Press Releases

September 25, 1998
Lady Colonials Tennis Team Wins the First Match in Its History

Julia Denny is Coach of Southampton College's 10th & Newest Intercollegiate Team

Contact:
Joe Dionisio
(516) 287 8313
Fax: (516) 283 4081

On Wednesday, Sept. 23, the women's tennis team at Southampton College of Long Island University won the first match in its history, defeating New Jersey Institute of Technology, 6-3.

Just three days earlier, the Lady Colonials (1-1) played their first match ever, debuting with a 9-0 loss to host Dowling College at The Hamlet Golf and Country Club in Commack, N.Y.

Head Coach Julia Denny of Bridgehampton, NY, was proud that her squad rebounded from the loss to Dowling. "Our players weren't the least bit discouraged," said Denny, a native of Yorkshire, England. "The girls worked really hard to beat New Jersey Tech. Nobody had an easy match, so I was really impressed with the win."

Women's tennis now is the 10th intercollegiate program at Southampton College, which offers five men's sports (basketball, soccer, volleyball, lacrosse and tennis) and five women's (basketball, soccer, softball, volleyball and tennis).

The 1998 Lady Colonials, who are sponsored by 9 West, include:

Junior Kate Schumann of Reedsburg, WI, the top-seeded singles player; Jenny Ogrodnick of Geneva, NY, a junior who will serve as co-captain and play in the no. 2 spot; junior Wendy Burokas of Colchester, CT, the no. 3 seed; junior Jillian Whetstone of Tamaqua, PA, no. 4 in singles; Lizette Santiago of Manhattan, NY, a senior who will share the captaincy and play at no. 5; and no. 6 seed Michelle Keene, a sophomore from Milford, MA. The doubles pairings are Ogrodnick-Whetsone at no. 1, Burokas-Schumann at no. 2, and Santiago-Keene at no. 3.

Keene's roster spot will be replaced in mid-season by one of five reserves: junior Heather Huber of Medina, NY; sophomore Lorena Cantos of Jamaica, NY; freshman Jennifer Grabianowski of Euclid, OH; sophomore Janese Carsten of Minot, ND; sophomore April Yesmont of Huntington, NY; and freshman Wendy Busse of North Babylon, NY.

Michelle Keene will miss much of the tennis season to participate in SEAmester, a unique program in which students embark on a 3,000-mile schooner voyage from New England to the Caribbean. Students spend nine weeks learning seamanship, marine science, literature of the sea, underwater photography and more.

The winners in the inaugural victory over NJIT were: Ogrodnick (6-0, 6-1), Whetstone (6-7, 6-3, 7-5), Santiago (6-4, 6-3), Keene (6-1, 6-1), Schumann-Burokas (8-5) and Santiago-Keene (8-5).

For the past three seasons, Head Coach Julia Denny has served as assistant coach for the men's tennis team, which is guided by Chuck Hitchcock of East Hampton, NY. During her 50-year career in tennis, Denny has been ranked no. 11 in the nation in the 50s bracket, no. 10 in 55+, and in the last 15 years has been Top 3 in Florida.

The 1998 schedule for Southampton College women's tennis:

| SUNDAY, SEPT. 20 AT DOWLING, 1 PM | WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 23 AT NJ INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, 4:30 PM | SATURDAY, SEPT. 26 VS. MOLLOY, 1 PM | THURSDAY, OCT. 1 AT QUEENS, 3:30 PM | TUESDAY, OCT. 6 VS. ADELPHI, 4 PM | THURSDAY, OCT. 8 VS. ST. JOSEPH?S, 4 PM | SATURDAY, OCT. 10 VS. PHILADELPHIA TEXTILE, TBA