With an 18-3 overall record during the start of the 2020 season, the NC State women’s tennis team was looking to build on this success to complete a historic season. With the recent outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, its season and hopes for a trip to the NCAA Championships were cut short. However, things were looking bright for the women’s tennis team.
Did the Wolfpack get off to a strong start?
As previously mentioned, the Pack was off to a strong start and was building momentum. This was evident by its 5-1 record in the ACC. With 10 wins at home and a perfect record on the road, the team was looking to finish as one of the stronger teams in the league. This was apparent while picking up its first win ever at Clemson in program history.
Who were some standouts in the 2020 season?
Four key players in the doubles this season were seniors Adriana Reami and Anna Rogers, junior Jaeda Daniel, and sophomore Alana Smith. These four contributors made the Pack proud by representing NC State in the latest Oracle/ITA Division I Rankings. All-Americans Anna Rogers and Alana Smith took down four nationally-ranked opponents this past season while maintaining the top spot in the doubles rankings for quite some time. Not far behind, Reami and Daniel were able to grab the No. 14 spot coming up from a previous ranking as No. 22.
What could have been?
There was all the reason to expect continued success from the women’s tennis team. Things were looking up as the Pack continued its climb. The women’s tennis team was sure to keep the success coming with more dominant doubles performances. Unfortunately, a worldwide pandemic brought down the curtain on such a determined and positive future for the Pack.
With a No. 7 ranking in the final ITA release March 10, NC State had a really good chance to compete with the best of the best, especially since it’s only three losses came against then-No. 7 Texas, then-No. 2 North Carolina and then-No. 13 Virginia. The team missed out on eight regular-season matches at the end of the year.
What’s in store for next season?
Next season, the NC State women’s tennis team is looking to come back even stronger and start the ball rolling. With the recent commitment of Amelia Rajecki, the ladies are set to make some noise in the ACC with the new fierce freshman. Rajecki is said to be an ideal contributor to the team by all indications. There is no doubt that she will be a perfect match for the Pack and help an already talented lineup.
