Dec. 20, 2001

The Samford women begin year two of their youth movement. Last season the Bulldogs put together a 13-12 season with one senior, two juniors, and five freshmen. The 2002 Bulldogs will again be very young but the experience from last season may be what makes this year's team a contender.

"Our ladies finished very strong last year," said head coach Glen Fanelli. "To have a winning record with mostly freshmen is a sign that these ladies are talented and that this program is moving in the right direction."

Samford won nine of its final 12 match in 2001 after beginning the year 4-9. The five freshmen had a combined record of 42-31 led by the play of Hermien du Toit (Pretoria, South Africa) who had a perfect 12-0 season. Emily Nunnally (Hattiesburg, Miss.) finished with a 14-9 victory including an impressive win at Southern Mississippi. "Hermien and Emily had exceptional freshmen seasons. They are very different players with very different styles but they both compete very hard." said Fanelli.

Nunnally has a strong serve and volley game. Her big serve is what gives her an edge over most of her opponents. She played mostly at number three singles last season and figures to see time at all three of the top positions this year. She qualified for the Region III Championships in at the University of Tennessee this fall. She paired with duToit and posted a 9-0 mark at number two doubles. The pair will likely team up this season as the number two doubles team. duToit is a finesse player who sets up her opponent and puts them away with pin-point shots. She played mostly number five singles as a freshman but will likely see most of her time in 2002 at number four singles.

The leadership role in 2002 will fall on the shoulders of Samford's two seniors Courtney Collins (Nashville, Tenn.) and Katherine Jayroe (Dallas, Texas). Collins posted a 13-11 mark as a junior. She is an agressive player with a strong serve. "We are going to rely on Courtney for leadership this season. She is the only three-year starter on the squad and she is very focused this season" said Fanelli. Jayroe a junior college transfer last season posted a 9-15 record at number two singles. She is a tactical player who forces opponents into long rallies. Collins and Jayroe will team up as the number one doubles team for the Bulldogs.

Brooke Bryant (Hendersonville, Tenn.), Natalya Spicker (Cartegena Colombia), and Kristen Upp (Niceville, Fla.) round out the returners from 2001. All sophomores this seasons the trio gained valuable experience last year and will play a major role in the depth of the Bulldogs this season.

Bryant posted a 6-11 mark as a freshman. She also enjoys long rallies and making her opponent work for each point. Upp had a 7-8 mark a year ago and has shown steady improvement over the fall. She won the consolation bracket of UTC Fall Tennis Classic in October. Spicker posted a 3-3 mark in limited action as a freshman. She, like duToit, is a finesse player who has a wide range of shots to call upon. "The fifth and sixth spots in the lineup are going to be very important this season" said Fanelli. "We have a number of quality players who will battle for those two spots and I think we can win a lot of matches because of our strength and depth at those two spots."

Samford welcomes four newcomers to the 2002 team. Lindsey Clark (Gainesville, Ga.), Katie Crawford (Louisville, Miss.), Jennifer Pharr (Hendersonville, Tenn.), and Elizabeth Tipps (Singal Mountain, Tenn.) bring the number of underclassmen to nine for 2002.

"The freshmen this season are similar to the freshmen last year. They are all talented and they will get to see action in the top six a points throughout the season. Jennifer and Elizabeth have had excellent fall seasons and I look for them to continue to improve in the spring" said Fanelli.

Pharr won the "D" flight of the Bulldog Open in September. She has a strong forehand and tries to overpower opponents. Tipps also had a strong showing at the Bulldog Open reaching the quarterfinal round. She is more of a finesse player who can wear down opponents.

Crawford is a strong player with powerful ground strokes. Clark is a walk-on who likes to force opponents into mistakes in long rallies. All four freshmen will be competing for a spot in the lineup this spring.

The 2002 schedule is once again a challenging one for the Samford women. The Bulldogs open up in January at Atlantic Sun foe Jacksonville. Samford will have five matches under its belt before the home opener on Feb. 12, against Florida A&M. The Bulldogs will play seven A-Sun matches prior to the conference tournament, which will be held April 17-21, in Macon, Ga. Senior day will be April 3, against Birmingham-Southern.