Contributors: Lisa Ammons, John Antonik, Jaret Dyer, Michael Fragale, Philip Lynch, Connor McDonough, Bryan Messerly, Joe Mitchin, Charles Montgomery, Mike Montoro, Reese Owens, Amy Prunty, Olivia Sneed, Elizabeth Stash, Joe Swan
Contributing Photographers: All-Pro Photography by Dale Sparks, Logan Adams, Bill Barrett, Bob Beverly, John Bright, M.G. Ellis, Dan Friend, Jeff Geissler, David Green, Julia Lucas, Corbin Mills, Joe Mitchin, Dan Nagy, Brian Persinger, Ben Powell, Steven M. Prunty, Pam Reyes, Chuck Scheer, Seth Seebaugh, Jennifer Shephard, Duncan Slade, Steve Smith, Alison Toffle, Martin Valent, Andrew Wilkie, WVU Athletics Archives, WVU Photographic Services
West Virginia is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action institution. The indicia depicted are registered trademarks of West Virginia University. Reproduction of any material appearing herein is prohibited without approval of the West Virginia University Intercollegiate Athletics.
BIG 12 CONFERENCE
West Virginia is entering its 14th season in the Big 12 Conference as the conference continues to be one of the premier athletic conferences in the country. Commissioner Brett Yormark begins his fourth year at the helm of the conference.
“tHe BiG 12 ConFerenCe reMains one oF tHe touGHest ConFerenCes in tHe CountrY WHen it CoMes to CoLLeGe tennis. tHe GroWtH oF tHe ConFerenCe Has GiVen us oPPortunities to FaCe ManY DiFFerent sCHooLs tHrouGHout tHe season as We Continue to GroW our ProGraM. We FaCe an eXtreMeLY HiGH Bar Due to tHe CoMPetition We FaCe in tHe BiG 12. tHat is WHY We are DeDiCateD to rePresentinG West VirGinia uniVersitY at tHe HiGHest LeVeL.” – MiHa LisaC
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Choosing to become a Mountaineer is special. Without a professional sports team in the state, the 1.8 million people throughout the region love West Virginia University athletics.
No school helps its student-athletes more than the people at WVU.
Mountaineers have the unique opportunity to represent themselves, their teammates and their university to news, media, alumni, friends, family and the general public.
If you take advantage of these opportunities, it can have a positive effect, not only on your career as a student-athlete at West Virginia, but also on your life after you have donned the Old Gold and Blue.
“West VirGinia is a sPeCiaL PLaCe, unLiKe anY otHer. i FeeL eXtreMeLY PriViLeGeD to Be in tHe Position tHat i aM in. i aM aBLe to HeLP tHese YounG LaDies Mature anD PrePare For LiFe aFter tennis. i Want to BuiLD soMetHinG sPeCiaL toGetHer, anD We HaVe tHe oPPortunitY to Do tHat Here at WVu.” – MiHa LisaC
IN THE COMMUNITY
Representing West Virginia University, the city of Morgantown and the state of West Virginia in a charitable manner is important to the WVU women’s tennis team.
The Mountaineers are constantly involved in community service activities throughout the state. The team has a continuing relationship with Habitat for Humanity, the WVU Children’s Hospital and the United States Tennis Association (USTA), which makes the team aware of any volunteer openings in the area.
The women’s tennis team also hosts youth camps and clinics throughout the year in order to involve the community with the program. Each year, the Mountaineer tennis team also hosts the Martha Thorn Invitational and conducts a charitable giving initiative to benefit local outreaches and causes in the Morgantown community.
Becoming successful and positive role models on and off the court are important to the WVU women’s tennis team. The Mountaineers give back to Morgantown and its surrounding communities every chance they get.
“CoMMunitY serViCe is one oF tHe Most CruCiaL tHinGs tHat We Do. tHis is a VerY sMaLL, tiGHt-Knit CoMMunitY. CoMMunitY serViCe For us is a Part oF GiVinG BaCK to tHe CoMMunitY tHat suPPorts us so WeLL. not Just us as tHe tennis teaM But tHe atHLetiC DePartMent oVeraLL. it is VerY, VerY iMPortant tHat We Continue to staY ConneCteD to tHe CoMMunitY anD tHat We Continue to sHoW our aPPreCiation.” – MiHa LisaC
TENNIS FACILITIES
MOUNTAINEER TENNIS COURTS
The Mountaineer Tennis Courts boast six rebound-ace hard courts and grandstand seating for more than 500 spectators. The facility is located on campus, adjacent to the WVU Coliseum, providing ample parking and easy access for players and fans alike.
In 2016, new lights were added to illuminate all six courts for play at night. Additionally, new windscreens were added.
In 2019, the courts were resurfaced and repainted to offer a fresh new look for fans, while providing a safe and comfortable playing surface for the student-athletes.
In 2021, new windscreens were installed, and in 2022, the courts were resurfaced and repainted.
Following the 2024-25 season, the courts were resurfaced as a new court design was implemented.
SUMMIT TENNIS ACADEMY
Summit Tennis Academy offers a place for the West Virginia University women’s tennis team to compete during inclement weather.
Summit features four indoor championship cushioned Deco Turf System courts, a climate-controlled environment with lighting at a competitive level for full sun protection from UV rays and spectator viewing areas to watch and enjoy the competitive play. The WVU women’s tennis team has priority at designated times and is accommodated for indoor play in the event of inclement weather.
“We Host FaLL tournaMents outDoors, anD We PLaY outsiDe tHrouGHout tHe FaLL seMester. it is BeautiFuL Here in West VirGinia. tHe traininG rooM, WeiGHt rooM anD aCaDeMiC Center are aLL WitHin WaLKinG DistanCe FroM tHe tennis Courts. it reaLLY HeLPs us MaXiMiZe our tiMe anD Do tHe Best tHat We Can on anD oFF tHe Courts.” – MiHa LisaC
“suMMit is an outstanDinG tennis
FaCiLitY tHat ProViDes inDoor PLaY For us. it is an inCreDiBLY WeLL-MaintaineD
FaCiLitY, anD We HaVe Been VerY Fortunate to HaVe tHe aBiLitY to WorK WitH suMMit anD MaKe it our HoMe reGarDLess oF tHe WeatHer.” – MiHa LisaC
ATHLETIC TRAINING
The West Virginia University athletic training program looks to get its student-athletes back on the court in a timely manner while providing quality health care for its student-athletes and coaches.
The Athletic Performance Center houses the athletic training program, providing the athletic training staff and WVU student-athletes with a quality facility to focus on their needs.
The scope of the athletic training services encompasses various domains, which include injury recognition, treatment, rehabilitation, prevention, education and counseling that enables each student-athlete to maintain optimal quality of life beyond the span of athletic competition.
The athletic training staff works side by side with the team physicians and athletic administration to assure that the student-athletes receive quality care throughout their career at WVU.
STRENGTH & CONDITIONING
Athletic excellence and strength and conditioning go hand-in-hand at West Virginia University. WVU’s strength and conditioning staff ensures that all student-athletes are on year-long programs designed to continue improving the fitness capabilities needed in their sports.
The Athletic Performance Center provides student-athletes with top-quality equipment to hone their skills while at WVU. The strength and conditioning staff at WVU remains one of the best in the country, specializing in an array of strength programs to help athletes continue to improve and remain in peak physical condition.
At WVU, student-athletes can rest assured that their strength staff is monitoring their performance on a daily basis.
“tHe GoaL oF tHe strenGtH ProGraM For tennis is to enHanCe tHeir atHLetiC
PerForManCe anD CoMBat inJuries. MY ProGraM FoCuses on GeneraL strenGtH as WeLL as strenGtHeninG tHe MusCLes arounD CoMMon inJurY areas tHat Pertain to tennis sPeCiFiCaLLY. We train sMart anD train oPtiMaL in orDer to Be suCCessFuL on tHe Court anD Win.”
– ZaCK aLLen
STUDENT-ATHLETE ACADEMIC SERVICES
West Virginia University offers a variety of services and programs to help student-athletes maximize their academic potential. Department staff members work with coaches, on-campus student service providers and faculty to help student-athletes meet the unique demands of the classroom, the sporting arena and the personal-social challenges they face as developing adults.
To help its student-athletes achieve academic success, one of the nation’s finest facilities resides in the WVU Coliseum – The Athletic Academic Performance Center. The 8,000-square-foot facility provides individual and group study areas, a plethora of computer stations and the latest in fingerprint technology used when signing in.
