Colonels head south after N.J. tourney

The Colonels will head to Madison, N.J., Feb. 15 and 16 for the Drew Invitational where they will begin the start of the rest of their season.

Head coach Christopher Leicht has been preparing his team for the matches ahead. After playing in three tournaments during the fall, including the Mid Atlantic Conference Individual Tournament where the team won eight out of nine brackets.

“The players have been working hard in the off-season, both on the court and in the weight-room,” Leicht said. “We are excited to start our spring season soon.”

Wilkes tennis will face tough competitors from non-conference teams and teams in the freedom conference. A few nonconference teams include Elizabethtown College, Bloomsburg University and Muhlenberg College. Arcadia University, Fairleigh-Dickinson-College at Florham, Eastern University, Stevenson University and King’s College will compete for the Mid Atlantic Conference title down the road.

The men’s team is rather young with only one senior, captain Alex Makos. Alongside Makos, is junior captain Brendon Blachowski. Leicht says they have been doing a great job leading the team.

After heading to South Carolina for a spring break trip March 3-5, the Colonels will come back March 14 for a home match against Elizabethtown College. Until then, Leicht and graduate assistant Carlos Quijano will continue to motivate the team to accomplish big wins.

“I believe that if you prepare the right way, then everyone is confident when they step out on the court,” Leicht said. “We try to out-work every opponent that we play!”

— Cara Basile, Correspondent

Lady Colonels after eighth straight title

Ally Kristofco, Anastasia English, and Amanda Rossi lead the Wilkes women’s tennis team, as it seeks its eighth straight conference championship and another chance to get back to the NCAA National Tournament.

Dedication, hard work and confidence are what separate the champions from the others around them, and the team has acquired all three over the last seven seasons with being named Freedom Conference Champions seven straight years.

“This team is very dedicated, and one of the hardest working groups I have ever coached,” Lady Colonels head coach Chris Leicht said.

With leadership from seniors Kristofco and Rossi and junior English, the team appears very experienced and prepared.

“We are lucky to have a great group of experienced captains who know what it takes to work hard, and prepare for the season,” Leicht said.

The navy and gold have brought in five experienced freshmen who will be challenging for playing time. The Colonels also have experienced upperclassman such as sophomore Summer Lentini, a fall standout for the women of Wilkes.

The Navy and Gold lost Melanie Nolt and Katie Lynn their one and two last spring. The Colonels have made large strides, from last spring to this fall.

“Confidence will be the biggest challenge the team will face this year,” Lentini said. “So we are going to need everyone to step up to the plate and really push themselves to their full potential.”

The women’s team is set to face a challenging non-conference schedule, including Elizabethtown, Haverford, Bloomsburg, Scranton, NYU and Muhlenberg.

The team starts its spring season with the annual spring break tennis trip to Hilton Head Island, S.C., where the Lady Colonels will play four matches.

— Marcus Leaf, Correspondent