Women’s Tennis Team Makes History, Will Compete in NCAA Championship

The Salem State University women’s tennis team made Salem State history as the first women’s team to compete at the NCAA DIII Women’s Tennis Championships that will take place in May.

The Lady Vikings clinched its spot at the nationals in the fall by winning the Little East Conference (LEC) Championship over Bridgewater State University on Oct. 25.

The brackets for the tournament have yet to be made, but the team matches are set for May 21 through May 23 with individual sets to begin the following day. In preparation for the NCAAs the team has a four-day practice schedule and three scrimmages against Endicott College, Colby-Sawyer College and Bridgewater State.

Every member of the Lady Vikings contributed to the LEC Championship, which was Salem State’s first ever. They set a school-record by going 12-2, including posting a 7-1 mark inside the conference circuit, dropping its lone conference match to Bridgewater State during the fall campaign.

The Lady Vikings swept LEC all-conference honors, which were voted on by the conference’s nine coaches, placing seven members on either the first or second team.

Lady Vikings’ head coach Joe Dunn, Sr. was named as the Coach of the Year by his fellow peers. Dunn mentored four All-Little East singles’ players and three double teams, while Michelle McEwen and Anna

Yaskell were also on the 2011 Little East Fall All-Academic team.

The Lady Vikings are not just concentrating on nationals, but off the court they volunteered at the 2012 Boston Marathon on April 16 as an official water station at the six mile mark.

Coach Dunn has been involved volunteering at the marathon for 34 years and has recruited 15 volunteers from Salem State since 1996.