Following the 2023-24 season, the West Virginia University women’s tennis team was named an Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) All-Academic Team for the 11th consecutive year.
“We HaVe VerY HiGH stanDarDs aCaDeMiCaLLY. i aLWaYs FirMLY BeLieVe in tHose. BeinG CHaLLenGeD, not onLY on tHe tennis Courts, But aLso in tHe aCaDeMiC enVironMent as WeLL, ProViDes a VerY GooD BaLanCe to PrePare stuDent-atHLetes For LiFe aFter GraDuation.” – MiHa LisaC
CHARACTER
Public, land-grant institution, founded in 1867. Across the three campuses of the WVU System in Morgantown, Keyser, and Beckley, WVU is changing lives and helping to create a brighter future. Our purpose remains to bring education, healthcare, and prosperity to our state. WVU is one of only a few flagship, R1, land-grant, community-engaged universities in the nation.
RESEARCH CLASSIFICATION
R1: Doctoral Universities – Highest Possible category, as described by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.
ACCREDITATION
WVU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Many programs hold specialized accreditation.
GOVERNANCE
The WVU Board of Governors is the University’s governing body. The Higher Education Policy Commission in West Virginia is responsible for developing, establishing and overseeing the implementation of a public policy agenda for the state’s four-year colleges and universities. Michael Benson is WVU’s 27th president.
CAMPUS LOCATIONS AND FACILITIES
The WVU System is a family of distinctive campuses united by a single mission. From the groundbreaking research of our flagship in Morgantown to the student-centered focus of WVU Potomac State College in Keyser to the technology-intensive programs at WVU Institute of Technology in Beckley, we are creating a better future for West Virginia and the world.
The WVU Institute of Technology offers 30+ majors, including undergraduate engineering programs that have consistently ranked among the top in the nation according to U.S. News & World Report.
WVU Potomac State College offers 60+ majors and combines the personal attention of a small college with the affordable benefits of a major university.
The WVU System also includes Health Sciences locations in Charleston and Martinsburg; School of Nursing campuses in Morgantown, Charleston, Keyser, Bridgeport and Beckley; farms and forests throughout the state; and WVU Jackson’s Mill State 4-H Camp.
The WVU Morgantown campus is in a town that was named the “No. 1 Small City in America” by BizJournals.com for its exceptional quality of life. Morgantown was also rated the ninth best college town in America by Business Insider.
STUDENT PROFILE
Fall 2024 WVU System enrollment was 25,000+
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
WVU recipients of prestigious scholarships include 25 Rhodes Scholars, 142 Gilman Scholars, 82 Fulbright Scholars, 53 Goldwater Scholars, 44 Critical Language Scholars, 30 Boren Scholars, 27 Truman Scholars, 6 Morris K. Udall Scholars, 5 USA Today All-USA College Academic First Team Members (and 11 academic team honorees), 3 Department of Homeland Security Scholars, 4 George C. Marshall (British) Scholars, 39 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships, one Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Graduate Scholar and one Schwarzman Scholar.
R1 RESEARCH INSTITUTION HIGHLIGHTS
WVU is one of only 187 colleges and universities to attain a ranking of R1, or the highest possible research category, alongside such institutions as Harvard, Yale, Columbia and Johns Hopkins.
WVU researchers are exploring the frontier in neuroscience research at the WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, doing groundbreaking work on Alzheimer’s disease and addiction treatment using focused ultrasound to safely open the blood-brain barrier (reported by “60 Minutes,” the New York Times, New England Journal of Medicine, the Washington Post and more).
WVU researchers are exploring the farthest reaches of the universe: dozens helped uncover evidence of ripples in space-time. mWVU is one of two or three universities that serve as a major hub for all branches of science contributing to NANOGrav – a galaxy-sized detector that is beginning to detect the gravitational universe.
Maura McLaughlin, Eberly Distinguished Professor of Physics and Astronomy, an internationally renowned WVU astrophysicist was selected as a member of the National Academy of Sciences, one of the highest honors in the scientific world.
Duncan Lorimer, Professor of Physics and Astronomy, was selected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of London.
ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
Twelve Morgantown colleges and schools offer 302 majors in agriculture and natural resources; applied and human sciences; arts and sciences; business and economics; creative arts and media; dentistry; engineering and mineral resources; law; medicine; nursing; pharmacy; and public health. Hundreds of distance education and online classes are available.
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
Students can choose from more than 450 student organizations or participate in an active intramural program and a variety of club sports.
SERVICE AND LEARNING
The Center for Service and Learning develops and organizes service learning and volunteer opportunities for students and faculty. WVU is one of only 75 schools recognized by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching for Community Engagement (recognized since 2010).
PARENTS CLUB
The Mountaineer Parents Club, with 20,000+ members, connects parents and families with the student experience.
ALUMNI
Chartered in 1873, the WVU Alumni Association is made up of more than 210,000+ graduates worldwide (in 135 nations).
LIBRARIES
The WVU Libraries encompass seven libraries statewide. Facilities in Morgantown include the Downtown Campus Library, Evansdale Library, Health Sciences Library, Law Library and the West Virginia and Regional History Center. Onsite collections include more than 936,000 books, 1.5+ million e-books and 700+ databases.
PRIVATE SUPPORT
The WVU Foundation recorded $282.6 million in gifts and pledges in fiscal year 2024. As of June 30, 2024, total Foundation assets stood at $3.04 billion, including long-term investments for the benefit of WVU and assets managed by the Foundation for other WVU-affiliated organizations.
EXTENSION
Throughout the year in West Virginia’s 55 counties, WVU Extension funds and delivers West Virginia’s 4-H program, which reaches more than 68,000 youth each year through county and state camps, special interest clubs, in-school activities and other programs.
ADMISSION AND APPLICATION TIMELINE
It’s painless to apply — no required essays or recommendations, students are automatically considered for scholarships and can be admitted with or without ACT or SAT scores. Test scores may be required for certain majors or scholarships. Apply directly to WVU or use the Common Application. WVU offers a rolling admission (there is no official application deadline). Applications are processed beginning in late August for admission the following fall. March 1 is the deadline for West Virginia residents to submit Promise Scholarship applications. Visit admissions.wvu.edu to learn more, including how to submit official transcripts and test scores. Graduate admission (for degree-seeking applicants) requires a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited university with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.75 on a 4.0 scale for regular admission. In addition, an applicant must meet the minimum admissions criteria determined by their program of interest.
VISITORS CENTER
The WVU Visitors Center is the front door to campus, providing the warm hospitality that Mountaineers are known for in a modern, welcoming space. Tours led by current students are offered Monday through Friday and select Saturdays. Details are available at visit.wvu.edu.
HEAD COACH MIHA LISAC
Miha Lisac enters his thirteenth season as the head coach of the West Virginia University tennis program. The 2009 Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Coach of the Year, Lisac previously spent six seasons as head coach at Georgia State, where he built one of the top Division I programs in the nation.
Lisac is a former student-athlete at Georgia State and served as the men’s assistant coach for two years. In 2007, Lisac was named head coach of the women’s tennis team at his alma mater. While at Georgia State, Lisac led the women’s tennis program to one conference title, back-to-back CAA Championship final appearances and two other berths in the CAA Championship semifinals.
The highlight of his tenure came in 2009 when he guided Georgia State to the first NCAA Championship appearance in school history and was named CAA Coach of the Year.
2024-25
In his twelfth season as head coach, Lisac and the Mountaineers dealt with many obstacles en route to an 8-17 finish. West Virginia won two Big 12 matches on the road for the first time since joining the conference and earned multiple conference wins in consecutive seasons for the first time since joining the Big 12.
The Mountaineers narrowly lost to Kansas State in the first round of the Big 12 Tennis Championship. West Virginia’s 4-3 loss marked its best
2024-25 Season Record: 8-17, 2-11 Big 12)
West Virginia Totals: 90-156 (365)
Career Totals: 152-204 (426)
Place in Conference: 15th
performance at the conference championship since joining the Big 12.
Senior Michaela Kucharova ended her career ranked 11th in program history with 128 career wins. She also ended her career with 60 career singles victories, ranking 15th in program history.
2023-24
In his eleventh season as head coach, Lisac and the Mountaineers finished with the best season in program history since 2010, going 15-13 overall. The Mountaineers also competed in a postseason tournament for the first time in program history, reaching the semifinals of the 2024 UTR Sports NIT Championship.
