BUFFALO, N.Y. – D'Youville women's tennis looks to build on a strong finish to the 2024 campaign as the Saints hit the court this weekend to begin their fall season.
"Our returners, they're catching their stride... they're feeling more and more comfortable with what it means to be a student-athlete," said head coach Sarah Marro. "Our team has a chip on our shoulder in all the right ways."
The Saints return four players while adding six new faces to the roster. The group is highlighted by junior transfer Munisa Ashurbekova, along with a mix of experienced returners and newcomers. "I think the key to a successful season is to push each other on and off the court," said Ashurbekova. She comes off a series of strong performances last season at the University of Northeast Ohio, earning first-team all-conference honors.
"Our transfer student, Munisa, who at her previous institution won back-to-back conference titles... I think her ability to do well in critical points and under pressure will translate very nicely here," said head coach Sarah Marro.
Another newcomer is freshman Miranda Bosch from Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. "This offseason I practiced a lot," Bosch said, "I had a lot of tournaments in the D.R. and used the fitness program that coach Sarah sent me." Bosch looks to contribute right away to a competitive Saints' roster.
D'Youville tennis makes history this fall as they head to the ITA Regionals for the first time in program history. "The ITA regionals for competitive college programs is the litmus test... as a head coach I'm very honored and very proud to be bringing the Saints there for their inaugural appearance at the regionals," said Marro. The ITA East Regionals will be held on Sept. 25th-28th at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y.
"We're gelling and we're physical in a way that we haven't been... I think the future is bright in Buffalo," Marro added.
The Saints start the season on Saturday, September 20th as they host St. Thomas Aquinas College at Nichols.
