BATON ROUGE — By adding five talented newcomers and what is considered the top recruiting class in Lady Tiger history, the LSU women’s tennis team is set to begin the 2003 dual-match season with hopes of qualifying for a team-record, ninth-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.
In this segment, LSU head coach Tony Minnis reveals his thoughts on various questions ranging from last year’s team to the 2003 Southeastern Conference and about bringing what is being considered one of the top recruiting classes in the nation to Baton Rouge.
On qualifying for an eighth-straight NCAA Tournament despite injuries and a lack of depth
“Last year kind of gave me an appreciation for some or our previous years because we were in a situation where we just had some circumstances that were really beyond our control. It really seemed as if we were injured the entire year, but looking back at it now I feel pretty good because we overcame a lot and were able to be very competitive.”
“I think that we lost six matches by the score of 4-3 and at the same time we were able to pull off an upset over a team like Kentucky who reached the Sweet 16 and at the time was No. 13 in the nation. We were also able to knock off some other pretty good schools such as Tulsa, Houston, SMU, Arkansas and Mississippi State. We made the tournament for an eighth-consecutive season which says a lot about our consistency over the years.”
On last year’s graduating class and what they meant to the program
“They really accomplished some things that were very special. During their freshman season they came in and the starting lineup consisted of three freshman and three sophomores, and yet they upset two top-15 teams heading into the NCAA Tournament. They really shocked a lot of people and then as sophomores they made it to the Sweet 16 after upsetting Pepperdine which was really a unique and special thing for them.”
“That’s really hard to replace, because whenever you have players that have accomplished those things, they know how to do it regardless of whether you’re having a good season or bad season because in the back of their minds they know what it takes to be successful.”
On this year’s group of players
“This year’s group is probably as excited as I have ever been to coach a group in the past five or six years, because of their enthusiasm and the fact that both the talent and the potential is there for them to accomplish big things. I feel that we can do some really special things this season and hopefully we can get back to where we feel that we should be.”
On the different aspects that this year’s team brings to the table
“When you have a sense of accomplishment like some of our previous players had before, it can become a little stagnant and I really like the freshness that this group brings in is very contagious. We have a team that is going to consist of two juniors, three sophomores and four freshman, and one of the juniors coming in is transferring from a junior college, so I think that this team is ready to follow in the footsteps of our other teams, but has the mindset of making a name for itself and getting its own trademark.”
On the toughness of the non-conference schedule as well as the Southeastern Conference teams
“I just feel that when you play a very tough schedule it makes you tough because it prepares you to come to play all the time. With that tough schedule, you’re going to have some matches where maybe you don’t play up to your capabilities, but at the same time it creates an atmosphere where the team will play its absolute best and put itself in a position where it can knock off a really good team or do something special.”
“By playing that competitive schedule, it really makes you a lot more mentally tough and puts you in a position where you feel that you can play with anybody. In six of the past eight seasons, we’ve had this type of schedule and our teams have been playing their best tennis at the end of the season heading into the NCAA Tournament. I believe that the more difficult schedule had something to do with it.”
On the Southeastern Conference this season
“It’s going to be pretty tough, but I feel confident that we will be very, very competitive in the Western Division. I think that the biggest thing for us this season will be to make sure that we do things that will keep us healthy. With the team that we have and the players that we have, if we can keep them healthy for a great part of the season I feel that we have the ability to do some damage and get back into the top 20 where we have been for the previous seven years or so.”
On the depth of this year’s squad compared to last season’s
“This is probably the most depth we’ve had in years. With that, I think it will make our practices and our matches much more competitive. It will just make everyone on the team better. This is the most depth that we’ve had since the 1999-2000 team that made it all the way to the Sweet 16.”
On his expectations for this season
“I feel that if this team can make it to the NCAA Tournament, then we will be a very much improved team. This team probably has the best cohesiveness of any team that we’ve had in five or six years. They’re hungry, they’re young, their work ethic is great, they have loads of talent and it’s an exciting situation to be in.”
“They key for us this season is going to be to keep an even keel and take the good with the bad. We just need to make sure that we concentrate on improving and getting better as a team and not focusing as much on strictly just winning and losing. If we do everything that we’re supposed to do, like staying united and working hard as a team, and go out and play with heart and consistency then winning will take care of itself.”
“I think that if we are able to do those things, then we will be able to make a run to at least the NCAA Tournament and possibly the Sweet 16 this season.”
TIGER TIDBITS
(LSU head coach Tony Minnis comments on each of his players)
Perri Budd
“I’m a little concerned about Perri right now. She’s had a back injury for about six or seven months now, but she’s a great kid and has some tremendous potential. We just have to find a way to get her healthy and if we can, then I know that she will be a great contributor to the team. Right now, the biggest concern for her is getting her back to 100 percent where she can play competitively in limited or no pain.”
Camilla Caliari
“Camilla brings a lot of international experience to our team. She’s consistently been one of the top players in Brazil and she has an all-court game which will definitely be conducive to the hard-court surface used here in the U.S. We’re really looking for some exciting things from her during the dual-match season.”
Marina Chiarelli
“Solid as a rock. You know what you’re going to get every time. We’re working on getting her a little faster and quicker, but she’s very steady and when you’ve got her on the court you know she’s not going to beat herself.”
Daysi Espinal
“She’s a grinder. She’s just a fighter. She’ll stay out there all day and I really love the intensity that she plays with. There’s a presence in her ability that you feel when she’s on the court and she’s playing hard and competing well. I think that she’s going to have a great career here at LSU.”
Rocio Fantilli
“I’ve been very impressed with her improvement. Towards the end of last year she really stepped her game up and she’s playing at a level right now where I think that she has the potential to be one of the best players that has ever played here. If she keeps improving at the rate that she is right now, then she’s going to do a great job of leading this team to some very high accomplishments this season.”
Jessica Ferguson
“Jessica just has a flare and a feel for the game that is really hard to teach. She’s very gifted and very gritty. I think that she’s going to fit in extremely well on this team just with her attitude and her demeanor. She brings a lot of experience which adds a lot to this team as well as her great attitude and talent.”
Amanda Mang
“Amanda has stepped her game up a ton since last season. She’s one of the most dedicated tennis players I’ve seen and that was shown by how she went out and practiced extremely hard all summer long. Athletically, she’s as good or probably better than anyone I have ever coached and as she continues to evolve and improve she has the potential to be an All-American if she keeps up at this rate.”
Lauren Seaman
“I always get a little gleam in my eye when I talk about Lauren. She has a ton of ability. She’s one of the best doubles players as a freshman that I’ve ever seen. She has a big serve, big game and her best tennis is definitely ahead of her. She’s very dedicated, she works hard and we’re very excited to have her here at LSU.”
Bonnie White
“Bonnie has improved a lot in the last year. We are really excited to have her around. She’s very mature and has a great attitude and is really developing as a tennis player. She’s really having a good time and is helping out our program a lot with both her work ethic and her attitude.”