The 2023-24 season marked the first time West Virginia finished with a winning record since 2010. It was also the most wins for WVU since it won 17 during the 2010 season.
West Virginia defeated three Big 12 opponents for its most conference wins in a single season since joining the Big 12. West Virginia’s 11-1 start through 12 matches was its best since 1986.
2022-23
In his tenth season as head coach, Lisac guided the Mountaineers to a No. 51 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) national ranking, which was the highest team ranking in program history. WVU was ranked in the top 75 three weeks in a row at No. 62, 70 and 72, respectively. Additionally, West Virginia’s 11-4 start during the 2023 spring slate is the best record since the 2010 season when the Mountaineers started 12-2.
Continuing the program firsts, Lisac led West Virginia to victory over Kansas State, 4-2, for the first time in program history at the Summit Tennis Academy in Morgantown. This also marked the first Big 12 victory since 2018 when the Mountaineers defeated Iowa
State, 4-1. West Virginia finished its 2023 spring season with an overall record of 11-12, facing seven opponents that were ranked in the top 50.
Seven Mountaineers were named to the Academic All-Big 12 First Team in 2023 and achieved an overall team GPA of 3.54. Also, junior Momoko Nagato and sophomores Camilla Bossi and Michaela Kucharova were named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Team for their combined efforts on the court and in the classroom.
2021-22
Lisac and the Mountaineers finished the 2021-22 season with a 7-17 overall record. The primarily young team came up just short of defeating seven nationally ranked opponents in the Big 12 conference. WVU defeated one of the top doubles teams in the country from Baylor, defeated Kansas in doubles competition and made a hard-fought run to defeat opponents from TCU, Kansas and Iowa State. The Mountaineers were led by freshman Camilla Bossi who finished the fall and spring slate with a combined 38 wins, followed by junior Ting-Pei Chang with 27 wins and freshman Kendall Kovick with 24 wins.
Academically, senior Anastasiia Bovolskaia and sophomore Momoko Nagato were named to the Academic All-Big 12 First Team.
2020-21
Lisac’s eighth season at WVU provided him with some unprecedented challenge which were brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. West Virginia’s fall tournament schedule was shortened as the Mountaineers competed in one event of the inaugural Intercollegiate Tennis Association Fall Circuit. In the event, newcomer Momoko Nagato earned a trio of wins to claim a second-place finish and catapult WVU into the spring season.
Beginning the season a month later than usual, WVU rattled off three consecutive victories to open its dual season, including a sweep over Cleveland State to open the 2021 campaign. The Mountaineers faced five ranked opponents to open Big 12 play, before injuries and roster limitations forced the team to end its season on April 7. West Virginia concluded the season with a 3-6 mark.
2019-20
In his seventh season with the Mountaineers, Lisac led the team to a 7-3 mark and the first winning season since 2010, when WVU finished the year with a record of 17-7. West Virginia began the season with a pair of sweeps before rattling off
five more wins to begin the season 7-0. It marked the best start to a season since 1986, when WVU began the year 12-0. Following a rocky start to Big 12 Conference play, Lisac and the Mountaineers saw their season cut short in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2018-19
Lisac and the Mountaineers finished the 2019 season with a record of 10-12, the best mark WVU had achieved since 2010 (17-7). WVU competed against six ranked opponents in 2019, including four in the top 25 nationally, and swept four opponents. West Virginia’s four sweeps were the most since 2008, when WVU finished the season with eight.
Led by two 30-win seasons from Anne-Sophie Courteau and Anastasiia Bovolskaia, six Mountaineers finished with 15 or more wins, five finished with 20 or more wins and three finished with 25 or more wins.
Seven Mountaineers were named to Academic AllBig 12 teams in 2019, including five student-athletes who were named to the Academic All-Big 12 First Team, the most in the Big 12 conference. Abigail Rosiello capped the season by being named to the CoSIDA Google Cloud Academic All-District and All-America Teams, West Virginia’s second selection in as many years.
2017-18
West Virginia wrapped up the 2018 season with a 7-14 overall record while competing against at least eight teams ranked in the top 50 of the ITA/ Oracle team rankings for the second consecutive year. The highlight of the campaign came with a 4-1 win over Iowa State, WVU’s first Big 12 conference win in program history. The win solidified the
program’s growth under Lisac’s watch and marked another milestone in his goal to become consistent Big 12 contenders.
In addition to leading WVU past in-state rival Marshall for the second straight year, West Virginia also saw four Mountaineers post at least 20 wins in singles and doubles play during the year. Paula Goetz capped the season by being named to the CoSIDA Google Cloud Academic All-District and All-America Teams, the Mountaineers’ first selection in program history.
2016-17
WVU concluded the 2017 campaign with a 4-16 overall record, facing eight opponents that were ranked in the top 50. Lisac led the Mountaineers to a win over Marshall, ending the Thundering Herd’s four-match winning streak in the series.
The season also saw two Mountaineers, Christina Jordan and Habiba Shaker, head to the ITA All-American Championships for the first time under Lisac. In the spring, Shaker led the team in singles play with a record of 8-5 at the No. 1 position, while Paula Goetz paced the Mountaineers in doubles with a 9-7 record.
2015-16
West Virginia capped its 2016 season with a 6-15 overall record, competing against seven opponents ranked in the nation’s top 50 throughout the spring season. Lisac guided the Mountaineers to a No. 75 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) national ranking for what was believed to be the first time in program history. In that same week, West Virginia edged Cornell in a 4-3 battle for the first time since 1995 to tie the all-time series record at two apiece on Feb. 27, 2016.
2014-15
West Virginia concluded its 2015 campaign with a 9-13 overall record. The Mountaineers recorded nine straight wins for the first time since 2010 and earned the program’s 450th win at Toledo on Jan. 31.
In the spring season, WVU competed against nine ranked opponents, with its last five competitors ranked in the nation’s Top 40. Hailey Barrett earned her first victory over a ranked opponent in 2015, defeating Baylor’s then-ranked No. 82 Rachael Jakes-Baker in straight sets.
Carolina Lewis was the first player since 2003 to tally 20 singles wins in a season, ending her freshman campaign with a 24-6 singles record. Habiba Shaker also held a team-best mark in doubles play (12-5) as she teamed up with Lyn Yuen Choo, Yvon Martinez, Barrett and Lewis throughout the spring season.
2013-14
In his first season at West Virginia, Lisac led the freshmen tandem of Kaja Mrgole and Oana Manole to a No. 9 ranking by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) in the Atlantic Region entering the spring season. The WVU duo finished the fall season at 5-8 and battled their way to the quarterfinals at the USTA/ITA Regional in Charlottesville, Virginia. Vivian Tsui tallied three straight wins at the USTA/ ITA Regionals and made it further in the main singles draw bracket than any other Mountaineer, after surviving the qualifying bracket.
In the spring season, freshmen Oana Manole and Kaja Mrgole led the team with a combined 24 wins in singles and doubles. Mrgole posted a team-high 13 wins in the spring.
ASSISTANT COACH LOGAN BLAIR
Logan Blair enters his second season as assistant coach after joining the West Virginia University tennis program in November 2024. Blair recently served as an assistant coach with the men’s and women’s tennis teams at his alma mater, Biola University, in Los Angeles. He also worked for the Portland tennis team as a volunteer assistant coach after he served as a coach for Crabel Tennis in Beverly Hills, Calif. Prior to his time with Crabel Tennis, he was a coach and recruiter for The Tennis Club in Newport Beach, Calif. He also coached junior players at Matchpoint Tennis Academy in Santa Anna, Calif.
Blair, a native of Salem, Oregon, played on the Biola men’s tennis team from 2018-21, while earning a B.A. in communications. During this time, he also served as a representative on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee for Biola.
