HONOLULU – The 2016 season could be the start of a resurgence for the Chaminade University women's tennis.
Not since the 2012 team which won six matches has there been a kind of excitement among the program.
Chaminade opens the season Thursday when they face Hawai'i-Hilo at Patsy T. Mink Central O'ahu Regional Park with doubles action beginning at 9 a.m., followed by singles matches. It is the first of three straight meetings between the 'Swords and Vulcans to open the season.
"Everyone is excited and looking forward the start of the season against UH-Hilo," second-year head coach
Ty Aki said.
Thursday also marks the beginning of the final year for senior
Kimberly Takara who owns 22 career combined wins, 12 in singles and 10 in doubles. The Mililani native has led the 'Swords in victories in each of her first three seasons at Chaminade and is hoping to add even more. Takara achieved a rare feat for a Silversword when she earned Pacific West Conference Player of the Week honors last March, a first for the program.
Also back is sophomore
Michelle Bucher who made a solid debut last season. She and Takara were doubles partners and had three victories, all coming in the No. 2 spot.
Jackie McGreal also returns for Chaminade, having played in 11 matches last season.
The 'Swords also welcome several talented newcomers to the squad to help offset the losses of departed seniors Melanie Schumilas and Roni Hewett. Schumilas was the team's No. 1 singles player the previous two seasons while she and Hewett were also Chaminade's No. 1 doubles team.
Emma Haurillon was one of Guam's top prep players two years ago.
Kauanoe Beamer was an all-O'ahu Interscholastic Association selection in her senior season at Mililani High School last spring while
Hannah Parker is another freshman who earned Student-Athlete of the Year honors at Saint Anthony School on Maui.
The team also sports their largest roster in recent years.
Kim Spring, who returned to Chaminade after a one-year hiatus and excelled on the volleyball court last fall, returns to the tennis program after seeing action in nine matches in 2014 and will help provide depth to the squad in the backend of the roster.
Also returning from last season are
Ellissa Bio,
Mary-Lynn Johannes and
Lauren Uehara, each of whom played in at least three matches last year. And joining the 'Swords this season is
Suncica Bakic who provides even more depth. Like Spring, Bakic is a converted volleyball player, as her eligibility in that sport ended last fall.
"My expectation for the team is for Kim Takara to have a good season for her final year and for the rest of the team to fare well as a group," Aki said. "It'll be tough because they're brand new but I'm looking forward to positive growth from them."
But the biggest addition to the team isn't a new player. Instead it's two new playing surfaces on the on-campus courts that replaced the old, cracked pavement that the team had practiced on daily for several years. The new surface was funded by Chaminade alumnus, Sai Cheong Chui.
"We really thank Mr. Chui for his generous donation that helped in the restoration of the tennis courts," Aki said. "The players are grateful and overwhelmed with the opportunity of playing on the new courts. They are really making good use with their practice times."
The 'Swords will again have a difficult schedule facing them. They face BYU-Hawai'i, the nine-time NCAA national champions, three times and Hawai'i Pacific, the state's other national power, once. The Silverswords will also face two non-Hawai'i schools, Dominican University of California and the University of Tampa in mid-March. The team's goal: To be one of the 12 teams in the Pacific West Conference standings that will qualify for the PacWest Championships in mid-April.
