IVCC women’s tennis coach Julie Milota has lofty goals for the Eagles this fall.

“I am not going to beat around the bush, we should take the region title,” Milota said. “But we have some groundwork to lay down first and not a lot of time to do it in. But I am looking forward to it.”

The Eagles return several contributors from last fall in Ottawa alumnae McKenzie Eichelkraut and Streator graduates Mina James and Alex Mahan.

“Eichelkraut was a No. 1 doubles specialist who came two points away from upsetting the No. 1 seed at regionals last fall. She will be on the hunt to make all regional,” Milota said. “Mina James finished last season at No. 5 singles and was second in the region. Mahan was No. 6 last year and played very well for us with only a few losses through the season.”

Milota has a “nice group of freshmen,” including Kaneland No. 1 singles player Ellie Taylor and L-P singles player Grace Pecchio. IVCC also added L-P graduates Raleigh Leininger, Izzy Pecchio, Phoebe Shetterly and Eva Cervantes, Princeton’s Zoey Byers and Streator’s Annika Michlik, Joyce Walkling and Indyana Hernandez.

“They have been a really great group to work with and I’m looking forward to some fun matches this season,” Milota said.

Milota expects Taylor, Grace and Izzy Pecchio, Eichelkraut, Leininger and Cervantes to be in the mix for Nos. 1-3 singles and No. 1-2 doubles.

“We will just have to wait and see how everything plays out,” Milota said.