TENNIS SUPPORT STAFF
BrittneY o'DeLL Sport Administrator
Dr SoFiA eSPAÑA PÉreZ Clinical and Sport Behavior Health Therapist
JereMY LAnnon Academic Counselor
ZACK ALLen Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach
JAret DYer Athletics Communications
ROSTER
Name
Julie Bousseau 5-6 Gr. Pau, France
Lycée Saint John Perse
Lyla Byers 5-11 So. Morgantown, W.Va. University High School
Lily Harper 1-1 Fr. Manchester, England Standish High School
Zuzana Kudlackova 6-1 Fr. Prague, Czech Republic Sport Grammar School Kladno
Laura Villanueva Morillo 5-3 So. Seville, Spain Íes v Centenar
Zuzana Kudlackova Zoo-zan-a Kud-lack-ova
Lucia Tognoni Loo-chia Tog-non-ee
Laura Villanueva Morillo LOW-ra Villa-nueva More-ill-o
MEET THE MOUNTAINEERS
Julie Bousseau
5-6 | Gr
Pau, France
Lycée Saint John Perse
2024-25 (GRADUATE STUDENT)
Spring 2025
• Finished 15-23 overall, including 7-13 in singles play and 8-10 in doubles play
• Primarily played as the No. 2 seed in singles Fall 2024
• Did not compete
PRIOR TO WEST VIRGINIA
• Played tennis at Lycée Saint John Perse in France
• Three-time member of the French National Team
• France champion (2016)
• ITF Junior doubles title
• International singles title winner
PERSONAL
• Daughter of Isabelle and Arnaud Bousseau
• Birthday is March 27
• Has one brother
• Earned a degree in Advertising and Graphic Design
• Majoring in Integrated Studies
Lyla Byers
5-11 | So Morgantown, W.Va. University High School
2024-25 (FRESHMAN)
Spring 2025
• Finished 10-23 overall, including 4-8 in singles play and 6-15 in doubles play
• Joined the program in January 2025
• Named a 2025 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Scholar-Athlete
• 2024-25 Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team
HIGH SCHOOL
• Played at University High School for her dad, Justin Byers
• Played for Summit Tennis Academy and Gomez Tennis Academy
• Two-time West Virginia state champion
• Three-time Ohio Valley Athletic Conference (OVAC) singles and doubles champion
• Ranked as high as No. 123 in the 2025 recruiting class
PERSONAL
• Daughter of Justin and Kari Byers
• Father played hockey at WVU
• Has one brother and one sister
• Birthday is August 17
• Majoring in Industrial Engineering
Laura Villanueva Morillo
5-3 | So Seville, Spain Íes v Centenario
2024-25 (FRESHMAN)
• Finished 29-22 overall for the 2024-25 season Spring 2025
• Finished 18-14 overall, including 8-9 in singles play and 10-5 in doubles play
• One of two Mountaineers to win three Big 12 matches in singles play
• Led the team with eight singles victories in the spring
• Primarily played as the No. 4 seed in singles Fall 2024
• Finished 11-8 overall, including 6-5 in singles play and 5-3 in doubles play
• Finished as runner-up at the 2024 UTR Sports Thunder in the Mountains Tournament
• Played with Mille Haagensen in doubles
• Named a 2025 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Scholar-Athlete
• 2024-25 Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team
HIGH SCHOOL
• Played at Íes v Centenario
• Played for Federacion Andaluza de Tenis for head coach Juan Jose Leal
PERSONAL
• Daughter of Pepe and Fermin
• Birthday is February 14
• Majoring in Coaching and Performance Science
Audrey Moutama
5-7 | Sr
Petit-Bourg, Guadeloupe
Lycée Claude Bernard
Toledo Nevada
PRIOR TO WEST VIRGINIA
• Spent two seasons playing at Toledo and one season playing at Nevada
• Earned Second Team All-MAC honors and posted an overall 13-15 singles record, including a 9-11 mark on the No. 1 court in dual play during the 2024-25 season
• MAC Regular Season Champion Team and MAC Tournament Champion Team during the 2023-24 season
• Played one season at the University of Nevada-Reno, compiling an 18-6 singles record, mostly from the No. 6 court, and was 11-11 in doubles play
PERSONAL
• Daughter of Sylvestre Moutama and Chantal Priam
• Birthday is May 14
• Has one brother
• Majoring in Marketing
Daniella Shved
5-5 | Sr Holon, Israel
Ort Holon
Eastern Michigan
PRIOR TO WEST VIRGINIA
• Spent three seasons playing at Eastern Michigan
• Earned All-MAC First Team honors every season while at EMU
• Finished with 14 singles victories, including 10 in dual action during the 2024-25 season
• Earned 13 wins during the 2023-24 season
• Posted a 12-2 record in singles during the 2022-23 season
PERSONAL
• Daughter of Oskar and Agnessa Shved
• Birthday is November 18
• Has one sister
• Majoring in Integrated Studies
Zuzana Kudlackova
6-1| Fr Prague, Czech Republic Sport Grammar School Kladno
PRIOR TO WEST VIRGINIA
• Played for TJ Sokol Hostivice under coach David Miketa
• Won J30 in doubles in Vienna 2023
• Took second place at the 2024 Women’s Championship in doubles
• Semifinalist on ITF W15 in doubles 2025
• Successfully played League in Germany
PERSONAL
• Daughter of Pavel Kudlácková and Irena Pekarová
• Father played hockey at WVU
• Has one brother
• Birthday is October 28
• Majoring in Sport Psychology
Lucia Tognoni
5-9 | Fr Genoa, Italy Collegio Emiliani
PRIOR TO WEST VIRGINIA
• Played for Collegio Emiliani under coach Mauro Balestra
• Played club for Tennis Club Genova 1893
PERSONAL
• Daughter of Piero Tognoni and Claudia Giovani
• Has two sisters
• Birthday is March 9
• Majoring in Elementary Education
Lily Harper _-_ | Fr Manchester, England Standish High School
PRIOR TO WEST VIRGINIA
• Played for coach Richard Crabtree and Simone Marcantonio at Standish High School
• Represented Great Britian in junior national tournaments
PERSONAL
• Daughter of James and Paula Harper
• Birthday is January 31
• Has one sister
• Majoring in Human Nutrition and Foods
Sosanne Malaak
5-1 | Fr Cairo, Egypt Itacc
PRIOR TO WEST VIRGINIA
• Played at Integrated Thebes American College in Cairo
PERSONAL
• Daughter of Hanna and Viviane
• Birthday is May 17
• Has one brother and one sister
• Majoring in Art and Design
•
LYLA BYERS
MOUNTAINEERS LOOK TO BUILD ON BIG 12 PROGRESS IN 2025-26 SEASON
The West Virginia University tennis team enters the 2025-26 season looking to build on progress made during the 2024-25 campaign.
Last season, the Mountaineers finished 8-17 overall and 2-11 in Big 12 Conference play. West Virginia earned two conference road victories for the first time since joining the Big 12 and recorded multiple conference wins in back-to-back seasons for the first time in program history during its time in the league.
The Mountaineers also continued to find success away from Morgantown, securing Big 12 road wins after the program had never previously won a conference road match prior to the 2024-25 season. West Virginia will move forward without senior Michaela Kucharova, who finished her career ranked No. 11 in program history with 128 career victories and No. 15 in singles wins with 60. Kucharova posted 30 wins during the season, becoming just the second Mountaineer in program history to record three 30-win seasons.
Freshman Laura Villanueva Morillo also made an impact in her first season, joining Kucharova as the only Mountaineers to record three Big 12 singles victories.
During the fall season, senior Mille Haagensen captured the Bedford Cup title and the WVU UTR Women’s Open Singles championship. West Virginia also saw success in the classroom, with Maja Dodik and Kucharova earning College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors. Eight Mountaineers were named Intercollegiate Tennis Association Scholar-Athletes.
The Mountaineers added Logan Blair to the coaching staff in November 2024 as the program’s assistant coach.
With a mix of returning contributors and continued development, West Virginia will look to build on recent milestones as it prepares for the upcoming season.
JuLiE BouSSEAu
SPRING 2026 SCHEDULE
Jan. 25
Saturday Jan. 31
Friday Feb. 6 at Indiana
Saturday Feb. 14
Feb. 20 at Marshall
St. Mary’s
Feb. 27 at Oklahoma State
Sunday March 1 at Kansas State
Friday March 6 TCU
Sunday March 8 Baylor
Friday April 3 at Kansas
Sunday April 5 at Iowa State Ames, Iowa 1 p.m.
