WILKES-BARRE – The Wilkes University women's tennis team is set to begin the 2020 spring season as the 13-time defending Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) champions.

Last year the Colonels were undefeated at 7-0 in MAC Freedom play and competed for the 13th consecutive season in the NCAA Tournament under the direction of first-year head coach Victor Terranova. Wilkes fell in the NCAA Tournament First Round to No. 37 The College of New Jersey but Wilkes finished with its 13th straight season with at least 15 wins.

Wilkes was selected to place second in the MAC Freedom according to the Coaches' Preseason Poll behind conference newcomer Stevens Institute of Technology. The Ducks received 46 points and five first-place votes compared to the Colonels 45 points and three first-place votes.

"As for Stevens this is a great addition. We have the upper-hand from the fall and we will continue to act like we are the top team to beat even though we were predicted to finish second," Terranova said of the Ducks joining the conference this season. "It will be tough, they are well disciplined, well coached, and will be completely focused to dethrone us. But this could create a rivalry for years to come. We could not be more excited for the challenge and the credibility for women's tennis that they bring to the table."

The Colonels had a strong fall season which included head-to-head individual victories over Stevens at the Stevens Invitational and the 2019 MAC Individual Championship. Wilkes won six of the 11 titles at the MAC Individual Championship.

"We are looking forward to a very challenging spring and we will be talking about the challenges the fall presented," Terranova commented. "We were successful then and sometimes it's better to not re-create the wheel."

Wilkes will be led by its three seniors, Francesca Varela-Seri (Stewartsville, NJ/Phillipsburg), Dana Saliyev (Jamison, PA/Central Bucks South), and Laura Zielinski (Mt. Wolf, PA/Northeastern). Varela-Seri was selected as a First Team All-MAC Freedom member as a sophomore and junior and a Second Team member as a freshman. Saliyev was a Second Team All-MAC Freedom pick as a sophomore and an Honorable Mention selection as a freshman. Zielinski earned Second Team honors last year and the No. 4 Singles champion at the MAC Individual Championship this fall.

"We have three incredible seniors that have been in the line-up for the majority of their time here," remarked Terranova. "We will only grow as much as they push this group below them to grow."

Among the group under the senior class is sophomore Dasha Yakhnis (Verona, NJ/Verona), who was a First Team All-MAC Freedom selection last season and the No. 3 Singles champion this fall at the MAC Individual Championship. Yakhnis and Varela-Seri also won the No. 1 Doubles title at the MAC Individual Championship.

Sophomore Alexa Cieri (Matawan, NJ/St. John Vianney) became just the second Wilkes women's tennis player to win a singles title at the ITA Southeast Regional when she won the E Singles championship this fall. At the same tournament, Cieri teamed with Zielinski to become the first Colonels duo in program history to win a doubles title at the ITA Southeast Regional by winning the C Doubles title. Cieri was named the MAC Freedom Player of the Week on September 23rd after going 8-0 at the regional.

Junior Dagney Markle (New Oxford, PA/New Oxford) was a Second Team All-MAC Freedom selection her freshman season in 2017-18 and was the No. 5 Singles Champion at MACs this fall. Sophomore Rachel Thomas (Hughesville, PA/Hughesville) earned the No. 6 Singles title this fall and junior Sarah Malone (Williamsport, PA/Loyalsock) was the No. 7 Singles champion. Rounding out the Colonels lineup is freshman Kaitlyn Carroll (Collegeville, PA/Perkiomen Valley).

"The women experienced significant success this past fall," Terranova said. "We saw success at all three events we participated in."

That success will help the Colonels head into the spring season that is set to begin Friday at Washington College (Md.). From there Wilkes will travel to Hilton Head Island, S.C. for their Spring Break Trip where they will face Albion College, Roanoke College, Methodist University, Drew University and Eastern Nazarene College between Sunday, March 1 and Thursday, March 5.

Once the Colonels return home they will open home action with Muhlenberg College at the Ralston Athletic Complex on Saturday, March 14. The following Saturday Wilkes will travel to the defending nation champions and current No. 1 team in the country Wesleyan University.

"The non-conference competition includes the reigning National Champion Wesleyan Cardinals, nationally ranked (No. 40) TCNJ, and some matches which will test the time of the day in Moravian, SUNY New Paltz, Scranton, and Muhlenberg," Terranova commented.

The Colonels will play their seven MAC Freedom matches between Saturday, March 28 and Saturday, April 18. The slate will be highlighted with a road matchup against Stevens at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 28.