Wake Forest Women's Tennis Newsletter: Sept. 22
9/22/2021 11:31:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Welcome to our newsletter...
Welcome to the first 2021-2022 Wake Forest Women's Tennis "From the Coach's Desk" newsletter. This year is a very special year at Wake as it marks the 50th Anniversary of Women's Athletics at Wake. Certainly women's tennis and our original team members played a major role in the early days of women's sports at Wake as women's tennis was one of the initial teams offered in 1971-72. Did you know that the team's first coach, Nora Lynn Finch, was also the women's basketball, field hockey and volleyball coach those first couple years? More on our tremendously successful Deacs Day of Giving, Carolyn Campana '22 earning the 22nd All-American Award in team history, and on our first fall tournament in nearly 2 years below...
50+ Gifts from alumni and friends of the program helped the Deacs raise over $30,000 for Women's Tennis Excellence Fund! THANK YOU!
Thanks to you, our players, friends and family, we had our most successful Deacs Day of Giving ever. With a generous donor challenging each women's team to come up with 50+ donations (in honor of the 50th anniversary of women's athletics) to earn an additional $10K gift for each sport, you came through and helped us win the day! 58 donations totaling just over $28,000 helped women's tennis to a leading place within the athletic department! Your support makes a great statement to the University, to the athletic department, and to the team of the strength and pride of the Wake Forest Women's Tennis Family! Given the challenges that college athletics face, that pride and that support have never been more necessary as we strive to enhance the experience of being on the team, help players develop more both on and off the court, and certainly try to win more and move up the ranks both nationally and in the ACC.
#1 singles standout Carolyn Campana celebrates closing out a match at our home courts!
Now a senior, Carolyn Campana '22, became the 13th individual in team history to earn All-American honors for her outstanding performance in spring 2021. Making it even more remarkable, Carolyn did so despite missing the first month of last semester due to injury and the ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference) having not allowed member teams to play ITA events in fall 2020. Overall, Carolyn's honor was the 22nd All-American award in team history and the 10th award in singles!
The 21-22 team (from L-R): Casie Wooten, Mia Ahmad, Sam Martinelli, Brooke Killingsworth, Peyton Pesavento, Anya Brylin, Maddie Lynch, Saby Nihalani, Carolyn Campana, and Anna Campana.
The 21-22 campaign got off to a hot start over the weekend as the Deacs proudly took part in the Debbie Southern Invitational at Furman University. Debbie, besides having retired after 31 unbelievably successful years at Furman, is daughter to Mildred and Harold Southern. Their family is often acclaimed as the first family of tennis in Winston-Salem, and their lifelong support for tennis here at Wake Forest is recognized though the Southern Family Seating at the Leighton Tennis Courts.
With a field that included 10 teams that finished top 35 in the country last year, the Deacs impressed in their first fall tournament in nearly 2 years with the 2nd best winning percentage among the 12 participating squads. We went an impressive 24-16 overall. Brooke Killingsworth won her singles flight with a 6-7, 7-5, 6-2 win over an Ohio State freshman, newcomer and grad student, Sam Martinelli, lost a tough 3-setter in the championship match of her singles flight, Casie Wooten and Saby Nihalani (back after missing the 20-21 season due to restrictions that kept her studying virtually from India all of last year) won their doubles flight with a rally from 0-3 to win 7-5 over Tennessee, and Mia Ahmad and Maddie Lynch were champions of their doubles flight posting 6-3 and 6-4 wins before a walk-over in the final.
The team returns to action with 5 players headed to the Kitty Harrison Invitational Sept 24-26 in Chapel Hill, NC, and then Anya Brylin, Anna Campana, Carolyn Campana and Brooke Killingsworth will represent the Deacs at the ITA All-American Championships in Charleston, South Carolina October 4-10.