Friday April 10 Houston
All times may be changed
2024-25 ANNUAL REPORT
RECORD: 8-17, 2-11 BIG 12
• West Virginia earned two Big 12 Conference road wins for the first time since joining the conference
• This marked the first time since WVU joined the Big 12 that it won multiple conference matches in back-to-back seasons
• Prior to the 2024-25 season, WVU had never won a road match in Big 12 play
• Senior Michaela Kucharova ended her WVU career ranked No. 11 in program history in career wins with 128
• Kucharova ranks 15th in program history in career singles wins with 60
• Kucharova notched 30 wins for the season, becoming just the second Mountaineer to record three 30-win seasons in program history
• Kucharova and freshman Laura Villanueva Morillo were the only players to win three Big 12 matches in singles play
• Senior Mille Haagensen won the 2024 Bedford Cup and the WVU UTR Women’s Open Singles title during the fall season
• Two Mountaineers were named to the College Sports Communicators 2024-25 Academic All-Distrct Team: Maja Dodik and Michaela Kucharova
• Eight Mountaineers were named scholarathletes by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA): Julie Bousseau, Lyla Byers, Maja Dodik, Mille Haagensen, Michaela Kucharova, Tatiana Lipatova, Susannah Su and Laura Villanueva Morillo
• Logan Blair joined the staff in November 2024 as the team’s assistant coach
JULIE BOUSSEAU
Spring 2025
• Finished 15-23 overall, including 7-13 in singles play and 8-10 in doubles play
• Primarily played as the No. 2 seed in singles
Fall 2024
• Did not compete
• Named a 2025 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Scholar-Athlete
LYLA BYERS
Spring 2025
• Finished 10-23 overall, including 4-8 in singles play and 6-15 in doubles play
• Joined the program in January 2025
• Named a 2025 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Scholar-Athlete
• 2024-25 Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team
MAJA DODIK
• Finished 19-28 overall for the 2024-25 season
Spring 2025
• Finished 7-21 overall, including 5-11 in singles play and 2-10 in doubles play
Fall 2024
• Finished 12-7 overall, including 5-5 in singles play and 7-2 in doubles play
• Played with Michaela Kucharova in doubles
• Named to the College Sports Communicators 2024-25 Academic All-District Team
• Named a 2025 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Scholar-Athlete
• 2025 Spring Academic All-Big 12 Team
MILLE HAAGENSEN
• Finished 26-35 overall for the 2024-25 season
Spring 2025
• Finished 14-26 overall, including 6-15 in singles play and 8-11 in doubles play
• Primarily played as the No. 1 seed in singles
• Primarily played with Julie Bousseau or Lyla Byers in the No. 1 seed doubles spot
Fall 2024
• Finished 12-9 overall, including 7-6 in singles play and 5-3 in doubles play
• 2024 Bedford Cup (College Park, Maryland) Singles Champion
• WVU UTR Women’s Open Singles Champion
• Played with Laura Villaneuva Morillo in doubles
• Named a 2025 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Scholar-Athlete
MICHAELA KUCHAROVA
• Ends her WVU career with 128 wins, ranking 11th all-time in program history
• Ranked 15th in program history with 60 career singles victories
• Finished 30-20 overall for the 2024-25 season
• Only Mountaineer to win at least 30 total matches for the 2024-25 season
• Becomes just the second Mountaineer to win at least 30 matches three times during her career
Spring 2025
• Finished 19-13 overall, including 7-9 in singles play and 12-4 in doubles play
• One of two Mountaineers to win three Big 12 matches in singles play
• Primarily played as the No. 3 seed in singles
Fall 2024
• Finished 11-7 overall, including 4-5 in singles play and 7-2 in doubles play
• Played with Maja Dodik in doubles
• Named to the College Sports Communicators 2024-25 Academic All-District Team
• Named a 2025 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Scholar-Athlete
• 2025 Spring Academic All-Big 12 Team
TATIANA LIPATOVA
Spring 2025
• Finished 6-8 overall, including 2-1 in singles play and 4-7 in doubles play
Fall 2024
• Did not compete
• Named a 2025 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Scholar-Athlete
• 2025 Spring Academic All-Big 12 Team
SUSANNAH SU
Spring 2025
• Finished 2-12 overall, including 2-6 in singles play and 0-6 in doubles play
• Joined the program in January 2025
• Named a 2025 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Scholar-Athlete
LAURA VILLANUEVA MORILLO
• Finished 29-22 overall for the 2024-25 season
Spring 2025
• Finished 18-14 overall, including 8-9 in singles play and 10-5 in doubles play
• One of two Mountaineers to win three Big 12 matches in singles play
• Led the team with eight singles victories in the spring
• Primarily played as the No. 4 seed in singles
Fall 2024
• Finished 11-8 overall, including 6-5 in singles play and 5-3 in doubles play
• Finished as runner-up at the 2024 UTR Sports Thunder in the Mountains Tournament
• Played with Mille Haagensen in doubles
• Named a 2025 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Scholar-Athlete
• 2024-25 Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team
CATHERINE WASSICK
Fall 2024
• Finished 0-2 in singles play
• 2025 Spring Academic All-Big 12 Team
2024-25 STATISTICS/RESULTS
OVERALL
Camilla/Chang, Ting-Pei
Bossi, Camilla/Kucharova, Michaela
Bossi, Camilla/Bordereau, Maya
Dodik, Maja/Chang, Ting-Pei
Dodik, Maja/Bordereau, Maya
Kucharova, Michaela/Nagato, Momoko
Lipatova, Tatiana/Chang, Ting-Pei
Alexis , Love-Star/Chang, Ting-Pei
Alexis , Love-Star/Dodik, Maja
2024-25 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
JULIE BOUSSEAU
SINGLES
Date team/School
01/18/2025 Duquesne 2 Mila Badics Lost 4-6, 6-3, 6-7 (2-7)
01/18/2025 Morgan State 2 Lauryn Hall Won 7-6 (7-1), 6-3
02/08/2025 Cleveland State 2 Sima Heren Won 6-4, 7-5
02/08/2025 Mount St. Mary's 2 Tang, Venus - unf.
02/15/2025 Temple 2 Kawaratani,T Won 6-4, 7-5
02/15/2025 Toledo 2 Gaby Rondon Won 7-5, 6-2
01/25/2025 vs Xavier 2 Abby Nugent Lost 2-6, 6-3, 4-6
02/23/2025 Marshall 2 Emma Vanderheyden Won 6-3, 6-1
03/09/2025 Kansas State 2 Charlotte Keitel Lost 2-6, 2-6
03/07/2025 #33 Oklahoma State 2 Anastasiya Komar (81/-) Lost 1-6, 2-6
03/20/2025 Utah 2 Sara Akid Lost 4-6, 4-6
03/22/2025 BYU Cougars 2 Grace Levelston
03/30/2025 at #19 UCF 2 Sophia Biolay (85/-)
04/06/2025 Colorado 1 Mila Stanojevic
2-6, 1-6
6-3, 4-5, unf.
