Tennis Tightens Strings in 2009
The Swarthmore women's tennis team is excited to begin the 2009 season, both with talented returning players and newcomers poised to make serious contributions as the team fights for its fourth Centennial Conference championship and another berth into the NCAA Tournament.
The Garnet women concluded 2007-08 with a 12-6 overall record (9-1 in the Centennial) while making it to the Conference Championships match. The team enters the 2009 spring season ranked eight in the Atlantic South region, according to the latest Campbells/ITA College Tennis rankings.
Leading Swarthmore will be reining Centennial Conference Player of the Year, 
Rachel Wallwork ’10 (Washington, D.C. / Georgetown Day School), and senior Jennie Park (Rockford, Il. / Guilford). Park, a three-time All-Centennial Conference singles performer. Wallwork (right) had a breakthrough season in 2008, posting a 17-4 record mainly at No. 1 singles, including a perfect 8-0 mark in Conference play. Subsequently, Wallwork earned an invitation as of one of 32 players to compete in the 2008 NCAA Individual Tournament.
Park (below) posted a 6-2 mark in Conference (9-6 overall) at the No. 2 singles spot. The senior captain combined with Wallwork to also earned All-Centennial for doubles action; going 6-0 at No. 1 doubles in Centennial play during 2007-08.
Also providing veteran leadership in 2008-09 will be senior captain Marissa Lee (Cary, N.C./ Cary Academy) while rounding out the lineup will be battle-tested sophomores Alexis Hickman (Vienna, Va. / George C Marshall) and Luann Cignavitch (Charleston, S.C. / Porter-Gaud School) who combined for a 9-7 singles record in conference play as freshmen.
A bright spot to look for this year will be first-year Rosie DuBrin (Rochester, N.Y./ Pittsford-Sutherland) who hopes to break into Swarthmore line-up.
Swarthmore head coach Jeremy Loomis (70-23, 50-4 CC) returns for this seventh season, having led the Garnet to three Centennial Conference Championships and five NCAA Division III Tournament berths in his tenure. The 2009 schedule is highlighted by a swing to the South, facing regional opponents Emory, University of the South, and Rhodes College. Swarthmore open the Centennial slate at Bryn Mawr on March 26 and then return home to host McDaniel on March 28.