2004-05 Women's Tennis Outlook

Under the direction of second year head coach Wayne Turner, the Providence College women's tennis team will look to improve upon last season's 7-11 overall team record. This year marks the Friars' third year as a non-scholarship program.

The young but experienced 2004-05 squad will be led by seniors Lindsey Christensen (Northboro, Mass.), Molly Gilbride (Topsham,Maine) and Nicole Rodger (Lowell, Mass.), as well as juniors Sara Bitetti (Norwell, Mass.) and Marissa Bigelli (Lincoln, R.I.). A strong sophomore class, which consists of Andrea Lee (Cumberland, R.I.) and the 2003 New England singles champion Jennifer Daigle (East Greenbush, N.Y.), also will help lead the Friar charge.

Coach Turner will look to Daigle to lead the team at the No. 1 position in 2004-05. Daigle had an impressive first year with the Friars, finishing with eight victories at the No. 1 singles spot and claiming Providence's first New England singles championship since Brooke Rubin won in 2001. She also teamed up with classmate Lee, who turned in seven individual wins, to record eight victories is doubles action.

Seniors Gilbride and Rodger, two of the squad's three captains, will battle for top spots in singles action. Gilbride enters her final season with a 29-29 overall singles record, after finishing the 2003-04 season undefeated (3-0) at the No. 3 position, while Rodger looks to improve upon her current 20-26 singles record.

Bitteti, the final Friar captain, registered the team's highest individual winning percentage last year and will be another strong contender for one of the top singles positions. Junior classmate Bigelli will look for more playing time, after finishing her sophomore campaign with overall singles and doubles records of 1-2 and 0-1, respectively.

Providence also welcomes back Christensen, who returns to the court after an injury-shortened junior year. In her last full season wearing a Friar uniform, she tallied seven victories in singles action and six wins playing doubles.

Seven newcomers, each of whom is expected to make a great impact on the team, complete this 2004-05 Friar squad. Therese Griffin (Louisville, Ky.) rounds out the sophomore class, while Katherine Danaher (Norwood, Mass.), Courtney Fischer (New Haven, Conn.), Carly Hoffend (Pittsford, N.Y.), Erin Kenaga (Norwalk, Conn.), Katherine Lyons (Barrington, R.I.) and Karla Ruggeri (Lincoln, R.I.) make up the class of 2008.

Griffin, in her second year at Providence, brings maturity, experience and leadership to the team after coming off a successful campaign at Sacred Heart Academy.

The freshman class is comprised of six multi-sport athletes, each of whom served as captain of their respective high school tennis teams.

Danaher lettered in soccer and tennis, was her team's MVP three times, and was named to the Neopnset Valley and Bay State League All-Star teams.

While at Sacred Heart Academy, Fischer lettered in cross country, indoor track and tennis, and received All-Division honors on more than one occasion.

In 2004 Hoffend went undefeated in tennis and was named Pittsfield Mendon's Female Scholar Athlete of the Year. In her time there, she collected a total of 14 varsity letters in softball, volleyball, basketball and tennis.

Kenaga, who earned varsity letters in swimming and tennis at Norwalk, received team MVP and all-conference honors.

Lyons lettered in field hockey, ice hockey, and tennis at Portsmouth Abbey. In recognition of her hard work she received the most improved player award in each of these sports her junior year.

At St. Mary Bayview, Ruggeri lettered in tennis and softball. Her tennis resume includes a Class B State Team Championship, an All-State Doubles Championship, and All-Division First Team honors.

Through their commendable amounts of athleticism and energy, Coach Turner expects that these six individuals will make significant contributions to an already experienced Friar squad.

Providence begins its fall season Saturday, September 11, at the third annual Doubles Festival in Fairfield, Conn. The Friars will play at home only once during the fall, when they host Holy Cross on October 12. Staying local, PC will travel to Kingston, R.I. for matches versus Rhode Island and Monmouth on October 8 and 10, respectively. Providence closes out its fall season at the New England Championships, October 15-17, where Daigle will look to defend her title as the singles champion.

PC's spring season will begin with their February 5 home-opener versus Rutgers.

Upcoming Event: Women's Tennis at Bryant Invitational on September 13, 2025

Upcoming Event: Women's Tennis at Holy Cross Invitational on September 27, 2025

Upcoming Event: Women's Tennis versus Assumption on October 7, 2025 at 3:45 P.M.

Upcoming Event: Women's Tennis at ITA Regionals (at Harvard) on October 9, 2025

Upcoming Event: Women's Tennis at URI Invitational on October 25, 2025

Providence College Athletics

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