3-6, 5-7
02/02/2025 at William and Mary 2 Alessandra Anghel Lost 6-2, 4-6, 2-6
W James Madison 2-7 L Salisbury State 5-4 W West Virginia Wesleyan 7-2 W Charleston 7-2 W Marshall 6-3 W Duquesne SPRinG
4-5 L Cincinnati 5-4 W Pitt 7-2 W Slippery Rock 5-4 W Ohio
4-2 W Duquesne
3-6 L Cincinnati 1-8 L Kent State Salisbury Invitational (23rd)
6-0 W Frostburg State 8-1 W Charleston 3-6 L Western Kentucky 2-7 L Morehead State 4-5 L James Madison 6-3 W Pitt 7-2 W Cincinnati 8-1 W Slippery Rock 9-0 W West Virginia Wesleyan
7-2 W Marshall 5-4 W Duquesne 8-1 W Pitt 7-2 W Ohio 6-3 W Salisbury State SPRinG 8-1 W Duquesne 9-0 W Robert Morris 7-2 W Charleston Tennis Life Classic (7th) Salisbury State Invitational (6th) 1982 (9-6)
8-1 W Duquesne
4-5 L Charleston 1-8 L Eastern Kentucky 3-6 L Western Kentucky
1-5 L Penn State*
*Atlantic 10 Tournament
1992 (11-11)
6-3 W North Carolina Charlotte 8-1 W Mount St. Mary’s 0-9 L William & Mary
5-4 W Brown
5-4 W Virginia Tech
1-5 L George Washington
3-6 L James Madison SPRinG
2-7 L Ohio State
3-6 L Virginia Tech
4-5 L North Carolina State
5-1 W Peace
1-5 L Flagler
5-4 W North Florida
4-5 L Rollins
8-1 W Mount St. Mary’s 6-3 W Virginia Commonwealth 8-1 W George Mason 3-6 L Richmond 8-1 W George Mason 5-4 W James Madison SPRinG 9-0 W Pitt 3-6 L Ohio State 6-3 W North Carolina State 2-7 L Furman
6-3 W North Carolina Charlotte 3-6 L Flagler
8-1 W Central Florida 6-3 W Florida Southern 5-4 W Temple 6-0 W Akron 8-1 W Southern Illinois 3-6 L Penn State 8-0 W Rutgers 9-0 W St. Bonaventure* 5-4 W Temple*
6-0 W Pitt
7-2 W Temple
8-1 W Lehigh 4-5 L Boston
4-5 L Rutgers 9-0 W Duquesne* 7-2 W Rutgers*
3 6 L George Washington*
* Atlantic 10 Tournament
1993 (3-17)
FALL
4-5 L Georgetown
5-4 W Temple
3-6 L Virginia Tech
1-7 L James Madison
SPRinG
0-9 L Ohio State
0-6 L Northern Illinois
1-5 L Toledo
4-5 L Virginia Commonwealth 6-2 W Cincinnati
Martha Thorn
Martha Thorn
MARTHA THORn
W Georgetown 6-0 W Providence 4-0 W Villanova* 4-2 W Seton Hall* 0-4 L Notre Dame* 1-4 L Syracuse* *Big East Tournament 1999 (10-12)
W Seton Hall
James Madison
L Old Dominion
W College of Charleston 1-8 L Virginia Tech 4-3 W George Washington 4-2 W Rutgers 5-0 W Georgetown 4-0 W Pitt 4-0 W Villanova* 0-4 L Syracuse* 4-1 W Georgetown* 1-4 L Seton Hall*
*Big East Tournament
2000 (5-14) Martha Thorn 0-9 L Ohio State 0-9 L Marquette 2-7 L Maryland 0-9 L Penn State 4-5 L Marshall
3-5 L East Tennessee State 0-9 L Virginia Tech 9-0 W Akron 2-7 L Old Dominion 3-6 L Cincinnati 1-7 L James Madison 1-8 L Boston University 5-4 W Rutgers 3-5 L Georgetown 5-3 W Providence 5-0 W Pitt* 0-5 L Miami* 1-5 L Boston College* 5-3 W Georgetown*
*Big East Tournament
2001 (8-13) Alicia Von Lossberg
5-4 W Duquesne 0-7 L Ohio State
1-6 L Missouri 1-6 L Maryland 2-5 L Syracuse
Martha Thorn
2006 (11-12)
Wright State 0-7 L William and Mary 2-5 L East Tennessee State 1-6 L Ohio State 1-6 L Missouri 7-0 W Cincinnati 6-1 W Pitt 1-6 L Marshall 1-6 L DePaul 3-4 L St. John’s 0-4 L Syracuse
2007 (13-12)
Marc Walters
7-0 W Morehead State 7-0 W Akron 0-7 L Ohio State 1-6 L Maryland 7-0 W Youngstown State 1-6 L Marshall 1-6 L Penn State 5-2 W Syracuse 4-3 W Maryland-Baltimore County 4-3 W Cincinnati 0-7 L South Florida 5-4 W California University (Pa.) 2-5 L Brown 4-3 W Pitt 1-4 L Southern Mississippi 1-6 L Troy 7-0 W Long Island
2-5 L San Diego
7-0 W Villanova
3-4 L Duquesne 7-0 W Georgetown
6-1 W Rutgers 4-2 L Rutgers* 4-1 W St. Johns* 4-3 L Seton Hall*
*Big East Tournament
2008 (15-10) Marc Walters
6-1 W Morehead State 0-7 L Marshall 5-2 W Liberty 4-3 W Eastern Michigan 5-2 W Akron 3-4 L Pitt 0-7 L Penn State 7-0 W Columbia 0-7 L Brown 5-2 W Rhode Island 4-3 W Seton Hall 4-3 W Cincinnati 6-1 W California (Pa.) 9-0 W Barton 9-0 W Mount Olive
1-6 L Coastal Carolina
3-4 L Duquesne
7-0 W Presbyterian 3-4 L UMBC
7-0 W Villanova
6-1 W Connecticut 1-6 L Rutgers
3-4 L St. John’s* 4-2 W Connecticut* 3-4 L Pitt*
*Big East Tournament
2009 (9-17) Marc Walters
2-5 L Akron 0-7 L Marshall 4-3 W James Madison 1-6 L Richmond 1-6 L Syracuse 3-4 L Pitt
5-2 W Morehead State 5-2 W Seton Hall
5-2 L UMBC 8-1 W Charleston (W.Va.) 1-6 L Nebraska
2010 (17-7)
02/26 6-1 W Connecticut
02/28 5-2 W at Cincinnati
03/07 6-1 W Morehead State $ DH 6-1 W West Virginia State $ DH
03/14 4-3 W California (Pa.)
03/16 4-3 W Coastal Carolina
03/20 1-6 L at Missouri 03/21 4-3 W Houston 04/02 2-5 L at Chicago State 04/04 1-6 L at DePaul 04/10 6-1 W at Seton Hall
04/13 6-1 W Duquesne
04/16 4-0 W at Villanova
04/17 1-6 L at Rutgers
04/22 4-2 W vs. Cincinnati * 04/23 0-4 L vs. Notre Dame *
$ - Institute, West Virginia DH - Doubleheader
* - Big East Championship (South Bend, Ind.)
2011 (8-14)
01/22 1-6 L vs. Bowling Green & 01/23 0-7 L at Louisville
* From 1985-91 the Atlantic 10 named only an allconference team. In 1992, the Atlantic 10 resumed naming all conference and all tournament teams.
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY TEAM HONORS
Outstanding Athlete Award B’Ann True 1973-74
Linda Bennett 1974-75
Jeanne Varley 1975-76
Susie Howes 1976-77
Sarah Palmer 1977-78
Margaret Luchini 1978-79
Lynn Sitrin 1979-80
Ellen Bumoskey 1980-81
Lisa Grimes 1981-82
Lisa Grimes 1982-83
Lisa Grimes 1983-84
Kathy Gillis 1984-85
Melony Kizer 1985-86
Patti Pritt 1986-87
Shelley Stead 1987-88
Kathie Hall 1988-89
Kathie Hall 1989-90
Kathie Hall 1990-91
Jo Marie Cinco 1991-92
Tiffany Egan 1992-93
Lauren Muhlbach 1993-94
Christina Walker 1994-95
Christina Walker 1995-96
Christina Walker 1996-97
Christina Walker 1997-98
Jodi Firestone 1998-99
Ellie Earles 1999-00
Ellie Earles 2000-01
Anna Marie Underwood 2001-02
Jennifer Watkins 2001-02
Melissa Day 2002-03
Jennifer Watkins 2003-04
Natalia Prinz 2004-05
Stacey Percival 2005-06
Monica Lyskawa 2006-07
Stacey Percival 2007-08
Veronica Cardenas 2008-09
Ashley Pilsbury 2009-10
*Award discontinued after 2010
Coaches’
Award
Established in 1989, this award is given by the coaching staff to a team member in recognition for one’s outstanding contributions to the team. This award is given to the individual who best exemplifies enthusiasm, encouragement and support for her teammates on the court, as well as off the court.
Kathy Mazza 1989-90
Sarah Bible 1990-91
Not awarded 1991-92
Nicki Sodini 1992-93
Christina Walker 1994-95
Christy Fiber 1995-96
Meghan Cornwall 1996-97
Ellie Earles 1997-98
Ellie Earles 1998-99
Ellie Earles 1999-00
Ellie Earles 2000-01
Katherine Agustsson 2001-02
Anna Marie Underwood 2002-03
Jennifer Watkins 2003-04
WVU Tennis Team 2004-05
Raynie Theis 2005-06
Catherine Koontz 2005-06
Stacey Percival 2006-07
Colleen Speaker 2007-08
Veronica Cardenas 2008-09
Veronica Cardenas 2009-10
*Award discontinued after 2010
Cynthia (Worrall) Timmons and Karin Raudsep Memorial Courage Award
The Courage Award honors the memory of two former Mountaineer tennis players – Timmons and Raudsep –who passed away after their battles with cancer. This award is given to a member of the tennis team who overcame adversity that took them off the court until they were able to overcome it and return to action.