Welcome to the first 2021-2022 Wake Forest Women's Tennis "From the Coach's Desk" newsletter. This year is a very special year at Wake as it marks the 50th Anniversary of Women's Athletics at Wake. Certainly women's tennis and our original team members played a major role in the early days of women's sports at Wake as women's tennis was one of the initial teams offered in 1971-72. Did you know that the team's first coach, Nora Lynn Finch, was also the women's basketball, field hockey and volleyball coach those first couple years? More on our tremendously successful Deacs Day of Giving, Carolyn Campana '22 earning the 22nd All-American Award in team history, and on our first fall tournament in nearly 2 years below...
Demon Deacon Tennis Family Aces Deacs Day of Giving
50+ Gifts from alumni and friends of the program helped the Deacs raise over $30,000 for Women's Tennis Excellence Fund! THANK YOU!
Thanks to you, our players, friends and family, we had our most successful Deacs Day of Giving ever. With a generous donor challenging each women's team to come up with 50+ donations (in honor of the 50th anniversary of women's athletics) to earn an additional $10K gift for each sport, you came through and helped us win the day! 58 donations totaling just over $28,000 helped women's tennis to a leading place within the athletic department! Your support makes a great statement to the University, to the athletic department, and to the team of the strength and pride of the Wake Forest Women's Tennis Family! Given the challenges that college athletics face, that pride and that support have never been more necessary as we strive to enhance the experience of being on the team, help players develop more both on and off the court, and certainly try to win more and move up the ranks both nationally and in the ACC.
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
Carolyn Campana '22 Earns Team's First Singles All-American Award in 19 Years
#1 singles standout Carolyn Campana celebrates closing out a match at our home courts!
Now a senior, Carolyn Campana '22, became the 13th individual in team history to earn All-American honors for her outstanding performance in spring 2021. Making it even more remarkable, Carolyn did so despite missing the first month of last semester due to injury and the ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference) having not allowed member teams to play ITA events in fall 2020. Overall, Carolyn's honor was the 22nd All-American award in team history and the 10th award in singles!
Deacs Outperform 8 NCAA Top 35 Teams at Debbie Southern Fall Invitational
The 21-22 team (from L-R): Casie Wooten, Mia Ahmad, Sam Martinelli, Brooke Killingsworth, Peyton Pesavento, Anya Brylin, Maddie Lynch, Saby Nihalani, Carolyn Campana, and Anna Campana.
The 21-22 campaign got off to a hot start over the weekend as the Deacs proudly took part in the Debbie Southern Invitational at Furman University. Debbie, besides having retired after 31 unbelievably successful years at Furman, is daughter to Mildred and Harold Southern. Their family is often acclaimed as the first family of tennis in Winston-Salem, and their lifelong support for tennis here at Wake Forest is recognized though the Southern Family Seating at the Leighton Tennis Courts.
With a field that included 10 teams that finished top 35 in the country last year, the Deacs impressed in their first fall tournament in nearly 2 years with the 2nd best winning percentage among the 12 participating squads. We went an impressive 24-16 overall. Brooke Killingsworth won her singles flight with a 6-7, 7-5, 6-2 win over an Ohio State freshman, newcomer and grad student, Sam Martinelli, lost a tough 3-setter in the championship match of her singles flight, Casie Wooten and Saby Nihalani (back after missing the 20-21 season due to restrictions that kept her studying virtually from India all of last year) won their doubles flight with a rally from 0-3 to win 7-5 over Tennessee, and Mia Ahmad and Maddie Lynch were champions of their doubles flight posting 6-3 and 6-4 wins before a walk-over in the final.
The team returns to action with 5 players headed to the Kitty Harrison Invitational Sept 24-26 in Chapel Hill, NC, and then Anya Brylin, Anna Campana, Carolyn Campana and Brooke Killingsworth will represent the Deacs at the ITA All-American Championships in Charleston, South Carolina October 4-10.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
Wake Forest Field Hockey Inside the Circle: Episode Five
Wednesday, October 15
Head Coach Jake Dickert 8/25
Wednesday, October 15
Head Coach Jake Dickert 9/1
Wednesday, October 15
Head Coach Jake Dickert 9/8
Wednesday, October 15