Oberlin, Ohio – Coming off one of the best seasons in school history, the Oberlin College women's tennis team will feature many new faces when it plays host to the annual Oberlin Invitational this weekend, but the expectations remain very high.
 
The Yeowomen graduated six seniors off of last year's team that finished second in the conference, totaling 19 wins and a year-end ranking of eighth in the ITA Central Region. The biggest departure is that of Ariel Lewis, who graduated as the school's most decorated player. She was a three-time NCAA Qualifier and two-time ITA All-American.
 
However, the cupboard was certainly not left empty for reining NCAC and Central Region Coach of the Year Constantine Ananiadis.
 
"Although we indeed had a phenomenal season last year, we did leave some unfinished business out there,” Ananiadis said. “ Our team is eager to get back on the court and win the school's first conference title and crack into the top 30 in the nation - two things we didn't achieve last year. I think when you come so close to something big like that and taste success you really don't want to go back to the middle of the pack. Sure we lost a lot to graduation, but we have a solid roster with four new players and four returners who have gained valuable experience throughout the years. So it's a new year, a new team, and we can't wait to get out there and build on what we started last year."
 
Headlining the list of returners are seniors Preeya Shah and Farah Leclercq. Shah has been a mainstay in the OC lineup in each of the last three years and has earned a total of 47 singles wins and 41 doubles victories in her career. Last season she was simply dominate in the No. 5 position, finishing with a record of 16-2. Leclercq returns to the team after taking off last season to focus on her academics. After transferring to Oberlin from Division I Florida Gulf Coast as a sophomore, Leclercq made the most of her brief time with the Yeowomen. A former four-star recruit on tennisrecruiting.net, Leclercq shared timed at No. 1 singles with Lewis and also played exclusively at No. 1 doubles. Before leaving the team, she recorded a 12-5 record in singles and added eight victories in doubles play. She is slated to return to the top of the Yeowomen lineup this season.
 
Behind the two seniors Oberlin is blessed with the elite skills of junior Brenna Sheldon and sophomore Grace Porter. After battling through injury much of her rookie season, Sheldon turned in an outstanding sophomore season in which she went 15-4 in singles - while playing mostly at No. 2 - and also added a 13-4 mark in doubles play as a regular in the third position. Porter saw time in spots two through four last year and she too added 15 singles wins, with eight of those coming in the fourth spot. Sophomore Emily Fuller, who saw limited action last season, rounds out the list of Yeowomen returners.
 
 Oberlin also added three highly touted first-years to the roster in Ariana Abayomi, Erin Johnson and Alex Kahn.
 
Ariana Abayomi played at No. 1 and No. 2 at North Atlanta High School for all four years and helped the team which the quarterfinals of the state championship tournament and a No. 8 ranking in the state her senior season … She was bestowed The Star Award for her leadership efforts and was named team MVP in 2009 before being selected as the Most Outstanding Player in 2010 … On the USTA junior circuit, Abayomi was a 2-star recruit on tennisrecruiting.net and achieved a high national ranking of 512 her senior year … She also landed on the "Prince Hot 100" list in May of 2010 as the 27th fastest rising junior in the country … Abayomi won eight USTA singles tournaments and has been a finalist or consolation winner in multiple others … She is looking to major in biochemistry and is the recipient of the Bonner and John F. Oberlin scholarship.
 
A four-time state qualifier (three individually) in Wisconsin, Erin Johnson was named as the All-Area Player of the Year in both her junior and senior seasons  … A two-star recruit on tennisrecruiting.net, Johnson was ranked 504th in the country in 2011 and 526th this past year … The Valedictorian of Sheboygan North High School, Johnson was also the treasurer National Honor Society and editor-in-chief of her high school year book … An intended premed major, Johnson's brother Casey plays tennis at Grinnell.  
 

Alex Kahn comes from a tennis family and started playing really young … Although she doesn't have much USTA tournament experience, she played all four years at Fieldstone High School and was team captain during her senior year.