No Growing Pains for Tennis in 2nd Season

STEUBENVILLE, Ohio—When Franciscan University's Lady Baron tennis program began in 2010, the University was still a provisional member of the NCAA and the team had no opportunity to compete in the Alleghany Mountain Collegiate Conference Championship. The 2011 season brought change, and with it came growth spurts for the Lady Barons. The University received full NCAA Division III status, the Lady Baron roster completely changed, and an improved record pushed the team to top conference rankings. Leadership changed as well, as Franciscan alumna Jenna Lynch stepped into the role of head coach to successfully cultivate an impressive program in her first year. 

"I was working with an entirely new, young team as a new, young coach," Lynch reflected. "They had to establish a sense of trust in me, and I had to get to know them as both women and tennis players. Even though the tennis season is short, we had high expectations for the short time we had to work together." 

Whenever Lynch talks about her team, she talks about progress; she noticed every physical, mental, and competitive stride made by the Lady Barons. An eight-match winning streak—which is the total number of matches the Lady Barons competed in during the 2010 season—is proof of how dedicated the players and coaches were.

"Every single girl on the team made progress and improved," Lynch said. "As their coach, I enjoyed watching them face difficult challenges throughout the season, because those challenges shaped them into better tennis players and better women."

After a Sept. 17 shutout against University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, Lynch noted that "Every girl on the team continues to play with more confidence and intensity as the season progresses. Our record will continue to reflect the heart and dedication they play with."

At the last conference match of the season, the Lady Barons were fighting to protect a near-perfect record and lock down their position as the second-ranked team in the AMCC. They beat Aloysius College, 7-2, and focused on a new goal: the first Division III conference championship match for which the program was eligible.

"I am so proud of the girls and the way they have continued to develop as players," Lynch said after the Aloysius win. "I can't wait to see what God has in store for them on and off the court as we finish out our season."

By the end of the regular season, the team's record was 7-1 in the AMCC and 10-4 overall. At the AMCC championship in mid-October, her team came in second place. The Lady Barons were runners-up to Penn State Behrend, who took home their seventh consecutive title; Behrend was also the only AMCC team the Lady Barons lost to in regular play.

"Watching the Lady Barons at the AMCC championship— when they put together everything I've been teaching them them since August—was, by far, the highlight of the season for me," Lynch said. "The girls played above and beyond my expectations, and they displayed the mental toughness I'd been looking for all season."

Their second-place finish at the conference championship and number-two ranking—as well as their overall achievement and progress during the season—were gratifying for Lynch, who noted, "They proved a lot this season. I'm proud of the heart my team played with.

The AMCC took notice of Lady Baron success story, honoring Alanna Murray as Newcomer of the Year for her unblemished regular season record as No. 2 singles seed. Murray also received second team all-conference honors with fellow teammate and senior Jen Winkle for their performance as Franciscan's No. 1 doubles team. Freshman Hannah Pettit earned the first team all-conference award for her undefeated regular season at No. 6 singles.

Coach Lynch and the Lady Barons will report back to their courts at Belleview Park next August. The program's third season promises to be even stronger, considering the team will only lose Winkle.

The combination of new players under new coaching could have created a difficult learning process. Instead, Lady Baron tennis avoided the growing pains common in young programs and quickly grew into a formidable AMCC competitor in NCAA Division III athletics.