Tennis Programs Set for 2014-15 Season
September 14, 2014 | Women's Tennis
BOSTON - Prior to opening their respective seasons at the Brown Invitational, the Boston University men's and women's tennis teams gathered together for informational meetings with the head coaches and then a fun scavenger hunt.
For the scaveneger hunt, teams were made up of at least one male and female. They were tasked with taking photos at various landmarks throughout the city. Junior Madison Craft, sophomore Lucas Bombonatti and senior Sophie Wyman moved the quickest and took first place.
The upcoming 2014-15 season marks a significant milestone for both programs. A two-time NCAA participant and three-time team MVP with the Terriers, Lesley Sheehan ('84) enters her 30th season as the head coach of the women's team. She has guided BU to 23 conference titles and 14 NCAA appearances.
First-year men's tennis head coach Dejan Stankovic served as an assistant under Sheehan for five years and helped the women claim four America East titles during his tenure. He joined the men's team last January as interim head coach and had the tag removed over the summer after placing second in the Patriot League standings and reaching the conference semifinals.
The women are coming off a 14-7 year in which they won the Patriot League title during their inaugural season in the conference. Led by PL Player of the Year Johanna Hyoty, the Terriers eliminated nine-time defending champion Army to reach the NCAAs for the first time since 2011. That win over the Black Knights marked Sheehan's 350th-career victory as a head coach.
They lost one starter in Leonie-Charlotte Athanasiadis to graduation and welcome newcomer Iryna Kostirko, who was ranked as high as ninth in the U-18 category in Canada. BU starts its season at the Brown Invitational on Sept. 19-21.
On the men's side, the Terriers went 9-10 last season and 4-1 in the Patriot League for a second-place finish in the standings after being selected fifth in the preseason poll. They swept Loyola Maryland in the PL quarterfinals before falling to Navy in a hard-fought 4-3 decision in the semis.
BU lost a key member in Chanon Varapongsittikul, who earned All-PL Second Team accolades. Jesse Frieder graduated as well after playing the No. 2 singles position but will remain with the team as an assistant coach. Coincidentally, the women also have an alum as an assistant coach in two-time All-America East First Team honoree Chrissy Cerretani ('00).
The Terriers will welcome junior Will Kwok, who went 8-3 last season at No. 1 singles for Rollins College, and freshman Mario Nicosia, who was ranked as high as No. 22 nationally in the TennisRecruiting.net rankings. They will open their season at the Brown Invitational on Sept. 12-14.
