6 in dual meets; SouthWest Suburban Blue runner-up; third at Lincoln-Way West Sectional
Top returners: Mia Galassini, so.; Maura Kapala, sr.; Sarah Limanowski, sr.; Camryn Mitchell, sr.
Key newcomers: Ava Stengle, jr.; Madi Williams, fr.
Worth noting: The Griffins lost two state-qualifying doubles teams to graduation, but Kapala and Limanowski are poised to fill one of those spots. Galassini and Mitchell, who played singles last year, are expected to team up in doubles. Williams, who coach Wes Cooley called a “freshman phenom,” is a USTA-level player who will compete with Stengle for the top singles spot.
Lincoln-Way West
Coach: John Cupp (fifth season)
Last year: 12-8 in dual meets; SouthWest Suburban Red runner-up; fourth at Lincoln-Way West Sectional
Top returners: Tristan Lucas, sr.; Vica Maratea, sr.; Lucy Newtoff, sr.
Key newcomers: Kara Carr, sr.; Brooke Sawa, sr.
Worth noting: The Warriors lost three-time state qualifier Natalie Singh to graduation. Maratea is set to take over her spot at No. 1 singles. Lucas and Newtoff are expected to play at No. 1 doubles, while Carr and Sawa are set to make their varsity debut as a senior doubles tandem.
Lockport
Coach: Bob Champlin (eighth season)
Last year: 10-15 in dual meets, third in SouthWest Suburban Conference, Lockport Sectional champions, tied for 25th at Class 2A state meet
Top returners: Emilia Jurzyk, jr.; Kamila Kalinowska, sr.; Patricia Miszczak, jr.;
Key newcomers: Jessica Ing, fr.; Patricia Jurzyk, fr; Martyna Kalinowska, fr.; Bre Schultz, fr.
Worth noting: Miszcak qualified for state last season in singles, while Kamila Kalinowska and Emilia Jurzyk made it in doubles, but both with partners who have now graduated. The additions of Patricia Jurzyk and Martyna Kalinowska give the Porters two pairs of siblings. Five players on the team are fluent Polish speakers.
Minooka
Coach: Trevor Shields (first season)
Last year: Runners-up at Lockport Sectional
Top returners: Mariah Duarte, sr.; Isabelle Figarelli, sr.; Hannah Grace Marti, sr.; Marlo Scholtes, sr.; Kaleigh Serra, jr.
Key newcomers: Alaina Dorman, so.
Worth noting: Marti and Scholtes at No. 1 doubles have been partners four the past four seasons and qualified for state together last season. Figarelli was a state qualifier in doubles with McKenna O’Donnell, who graduated, but is expected to play singles this season.
Plainfield North
Coach: Raghav Sani (first season)
Last year: Southwest Prairie Conference runner-up; fourth at Lockport Sectional
Top returners: Hannah Aylsworth, sr.; Gabi Ballard, sr.; Trisha Sharma, so.
Key newcomers: Grace Chadick, sr.; Nayva Nagelli, so.
Worth noting: The Tigers lost state-qualifying singles player Stephanie Kucera to graduation, but Chadick, who played on varsity as a sophomore, but did not play last season, returns to take over No. 1 singles. Alysworth and Ballard are expected to play doubles, while Sharma could play singles or doubles.
Providence
Coach: Jaime Prado (second season)
Last year: Fifth in GCAC Red; Marian Catholic Sectional runner-up; seventh at Class 1A state meet
Top returners: Julia Bucciferro, jr.; Emma Davis, jr. Julianna Johnson, sr.; Natalie McGrath, sr.
Key newcomers: None
Worth noting: Davis finished third in the state in singles in Class 1A last season, single-handedly leading the Celtics to a seventh-place finish as their only state qualifier. Johnson returns at No. 2 singles. Buccifferro and McGrath a returning doubles pair.
Romeoville
Coach: George Joyce (18th season)
Last year: 10th at Lockport Sectional
Top returners: Kaitlyn Chruczyzk, jr.; Stephanie Diep, jr.; Amanda Listermann, sr.; Nicole Necka, sr.; Monica Saravia, jr.; Layla Urbina, sr.; Yazmin Villegas, sr.
Key newcomers: Maya Edrada, so.
Worth noting: Listermann finished fifth in the Southwest Prairie Conference last season, and Joyce expects her to move up this season. Edrada, who did not play last year because of travel basketball, could slot in at No. 2 singles in her first season in the program.