Kirsten White 2018-19
Sofia Duran 2019-20
Pei-Ju Hsieh 2021-22 2022-23
Catherine Wassick
Love-Star Alexis 2023-24
Catherine Wassick 2024-25
Jane Little Memorial Award
This award, a silver bowl donated by the West Virginia University Foundation, is given each year to a member on the women’s tennis team who best exemplifies the qualities of sportsmanship and team spirit. Jane Little, a Charleston, West Virginia, native, was a member of the first women’s intercollegiate team to compete for WVU. Jane was not the best tennis player on the team, but she displayed the best sportsmanship and was the most dedicated. When she died in October, 1977, her teammates from the 1973-74 team established this award in her memory.
Karla Yoho
Michele Tondreault
Sally Hintermiser
Amy Wellington
Nicole Sodini
Laura Muhlbach
Monica Lyskawa
Monique Burton
GiOVAnnA CAPuTO
Stephanie LaFortune 2008-09
Monique Burton 2009-10
Stephanie LaFortune 2009-10
*Award discontinued after 2010
Martha T. Thorn Award
Established in 1997, this award is given by the coaching staff to a team member in recognition of exceptional individual commitment. This award is given to the individual who best exemplifies effort, dedication and consistency. Karolina Krajewska 1996-97
Meghan Cornwall 1998-99
Ellie Earles 1999-00
Ellie Earles 2000-01
Anna Marie Underwood 2001-02
Melissa Day 2002-03
Ashley Constantine 2003-04
Natalia Prinz 2004-05
Natalia Prinz 2005-06
Kelly Walsh 2006-07
Monique Burton 2007-08
Kathryn Haught 2008-09
Kathryn Haught 2009-10
*Award discontinued after 2010
Most Improved Athlete Award
This award started in 1998-99 and is given by the coaches to the player they think exhibited the greatest improvement from one year to the next.
Sarah Tritt 1998-99
Gretchen Unger 1999-00
Jennifer Watkins 2000-01
Jennifer Watkins 2001-02
Jennifer Watkins 2002-03
Kelly Walsh 2003-04
Stacey Percival 2004-05
Ashley Constantine 2005-06
Monique Burton 2006-07
Natalia Prinz 2007-08
Catie Wickline 2008-09
Stephanie LaFortune 2008-09
Veronica Cardenas 2009-10
Liv Petterson 2009-10
Irinka Toidze 2013-14
Yvon Martinez 2014-15
Habiba Shaker 2015-16
Kirsten White 2016-17
Paula Goetz 2017-18
Abigail Rosiello 2018-19
Maja Dodik 2023-24
Laura Villanueva Morillo 2024-25
*Award discontinued from 2010-13
Special Recognition Player
Established in 2006-07 by coach Marc Walters, this award recognized the student-athlete who holds the No. 1 position all season.
Natalia Prinz 2006-07
Not Awarded 2007-08
Stephanie LaFortune 2008-09
Stephanie LaFortune 2009-10
*Award discontinued after 2010
Monica Lyskawa
“20 Win Club”
Started by coach Marc Walters in 2007-08, this award recognized those who attained at least 20 wins in doubles and/or singles competition throughout the year.
Natalia Prinz 2007-08
2007-08
Stephanie LaFortune 2007-08
Stacey Percival 2007-08
Ashley Pilsbury 2007-08
Stephanie LaFortune 2008-09
Veronica Cardenas 2008-09
Monique Burton 2008-09
Olga Elkin 2008-09
Monique Burton 2009-10
Veronica Cardenas 2009-10
Emily Mathis 2009-10
Ashley Pilsbury 2009-10
Most Valuable Player
*Award discontinued after 2010
Kaja Mrgole 2013-14
Hailey Barrett 2014-15
Habiba Shaker 2015-16
Habiba Shaker 2016-17
Lyn Yuen Choo 2017-18
Anne-Sophie Courteau 2018-19
Tatiana Lipatova 2023-24
Michaela Kucharova 2024-25
*Began in 2013-14
Newcomer of the Year
Oana Manole 2013-14
Habiba Shaker 2014-15
Paula Goetz 2015-16
Christina Jordan 2016-17
Giovanna Caputo 2017-18
Nicole Roc 2018-19
Laura Villanueva Morillo 2024-25
*Began in 2013-14
LAuRA ViLLAnue VA MORiLLO
WVU PRESIDENT MICHAEL T. BENSON
Michael T. Benson, a veteran higher education administrator, became the 27th president of West Virginia University on July 15, 2025. He brings three decades of academic and administrative experience in higher education to his role leading West Virginia’s flagship, land-grant, R1 institution into a new era.
WVU is Benson’s fifth presidency. Prior to his arrival at Coastal Carolina in 2021, Benson led Snow College, Southern Utah University, and Eastern Kentucky University. During his tenure at Coastal Carolina, Benson secured a $10 million gift, the largest in the school’s history. He worked closely with community partners and policymakers to advance initiatives there, including the successful renewal of a local option penny sales tax to support public and higher education through the year 2039, the only tax of its kind in all of South Carolina.
In 2024, under his leadership, Coastal Carolina enrolled its largest number of students ever - 11,225 - while also setting a record retention rate.
As the 14th president of Snow College in Ephraim, Utah, he helped raise more private money for the institution during his tenure than had been secured in the previous 115 years of the college’s history combined.
Appointed at age 36, Benson was the youngest college president in the history of the Utah System of Higher Education.
Benson has also held faculty appointments at the University of Utah, the University of Notre Dame, and Johns Hopkins University, and has taught at each institution where he served as president, including Coastal Carolina where he was a professor of history.
His scholarly work has focused on the development of the research university and its impact on society. Benson’s book, “Daniel Coit Gilman and the Birth of the American Research University,” was released by Johns Hopkins University Press in 2022. He was a visiting professor in the Department of the History of Science and Technology at Johns Hopkins in 2020. Benson’s biography of Gilman was named to the list of Best Higher
Education Books of 2023 by Forbes magazine.
Benson is also the author of “Harry S. Truman and the Founding of Israel,” and, with co-author Hal Boyd, published “College for the Commonwealth: A Case for Higher Education in American Democracy” with the University Press of Kentucky. Nationally, Benson serves on the Council of Presidents of the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges. He also is the past board chair of Omicron Delta Kappa, the national leadership honor society and is the former chair of the NCAA Honors Committee.
Benson is sought after for public speeches and appearances. He was a featured contributor to the Huffington Post for 5 years; has written articles for The Jerusalem Post, Lexington Herald-Leader, Louisville Courier Journal, The Kansas City Star, Deseret News, and The Salt Lake Tribune, among others; and appeared on ESPN’s The Paul Finebaum Show. Born in Utah and raised in Texas and Indiana, Benson has worked and studied abroad for nearly 7 years in Italy, England, and Israel. He graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in political science and double minors in English and history from Brigham Young University in 1990. He completed his doctorate in modern history from the University of Oxford (St. Antony’s College) in 1995, where he was a Rotary Foundation Scholar and recipient of the Oxford Graduate Overseas Fellowship.
@MICHAELTBENSON
Founder’s Award. Benson graduated with a Master of Liberal Arts from Johns Hopkins University in August 2021 and was elected to the Honor Society of the Association of Graduate Liberal Studies Programs.
An accomplished athlete, President Benson played basketball at BYU and Oxford, and his best marathon time – 2 hours and 41 minutes – won his age division in the St. George (Utah) Marathon. He also finished among the top 25% of all runners in the 1984 Boston Marathon, one of only 19 teenagers from around the world to compete in the race.
An avid traveler, he has visited all 50 states and five of the seven continents.
He also earned a master’s degree cum laude in nonprofit administration in 2011 from the University of Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business, where he was the recipient of the prestigious Father Theodore Hesburgh
He and his wife, Debi, are the parents of three children – Truman, Tatum, and Talmage. He also has two older children from a previous marriage. Emma is a TV reporter for KSL in Salt Lake City, Utah, and Samuel writes for Politico in Washington, D.C. Sam’s wife, Keylla, is in her first year at Georgetown Law School.
WVU VICE PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS WREN BAKER
Wren Baker has changed the face of West Virginia University Athletics. He has reenergized the department and set it up for long-term success in the ever-changing world of college athletics. Whether it’s coaching searches, facility master plans, revenue sharing or a modern, business-like approach to Name, Image and Likeness, Baker has faced every challenge head on and has never looked back. He has brought new thinking and confidence to WVU Athletics, and his reputation across the country is secondto-none.
Baker is a high-energy leader, and Mountaineer success has been contagious in competition and in the classroom. Conference championships, NCAA appearances and a national championship have been followed by strong academic achievement for Mountaineer student-athletes, eclipsing previous department GPA highs. Under Baker, WVU has also turned in record fundraising numbers as his forward thinking and strategic planning are geared to bringing future success and revenue stability to the state’s Land-Grant Institution.
