Youth Prevails on TCNJ’s Women’s Tennis Team
By: Mark Barroso
EWING—The College of New Jersey women’s tennis team has been successful due to a determined young core and improved training regimen.
There are currently two juniors, five sophomores, three freshmen and no seniors on the team. Many athletes see the elders on their team as role-models. On the Lions squad, the juniors set the precedent while the underclassmen take notes.
This young team has contributed to a 136-game winning streak in the New Jersey Athletic Conference, and 28 consecutive NJAC championships.
“The biggest thing we do is recruiting,” said 11th year head coach Scott Dicheck. “Every recruit comes in and we tell them the success we have had here. We tell them that they can play year round.”
“Coach is recruiting players all year,” said sophomore Allison Tierney. “My freshman year he brought in four starters.”
Two Lions have been recognized nationally for their athletic abilities.
Tierney and classmate Karisse Bendijo earned All-America honors for placing third in the 2010 United States Tennis Association/Intercollegiate Tennis Association Small College Championships in Alabama. Bendijo also earned 2010 All-America honors in singles.
Half of the team has been awarded with NJAC honors.
Bendijo was named the 2010 NJAC women’s tennis player of the year. Bendijo was NJAC player of the week four times in 2010, and once in 2009. Tierney was NJAC player of the week once in 2010.
Bendijo also touts two NJAC rookie of the week awards in 2009 while classmate Lauren Balsamo was named rookie of the week once in the same year.
Bendijo, Tierney, fellow sophomore Paige Aeillo, and junior captain Emily Petersack were named 1st Team All-NJAC in singles for the 2010 season. Balsamo and Aeillo along with Tierney and Bendijo earned 1st Team All League honors in doubles.
The duo of Tierney and Bendijo earned 1st Team All NJAC Honors as freshmen.
As for the current freshman class, Petersack spoke via phone interview about freshman standout Tara Criscuolo, who earned the title of NJAC rookie of the week once in 2010 and finished the season with 13 combined wins.
“Tara is the most crucial freshman and she works really hard,” said Petersack. “After playing for hours at regionals in New York, she was in the hotel gym working out. She doesn’t give up.”
Petersack has over 50 combined wins. In the fall of 2008, Petersack competed in the ITA regional championship. She reached the quarterfinals of the ITA regionals with classmate Felice Trinh in 2010 and Balsamo in 2009. She also won in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in the spring of 2009.
The NJAC-dominant Lions look to improve their abilities as soon as possible in order to improve their national credentials. According to the Lions, the workouts will continue.
However, improving players’ performances can be difficult, especially throughout the course of a year. There are many issues to deal with during a college year such as housing, academics, and social lives.
“There are a lot of distractions, so we want players that will show passion and commitment,” said Dicheck. “They learn from the upperclassmen.”
Athletes show passion and commitment through their play. The increase in difficulty of the 2010 preseason training regimen in comparison to the 2009 and 2008 programs is a big factor for improvement. Another factor, which is common in college sports, is the establishment of players’ organized practices.
“Preseason this year was harder than last year. There were more double sessions, running, and track workouts,” said Tierney. “There is no mandatory practice from October to January, but there still are practices that the players organize.”
Petersack described the change in routine.
“My freshman year we just ran the loop (1.74 mile road that encircles TCNJ’s campus) a few times,” said Petersack. “The past two years we had a specific training program given to us by a trainer from the Pennington/Ewing Athletics Club. We will get workout sheets before we go on Christmas break.”
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