University of North Texas
Abilene Christian
Tennis Embarks On 2022 Campaign
1/15/2022 9:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
The 2022 season is head coach Sujay Lama's 16th as the leader of the Mean Green program, which has won three conference championships and made three NCAA Tournaments.
This season's team welcomes back five returners from last year including three all-conference honorees: Lucie Devier, Maria Ponomareva and Saki Oyama. But Lama and associate head coach Rodrigo de Almeida have also brought in three extremely talented and experienced newcomers who make UNT one of the deepest teams in Conference USA as they are in pursuit of another league title.
Ahead of his 16th season at North Texas and 26th overall as a head DI women's tennis coach, we sat down with Lama to talk about the season and the team he has assembled for this year.
Where has this team grown the most from last year?
"The biggest difference this year is the depth and that has resulted in a healthy competition within the team. It's helped raise our level collectively. We have a nice blend of youth and experience."
Last season Lucie Devier stepped on to the scene as one of the best No. 1s in the conference. What's been here leadership style now in year two and what do you expect from her this season?
"Lucie brings energy, passion and joy to our team. She had to grow up quickly last year coming from Junior college to playing No. 1 both in singles and doubles. That experience was invaluable for her and will serve her well this year. We know she can beat any player in the country on any given day. The goal and challenge is for her to stay consistent with her play for the duration of the season."
You guys had an amazing performance at the Texas Regionals in October. What kind of confidence has that built in this team that they know they can play on the biggest stage?
"The way we performed at regionals and finished the fall was a huge confidence boost for our team. It validated our belief in in the depth we have but also it showed the astonishing improvement we made in such a short time. If we continue improving 1 percent every day, this team will be a force to reckon with in April/May for conference championship and NCAA Tournament."
What do you think is the main key to this season?
"The key is health this season. We play a brutal sport with just eight players. It's so important to work hard but also smart. We have to make sure that our seventh and eighth player are just as good as our starters. We will need each player to step up and contribute both on and off the court."
What are you most excited about for this season?
"This is my 26th season and I am as excited as the first one. There is nothing more exciting then bringing a group of individuals together and chasing a common goal of becoming a champion and having the opportunity to play the NCAA Tournament. We have the pieces to the puzzle this year. The challenge is to put them together and that gets me super fired up. This is going to be a special year for Mean Green tennis."
Players Mentioned
