Sept. 14, 2005

PHILADELPHIA - With the graduation of just one letterwinner from last season's team, which matched Saint Joseph's best Atlantic 10 Conference finish in a decade, head coach Al Laveson believes his team has the talent and ability to achieve even greater success in 2005-06.

Seniors Nicole Morrison and Jess Swanderski are projected to hold down the top two spots in the singles lineup and to team up at the top spot in doubles.

Morrison, who posted a 17-7 record during her first two Hawk seasons playing at lower positions, started every match at first singles as a junior. A model in the classroom, the Plantation, Fla. native received the team's scholar athlete award.

Like her classmate, Swanderski racked up an impressive 16-7 record as a freshman and sophomore. She slid up to the third singles position as a junior and was again solid, positing a 7-8 mark.

While the seniors will hold down key positions at the top of the lineup, the play of sophomore Gina DiGiacomo, along with juniors Erika Guers and Alisa Van Meter will most likely hold the key to the Hawks fortunes.

The athletic DiGiacomo burst onto the scene as a freshman immediately forced her way into the lineup. Most likely to move into the number four slot, she split the year between fifth and sixth singles and rolled up a team best 9-4 mark on the season. She was even better in doubles, teaming with junior Marisa Donelson. The tandem started the season 8-0 and finished with a 9-2 mark at third doubles and an 11-3 pairs mark for the year. After her strong showing in doubles, Donelson should be a contender for either the fifth or sixth singles spots.

The team's Most Valuable Player, Guers has been steady and reliable throughough her career. She posted an 8-7 mark in 2004 and is projected to creep up one spot to the number three position this season. Who she will team with in doubles is undecided. She paired with departed senior Michelle Savage to notch a 6-4 mark at second singles last year.

Van Meter, who played both fifth and sixth singles as a sophomore and made several spot starts in doubles, will likely hold down one of those slots again .

Several other returnees, including juniors Reshma Moorthy and Rory Paolantonio, along with sophomores Theresa Hornung and Chelsea Molyneaux will look to push for time in the rotation. Newcomers junior Lauren Kuhmerker and freshmen Krysta Contino and Tristin Reppert could also contribute.

With a veteran lineup back in the fold, including five of six starters, Al Laveson believes his team has the tools to improve upon its finish at the Atlantic 10 Championships.