There are no seniors on the women's tennis team. There aren't even captains. And as for the coaches, this is just their second year in charge of the Bears.
But don't write off the team just yet.
Last season, they were seventh in the Ivy League, but could have been third, according to Assistant Coach Cecily Dubusker. After Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania, Dubusker believes that the Bears are evenly matched with the rest of the teams in the Ivy League.
"We can easily rise to the top of that group," she said, adding that she envisions the team "rising to national prominence."
That's not such an impossible task, considering the team has seven returning players. Keep an eye on Ashley Pariser '08, who went 10-7 at No. 5 and 6 singles last year. Pariser also garnered ITA All-Academic honors during the spring. Daisy Ames '07, Michelle Pautler '07, Amanda Saiontz '07, Anita Ivancevic '08, Kelley Kirkpatrick '08, Ashley Pariser '08 and Meredith Woodhouse '08 all will play important roles this season.
"We only lost one girl this year," Saiontz said. Not only is the team almost completely intact, but "everyone is coming back a little more experienced."
What the team lacks in terms of senior leadership, it makes up for with its juniors.
"The juniors have the most experience," said Brett Finkelstein '09. "When I need something or look for a role model, I go to the juniors."
But while Finkelstein and the other underclassmen may turn to the juniors fr leadership, no captains have been selected yet. In fact, the Bears might go without an official captain for the balance of the season.
"We don't do captains," Dubusker said. "Everyone should be leading."
There will be leadership training, especially for the juniors, but Dubusker has noticed that, "as a team, they take things into their own hands."
This includes holding private meetings, some of which have even been called by first-years.
Despite the large contingent of veterans, the team is also expecting to receive contributions from rookies Alexa Baggio '09, Sara Mansur '09 and Finkelstein. In addition, the Bears added transfer Kara Zeder '07, who went 12-2 at No. 5 singles for the University of Indiana.
According to Dubusker, training will be a key component in the Bears' improvement.
"Fitness (will be important)," said Dubusker. "Getting fitter, staying dedicated, and playing smart tennis. You beat teams like Harvard by being fitter and outsmarting them."
With a very challenging schedule, the team will have plenty of chances to test its mettle. The Bears open play this Friday when they travel to Williamsburg, Va. for the William & Mary Invitational. The young Bears will have their first of two fall opportunities to compete in front of a home crowd on Oct. 1, when they host the Brown Invitational.
