Young talent and continuous growth throughout the season helped push the Hillsdale College women's tennis team to another solid finish in 2023-24.
Lessons learned from a challenging non-conference season paid dividends in Great Midwest Athletic Conference play for the Chargers, as Hillsdale overcame a 4-9 record outside of conference play with a 5-4 mark against G-MAC foes to reach the G-MAC Tournament semifinal for the sixth-straight season.
During that conference tourney run, Hillsdale played its best tennis, stunning higher-seeded Walsh in a 4-2 quarterfinal victory that avenged a one-sided loss to the Cavaliers just five days earlier. In the semifinal, Hillsdale put up a tough fight against top seed and eventual champion Tiffin, taking the doubles point from the powerhouse Dragons.
While the end result was a 4-1 loss, Hillsdale was up a set or tied in both matches that went unfinished against Tiffin, leaving them one close result away from potentially pulling the upset.
Hillsdale was buoyed by the play of freshman Ane Dannhauser, who earned G-MAC Freshman of the Year and first-team All-G-MAC honors in her first collegiate season. After a solid showing at the ITA Midwest Regional in the fall, Dannhauser moved into the top spot in the singles lineup early in the spring and won several big matches to help lead Hillsdale's conference run. With three more years of eligibility remaining, Dannhauser looks like a fixture the Chargers can build around in future seasons.
Hillsdale also had huge success in doubles play that helped lead to victories late in the year. Hillsdale's top pairing of senior Melanie Zampardo and sophomore Megan Hackman spent much of the season regionally and nationally ranked for the Chargers after a great run at the ITA Midwest Regional, helping Hillsdale take the doubles point in many of the matches they contested.
It was a solid end to a strong career at Hillsdale for Zampardo, who was named to the G-MAC All-Conference team for the third straight season thanks to her strong play with the Chargers in 2023-24. Along with Zampardo, Hillsdale also graduates two more lineup regulars who will be missed in Helana Formentin and Julia Wagner.
Although there are big shoes to fill, the future is bright for Hillsdale with Dannhauser returning alongside seasoned veterans Hackman, Libby McGivern, Courtney Rittel and Isabella Spinazze. Head coach Liam Fraboulet is adding to the lineup with three talented recruits arriving in the fall, looking to help Hillsdale move up in the G-MAC standings and contend for a conference title again in the near future.
Photo Courtesy of Kentucky Wesleyan Athletics