WAUKESHA, Wis. - Carroll's women's tennis team is coming off a year that saw them win eight matches for the third consecutive season, while their 4-4 conference record in 2023 was their best in three years.

"Because we're a young team, we're looking to build on what we did last year," Carroll Head Tennis Coach Craig Mours said. "We lost a lot of seniors to graduation, so we're going to use this year to develop and get better."

With just one senior on this year's squad, the Pioneers will rely heavily on their junior and sophomore class, which consists of four and five players, respectively, to provide leadership. The Pios also will welcome three new freshmen to the team in 2024.

"We need to figure out who will step up in the leadership roles, which will likely come from our sophomore and junior class," said Mours.

Sophomores Natasa Pupovac and Katherine Trifilio will likely play towards the top of the lineup after getting their feet wet as freshman a year ago. Pupovac went 4-13 last season while playing exclusively at the top flight, while going 7-11 in doubles play, primarily at the number one flight. Trifilio went 4-12 in singles play and a team-best 11-8 in doubles play, but will likely be asked to play at a higher flight this year.

"I'm looking for both Natasa and Katherine to settle into a groove in their sophomore season," Mours said. "Last year, they struggled a bit as freshmen, but came on strong towards the end of the year, so I'm expecting a better start for them because they now know how to be a college player."

Carroll's projected middle of the lineup will likely consist of juniors Makayla Counsell, Aalaiya Jacklin, and Erin Horzewski.

Counsell boasted an 8-6 record a year ago, including a 4-1 mark at number six singles, while Jacklin and Horzewski were a combined 6-3 in singles play, with Jacklin going a perfect 3-0 at the sixth flight. Horzewski earned 'Pio of the Week' honors, finishing second overall in the singles category (flight A) at the ITA Midwest Regional Championships.

"We're looking for all three of those players to step into a more impactful role in our lineup," Mours said. "They will each play in a tougher flight than they have in the past."

The lineup will likely be rounded out by sophomores Gracie Niebler and Ella Anderson. That duo was a combined 3-0 in singles play last year. They will look to have a bigger role now, in their second season in the program.

"Gracie is in the mix with Erin and Makayla," Mours said. "Ella and (junior) Jenna Mohler will look to make an impact in our doubles lineup when needed."

Also contributing to the team will be senior Emily Stern, who went 1-0 in singles play last season, and sophomore Rachel Winters, who also won the only match she played a year ago. The team will be joined by three freshmen - Grace London, Laurel Nelson, and Addison Olson.

"Our freshmen will fit in nicely within the team dynamic," Mours said. "They bring a lot of energy to practice and have provided a great atmosphere and spirit to the team."

That group joins a team that also excels in the classroom, as they were named to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Women's All-Academic Team over the summer. As part of that announcement, the Pioneers also received 10 individual ITA Women's Scholar-Athlete honors, which was the third-most of any CCIW team.

"We take a lot of pride in excelling both on the court and in the classroom," Mours said. "We strive for that every single year and we hope to achieve that success every year in the future."

The Pioneers will open their 2024 schedule on August 30 at Concordia (Wis.). Their first home match will be the following day when they'll open up their CCIW slate against North Central (IL) at the Jean Kilgour-Trailblazer Tennis Complex.