Memphis, Northwest Missouri and Rogers State, he brought more than 20 years of experience to WVU.
Baker was an instant hit with WVU fans. In his first year in Morgantown, he traveled the state to learn its culture, geography, and history. He has met and listened to Mountaineer fans from all over the world and immersed himself on what it means to be a proud West Virginian. The results of his approach and work ethic speak volumes as the West Virginia Mountaineers continue to be a national brand. Despite accomplishing so much in a short period of time, Baker’s plate is still full. Continued revenue generation, launching an NIL full-service business agency for student-athlete advancement and premium seating options in his two major sports venues are still on his radar for the coming year. His endless energy never stops moving WVU forward.
Then WVU President E. Gordon Gee named Baker as WVU’s vice president and director of intercollegiate athletics on Nov. 30, 2022. He has oversight of 18 varsity sports, a department budget of more than $90 million, approximately 250 employees and nearly 500 studentathletes.
Baker is WVU’s 13th director of athletics and came to Morgantown from the University of North Texas, where he had been the associate vice president and athletics director since 2016. With previous stops at
Wren BAKer THroUGH THe YeArS
2001-05 Oklahoma State University Basketball Operations Assistant
2005-06 Valliant Public Schools Director of Athletics/Principal
2006-10 Rogers State University Director of Athletics
2010-13 Northwest Missouri State Director of Athletics
2013-15 University of Memphis Deputy Director of Athletics
2015-16 University of Missouri Deputy Director of Athletics
2016-22 University of North Texas Vice President/Director of Athletics
2022- West Virginia University Vice President/Director of Athletics
At North Texas, seven Mean Green programs combined to win 17 conference or division championships during Baker’s tenure. UNT also reached new heights in the classroom under Baker’s leadership, posting its top APR scores and four consecutive department Graduation Success Rate (GSR) records. Baker led record fundraising years at North Texas, and the overall top five largest gifts ever at UNT came under Baker’s leadership.
Prior to North Texas, Baker was the deputy director of athletics at Missouri from 2015 to 2016, serving as the top advisor and chief of staff. Before Missouri, he spent time at Memphis from 2013-15 as deputy athletics director.
From 2011-13, Baker was athletics director at NCAA Division II power Northwest Missouri State. From 2006-11, Baker served as the first athletics director at Rogers State in Claremore, Oklahoma, where he was also the school’s first men’s basketball coach. His team went 2011 in his only season at the helm, and during his tenure, he developed a full-scale, competitive collegiate athletics program. In 2005, he was the principal and athletics director for Valliant Public Schools, and at age 26, was the youngest principal in Oklahoma history.
Originally from Valliant, Oklahoma, Baker earned his bachelor’s degree in education from Southeastern Oklahoma State in 2001 where he was a member of the honors program. He went on to earn his master’s degree in education leadership from Oklahoma State in 2003.
While at Oklahoma State, Baker was a graduate assistant and basketball operations assistant for the Cowboys’ men’s basketball program under legendary head coach Eddie Sutton. During his time with OSU, the Cowboys posted a 102-30 record, reaching four NCAA tournaments with trips to the 2004 Final Four and the 2005 Sweet 16. Baker and his wife, Heather, a Bokchito, Oklahoma, native, have two daughters, Addisyn and Reagan.
Missouri,
THE BAKER FAMILY: ADDISYN, WREN, HEATHER AND REAGAN
WVU INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS
GIArDInA Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director for Student-Athlete Experience, Governance and Compliance
MATT WeLLS Deputy Athletics Director/ External Affairs
MICHAeL FrAGALe Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director,/ Communications
TIM FLYnn Head Wrestling Coach Jen GreenY Head Volleyball Coach
Jon HAMMonD Hayhurst Family Head Rifle Coach
roSS HoDGe Head Men's Basketball Coach
nIKKI IZZo-BroWn Head Women’s Soccer Coach
MArK KeLLoGG Hayhurst Family Head Women’s Basketball Coach
JIMMY KInG Head Rowing Coach MIHA LISAC Head Tennis Coach
BrenT MAConDALD Head Swimming and Diving Coach
rICH roDrIGUeZ Head Football Coach
STeVe SABInS Head Baseball Coach
DAn STrATForD Head Men’s Soccer Coach
MEDIA INFORMATION
MEDIA SERVICES
The West Virginia University Athletics Communications Office will be available throughout the 2025 tennis season to accommodate any media requests. Following are some guidelines that should make it easy for media members to cover the West Virginia women’s tennis team. Any additional questions should be directed to tennis contact/graduate assistant Jaret Dyer.
GAME SERVICES
The athletics communications staff will be at your service throughout the match. All working media will be provided with a game program, rosters, media guides and other pertinent information. Computer-generated scores will be available at the conclusion of each set and postgame.
CREDENTIALS
Photographers and media members who wish to cover a match at the Mountaineer Tennis Courts or Summit Tennis Academy should contact WVU tennis contact/graduate assistant Jaret Dyer via email (jaret.dyer@mail.wvu. edu) or phone (304) 293-2821, at least 24 hours in advance.
INTERVIEWS
All interviews with players and coaches must be arranged through the West Virginia University Athletic Communications office. Contact Jaret Dyer for all interview arrangements. Student-athletes’ and coaches’ telephone numbers will not be released to the media. Every attempt will be made to fulfill requests as quickly and efficiently as possible. All interview requests should be made at least 24 hours in advance.
POST-MATCH INTERVIEWS
Formal press conferences will be held approximately 10 minutes after the conclusion of the match. Please see Jaret Dyer at the scorer’s table at the conclusion of the contest for all interview requests.
WVUSPORTS.COM
WVUsports.com is the official website for West Virginia University tennis. Media and fans can access up-to-date information, including press releases, statistics, results, stu-
dent-athlete features and other information all season long.
radio: Those wishing to broadcast matches via the radio during matches must purchase their own phone lines by contacting Lisa Ammons in the WVU Athletic Communications office. Please email a request on company letterhead; lines must be paid for in advance.
DURING THE WEEK
Any member of the media wishing to interview a player or member of the coaching staff during the week should contact WVU tennis contact/graduate assistant Jaret Dyer,
DIRECTIONS TO THE WVU COLISEUM
From Interstate 79
Take the Star City/WVU (mile marker 155) exit. Cross the Star City Bridge and proceed up Monongahela Boulevard past the Texas Roadhouse. The WVU Coliseum will be on the right. Enter at the light at Patterson Drive.
From Interstate 68
Take the Pierpont Drive (mile marker 7) exit and follow signs to the football stadium. At the second traffic light, turn left onto 705 and take the second exit out of the roundabout as 705 becomes Chestnut Ridge Road. Turn left at the third traffic light onto Van Voorhis Road. The road becomes Patterson Drive at the intersection of University Avenue. The Coliseum parking lots are directly ahead.
via email (jaret.dyer@mail.wvu.edu) or phone (304) 293-2821, at least 24 hours in advance.
Cell phone numbers will not be provided, and all WVU student-athletes have been instructed to not conduct interviews without prior approval from the athletics communications staff.
RECEIVING INFORMATION
Media members may receive tennis press releases, notes and more via email. Please email WVU tennis contact/graduate assistant Jaret Dyer, via email (jaret.dyer@mail.wvu.edu) to be included to the distribution list.
DIRECTIONS TO SUMMIT TENNIS ACADEMY
From Interstate 79
Take Exit 148 onto Interstate 68 East. In seven miles, take the Airport/Pierpont Road Exit (No. 7) and make a left. In 0.9 miles, make a slight right at the second light onto U.S. 119 North/ Point Marion Road. In 2.6 miles, make a left onto Bakers Ridge Road. In 0.6 miles, make the third left onto Frederick Lane. Summit Tennis Academy will be on your left.
From Interstate 68 East
Take the Airport/Pierpont Road Exit (No. 7) and make a right off the exit. Make a slight right at the second light onto U.S. 119 North/ Point Marion Road. In 2.6 miles, make a left onto Bakers Ridge Road. In 0.6 miles, make the third left onto Frederick Lane. Summit Tennis Academy will be on your left.
MICHAeL FrAGALe
MIKe MonToro
BrYAn MeSSerLY
JoHn AnTonIK Senior Director of Athletics Content
Joe SWAn Senior Director of Athletics Publications/Design
