GRINNELL, Iowa – The Grinnell College women's tennis team has enjoyed an amazing string of success, which last season included a repeat Midwest Conference title and NCAA Division III Tournament berth.
The Pioneers, with a mixture of experienced players and talented youth, are looking to continue that good vibe into the 2025-26 campaign.
The senior class features six players,
Nehir Ergun '26 (13-3 in singles last season, 6-1 in doubles),
Nichole Henning '26 (4 doubles victories),
Tan Mukherjee '26 (7-6 in singles, 7-3 in doubles),
Anika Sheth '26 (13-9 in singles, 14-12 in doubles),
Alyssa Trapp '26 (6-2 in singles, 9-1 in doubles) and
Isa Voinescu '26 (5 singles wins, 7 in doubles).
Sheth is a three-time MWC individual champ, winning at No. 4 singles and No. 2 doubles last season and No. 3 doubles in 2023-24. Voinescu has two MWC individual titles to her credit and is an All-MWC selection.
"It's been really fun and rewarding watching this group grow into leadership roles and take a firmer grip on guiding the team," said Grinnell coach
Zack Hasenyager. "I'm thrilled to see them at the forefront in helping us to another successful season."
The junior class features
Paige Sargent '27,
Pari Chavan '27 and
Addie Persian '27. Chavan went 13-11 in singles and 12-11 in doubles last season, Sargent was 8-7 in singles and 9-9 in doubles and Persian went 9-1 in singles and had the same mark in doubles.
Sargent, who has earned All-league honors in singles and doubles each of the last two seasons, has a MWC singles and doubles title to her credit. Persian was the No. 6 singles champ at last season's MWC Tourney.
"Pari and Paige have been starters in singles and doubles for some time and been a mark of consistency, and Addie has improved as much as anybody on the team and can be a factor," said Hasenyager.
The sophomore group consists of
Sofia Bolanos '28 (6-3 in singles and 5-1 in doubles)
Keira Healy '28 (11-1 in singles and 12-3 in doubles),
Nina Perkins '28 (10-0 in singles and 2-2 in doubles) and
Kayla Surpless '28 (6-5 in singles and 7-4 in doubles). Surpless and Healy teamed up to win the No. 3 MWC doubles title last season.
"This class grew a lot last year - it's exciting to see how much they've developed from then to now," said Hasenyager. "During the early days of fall, they have kept moving on from where they ended last season. I'm expecting big contributions from them."
The first-year class includes
Marta Gonzalez '29,
Doyeon Kim '29,
Luiza Kohn '29,
Eliana Martin '29 and
Logan Tom '29.
"This is a fun, diverse class that brings a lot of talent with it," said Hasenyager. "Some of them will compete for starting positions right away. Early on, they're displaying a lot of energy and will be great fits as they contribute to the goals of the team."
After going 19-10 last season and advancing to at least the second round of the NCAA Division III Tournament for the fifth year in a row, Hasenyager is expecting continued success in 2025-26.
"I'm excited for the opportunity to keep our winning streak alive in the Midwest Conference and returning to the NCAA Tournament," said Hasenyager, whose team owns a 47-match winning streak against league foes dating back to 2018-19. "We're hoping to earn a higher seed in regionals to give ourselves the best chance of advancing further. We have the right people with the talent to make that happen, but it won't be easy. We need to continue to work hard and make improvements."
