Atlantic 10 Champions Honored for their Achievements
09/26/2011 | Women's Tennis
The women's tennis team was honored for earning their third-straight Atlantic 10 championship title during this weekend's football game. The Spiders gained the title after dominating Charlotte (4-0), George Washington (4-0), and Saint Louis (4-1) in the championship.
"The championship was a nice reward for a hard-working team," says Head Coach, Mark Wesselink. "The 2011 group was one of the happiest and healthiest teams I've coached. They managed adversity and timed their tennis peak for the A-10 Championships. I couldn't be prouder of a team."
The Spiders hold a conference record of eight titles over the last nine years, earning their 10th NCAA appearance, and seventh in the last eight years.
Head Coach Mark Wesselink was named the Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year in 2011. Wesselink has earned six A-10 Coach of the Year honors and has led Richmond to 17 winning seasons and 10 NCAA Championship appearances in his 20 years with the Spiders. Current seniors, Helen Cunningham and Joanna Matuszczyk, earned first team last year while the now graduated, Kelly Tidwell, earned the second team and All Academic honors.
After reflecting on last year's success, the Spiders are looking forward to another great season. "I am really excited about our doubles potential," said Wesselink. "We struggled last year and that cost some wins. This year we will be leading off with a strength. This year's team has the weight of talent and potential on them. How we manage those assets will determine what we can accomplish. I am really looking forward to it. The possibilities are inspiring."
Players Mentioned
