North Carolina State University Athletics
Wolfpack Should Find Success in 2003
1/31/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Jan. 31, 2003
RALEIGH, N.C. - In his second year at the helm of the Wolfpack women's tennis program, head coach Hans Olsen believes he has the pieces to the puzzle, now it's time to put them together and move up in the ranks of the Atlantic Coast Conference. While NC State lost two players to attrition, it regains the services of a key contributor who was out last season to injury, and adds an experienced transfer into the mix.
"Each young woman on our team has an appetite for success and a love for their team," says Olsen. "When one has the desire to achieve at a high level, anything can be accomplished."
The Wolfpack returns three seniors who possess great leadership qualities and court experience.
Landis Strader, a senior from Greensboro, N.C., was unanimously elected team captain during the fall season. Well-respected by her teammates, Strader's contributions to her team off the court have been prominent. She has all the attributes of a leader and has the power of motivation and a positive attitude on her side.
"Landis' conviction in her beliefs has earned her the respect of her peers," claims Olsen. "She leads by example and knows exactly what to do and say to motivate her teammates."
Strader played sparingly last season, but offered huge contributions when called upon. She went 2-2 in singles play and picked up eight wins in limited doubles competition.
 Seniors Loni Worsley, Myrna Bawono and Landis Strader  |
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"Myrna's calm demeanor allows her to perform consistently on the court," says Olsen. "Her mental stability and game strategy allow her to maintain her focus. She offers a strong forehand and finishing volley in competition."
Bawono finished the fall with numerous big wins for the Wolfpack, including one over a ranked opponent. Last spring she picked up nine wins, including two victories in the conference.
Loni Worsley, a senior from Winston-Salem, N.C., turned in a solid card with four impressive wins in the fall and looks to build off of her success. A solid singles player, she brings her strong leadership skills into the doubles competition as well.
"Loni has a great ability to communicate with her teammates, which is important in doubles play," says Olsen. "She has a good all-court game. We are working on her aggressiveness still, but she has the potential to be a force on the court for us this season."
The Wolfpack roster includes only one junior, Houston, Texas, native Jennifer Jassawalla. She is very determined in all aspects of her collegiate career: her tennis game, her schoolwork and her community. As president of NC State's chapter of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Jassawalla has led her peers in a number of activities in the Raleigh area, and continues to voice her opinion in the athletics department. Majoring in biomedical engineering, she is getting the job done in the classroom as well.
Jassawalla has managed to maintain her focus on the court also, and posted a 12-9 record last spring in the middle of the lineup. This fall she posted five wins, and advanced to the consolation finals of the ODU East Coast Championships. With a career winning record of .513, she ranks among the program's best performers.
 Jassawalla excels both on and off of the court. |
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A slew of talented sophomores signals good things for the future of the Wolfpack tennis program.
Redshirt-sophomore Kristin Lam (Hilton Head, S.C.) will return to the lineup after missing the 2001-02 season with an injury. Hampered by knee problems throughout her career, she should be nearing 100 percent when spring play commences. Lam saw limited doubles action in the fall before suffering a second knee injury.
"It will be great to get Kristin back in action," says Olsen. "She is very competitive and brings fire and aggression to the court. Kristin has been such an important member of the team, despite being limited on the court last season and this fall."
Lam looked promising as a freshman. She spent time at the number one spot for the Wolfpack and developed a high-powered game. This fall in doubles competition, she paired with Bawono for two convincing wins.
Danielle Stadelmann, a sophomore out of Westerly, R.I., had a very successful fall for the Wolfpack. Notching a 5-2 record, she clinched the St. Mary's Fall Classic flight four title with three wins in the tournament.
 Stadelmann had a strong tournament season, and hopes to build from her success this spring. |
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Stadelmann joined the Wolfpack last spring as a walk-on and immediately made an impact on the lineup. She spent most of the season in the five and six spots, where she picked up numerous league and non-conference wins. Stadelmann has since earned a scholarship for her continued progress.
Taylor Parker, who hails from Marietta, Georgia, has showed improvement in her game after a season with the Wolfpack. She is focused and has the desire to improve.
"Taylor has done so many things to better her game," says Olsen. "Her serve is becoming more effective. She thinks about her patterns of play and has developed a great court strategy. She's has a great amount of enthusiasm for everything she does, and brings a great attitude to the team."
Parker had a great fall tournament period, and finished the ODU East Coast Championships with a solid fourth-place performance in flight D action. She notched a record of 5-3 in singles action, while also contributing in doubles play.
The Wolfpack adds two newcomers to the team, a transfer and true freshman.
Carmen Torres, a native of Madrid, Spain. Torres spent a season at Arkansas-Little Rock before transferring to the Wolfpack this fall. As a freshman, she was undefeated in the Sun Belt Conference. She has shown promise on the court since her arrival.
Torres finished third in the flight five bracket of the St. Mary's Fall Classic, and ended the fall with a record of 4-1.
"So far, we like what we see in Carmen," says Olsen. "She is really excited to be here and even more determined to improve her game."
Virginia Romero, also of Madrid, Spain, joined the Wolfpack at the beginning of the spring semester.
The Wolfpack will face a number of talented opponents this spring, many of which finished the season late into the NCAA Championships. Within the ACC alone, a total of five teams saw post-season action. Virginia Commonwealth and South Carolina also promise to be tough match-ups early in the schedule.
"We schedule challenging opponents because we realize in order to be a top-caliber team, you have to play top-caliber teams," explains Olsen.
"Our team has an appreciation for tough competition and knows that we have a chance to excel against them," he continues. "The ladies on the team have an allegiance to the program and want to make the university proud. That kind of desire and emotion leads to success."
