Women’s Tennis posts a strong-shortened season

MEQUON, Wis. – The CUW women's tennis season was cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic, but the Falcons flexed their muscles in the fall season.

The Falcons finished the year with a 10-2 record and an 8-1 record in the NACC.

The Blue and White earned the second seed in the NACC Tournament that was scheduled for May.

Three Falcons earned All-NACC honors in the fall of 2019.

A sophomore from Watertown, Wisconsin, Ricki Budewitz claimed the All-NACC honor in singles play for the second-straight year. At No. 1 singles, she posted a record of 3-2 in the NACC.

A sophomore from Brookfield, Wisconsin, Jennifer Mies claimed her first All-NACC selection. Mies soared to at 4-1 record at No. 2 singles in NACC play and finished the fall with a 5-2 mark in singles action.

Freshman Julia Vitale of Elm Grove, Wisconsin and Ricki Budewitz are claiming their first All-NACC honor as a team. In 2018, Budewitz claimed the title with Bailey Kelly. The duo was a hard pair to knock off in 2019, with an 8-1 record at No. 1 doubles in the NACC and an overall record of 10-4 in the fall.

Two Falcons were also named NACC Student-Athlete of the Week in the fall.

Freshman Antonina Sanna (Clinton Township, Mich.) did so on Sept. 23 after she became the first Falcon to win a draw at the Gustavus Fall Invite in program history with a perfect 4-0 record in Draw No. 8. She claimed victories over competitors from Saint Mary's (Minn.), Carroll (Wis.) and Wisconsin-Eau Claire to advance to the finals. She also competed in the doubles tournament with sophomore Ashley Saniter (Beaver Dam, Wis.).

Ricki Budewitz claimed the honor after she posted victories at No. 1 singles over Marian and Wisconsin Lutheran.

Three Falcons finished the year with undefeated singles record with freshman Alaina Hazelberg (Mayville, Wis.) at 4-0, Ashley Saniter at 4-0 and freshman Heidea Vaudt (Rockford, Ill.) at 2-0. Sophomore Jennifer Mies (Brookfield, Wis.) along with Hazelberg and Vaudt also went undefeated in doubles play.

The Falcons will graduate the lone senior in Rebekah Spiegelhoff. She finished her career with a 31-13 singles record and went 10-4 in 2019. She also went 27-25 in doubles play and 5-5 on the year with sophomore Mia Andrae (Cedarburg, Wis.).

The Falcons will look to soar again in the 2020-21 season.