The Lady Bobcats tennis team, led by third year head coach Paul
Goode, will step onto the courts for the 2008 season with their
sights set on finishing in the top half of the newly renamed
Conference Carolinas (formerly CVAC). A solid core of returning
starters will be joined by several newcomers who are expected to
make an immediate impact for the Lady Bobcats. The infusion of new
talent into the team is expected to make the Lady Bobcats more
competitive at every position and should give them the opportunity
to better last year's 9th place conference finish.
Expected to play #1 for the Lady Bobcats for the 2008 season is
freshman Christine Vanard of Princeton, NJ. Even as a freshman
this young lady has set an example to her teammates as she
demonstrates an extremely hard work ethic both on the court and in
the classroom. Vanard, a dedicated and coachable player, has an
attacking style of play along with a strong baseline game.
Sophomore Ashley Mayers will add experience to the top half of
the lineup. A dedicated and disciplined athlete, Mayers has
attained a high level of fitness. Mayers has also seen improvement
in her serve and net game in the offseason and is looking to
improve on last year's record.
Sophomore Cameron Joyce of Lenoir, NC has a lively spirit that
has been key to building this year's team chemistry both on and off
the court. Joyce is an all-court player who has worked hard to
improve her fitness over the past year to be better able to take
advantage of her strengths both in serving and at the net.
As the senior member of the squad, junior Katie Hawkins (Old
Fort, NC) continues to help lead this young team. Hawkins embodies
the true spirit of the student athlete combining a hard work effort
on the court with a perfect GPA through her time at Lees-McRae.
As a player who relies on consistency, she has made great progress
in her game overall, focusing especially on her attacking
skills.
A second newcomer to the Lady Bobcats is Andrea Balazsova of
Prague, Czech Republic. This freshman, at 6'2, is a talented and
physically intimidating player with a huge serve. She is an
attacking player but has proved in preseason that she can play well
from the backcourt as well. Consistency will be the key for her to
do exceptionally well this season.
Amanda Nascimento a freshman from Vitoria, Brazil, joining the
squad after the semester break, brings a strong game to the court
for the Lady Bobcats. This freshman relies heavily on consistency
and patience and has demonstrated a positive attitude throughout
two-a-day practices.
Joining the team mid-season will be two-sport athlete, 6'1
freshman Renee Roberson of Salisbury, NC. A talented athlete,
Roberson plays women's basketball as well as tennis for
Lees-McRae. She could work her way into a starting position in the
lineup. Roberson has demonstrated the ability not only to dig down
deep as a competitor but to remain calm in any situation.
Atalie Teague of Hickory, NC has struggled with injuries this
season and hopes to get healthy enough to contribute to the team
this year.
"We have a much deeper team than last year so I am optimistic
about our chances this season. I think we could surprise a few
teams," said Coach Paul Goode.
