Improved Buffs Looking For Best Season In Nearly A Decade

BOULDER – Colorado's tennis team is currently sitting 8-5 overall and 1-2 through three Pac-12 matches. Those numbers, while solid, may not open too many eyes until you look deeper into the stats, particularly at the scores and the opponents the Buffs have played, and compare those to the team's recent results from past seasons.

As a product of the strong play early in the season, CU could be in line for its first .500 season since going 11-11 in 2015, and its first over-.500 season since a 12-10 finish in 2009.

Here are some key notes on CU's improvement this season:

The Buffs defeated Arizona 4-3 to open Pac-12 play on March 9 for just the third time since joining the Pac-12 in 2012
The win over Arizona was the first time CU has opened conference play with a win since 2009 in the Big 12
CU suffered a 4-3 loss to 34th-ranked Arizona State on March 11, the first time the Buffs have earned three points vs. the Sun Devils since 2012
CU lost 4-2 to California on March 16 and the two points were the most CU has ever earned in a match against Cal (the Buffs are 0-7 all-time vs. the Golden Bears)

The key to Colorado's improvement this season has been the team's depth, and that comes despite No. 3 singles player Annabelle Andrinopoulos suffering a season-ending injury in the season-opener on Jan. 20. The Buffs have been strong in the back of the lineup as the team has a 7-5 record at both No. 5 and No. 6 singles. CU hasn't had a winning record at either of those positions since 2009.

"For several years we had great production from Nos. 1-2-3 in the lineup with limited results at Nos. 4-5-6," head coach Nicole Kenneally said. "This year, definitely 4-5-6 have stepped up and I think that just comes to the part of recruiting and recruiting players that you believe are going to come in and play in your top four. But only four can play in the top four, [increasing the level of play at the final two spots]."

The team has seen marked improvement this season from Chloe Hule, who has moved from the No. 4 and No. 5 singles positions last season up to No. 2 in CU's lineup. The Australian sophomore's success in that position—a 6-4 record at No. 2 so far and 14-7 record overall—has allowed seniors Louise Ronaldson and Jeannez Daniel to move down in the lineup to Nos. 3 and 4.

"Chloe is somebody that's two feet in," Kenneally said. "She's fully committed and she's very coachable. Only good things are going to come when that happens. She wants to be her best tennis player and that's exactly what we want and ask out of everyone. I think she's an example of what happens when you do do that. Going from last year playing Nos. 4-5 to stepping up and holding her own at No. 2 is huge. As a freshman and a sophomore playing No. 1 doubles with two different players and having success is great. It just shows what a great Buffalo she is and what a team player she is."

Kyra Wojcik has also enjoyed an excellent resurgence this season. The senior from Goodyear, Ariz., carries a 10-5 singles record, including 5-2 at No. 5. It is the best season of her career and she has already matched her previous best for singles wins in a season as she went 10-21 as a sophomore in 2015-16. More importantly, Wojcik is a perfect 3-0 in Pac-12 matches.

Daniel looked to be one of the team's leaders last season starting 8-1 in singles before suffering an injury and missing the remainder of the season. Her return this season has also been important, as has Ronaldson sliding down a spot to No. 3.

Freshman Linda Huang, another Australian, has stepped into the No. 1 singles position and is 19-8 overall, including 7-5 at the No. 1 spot in dual matches. She had a tough task of trying to replace Nuria Ormeño Ruiz, an All-Pac-12 player last season, but has held her own while consistently facing nationally-ranked opponents. Her 19 wins are the most for a CU freshman since Ormeño Ruiz went 20-9 in 2014, though the Spaniard played at Nos. 3 and 4 that season.

"Coming in and playing No. 1 as a freshman in the Pac-12 is a huge order to ask," Kenneally said. "I don't know right now if she understands or sees it, but she's going to benefit and learn from [playing such tough competition each match]. It may be delayed, but it's just going to come down to patience in herself and kind of letting her experiences catch up to her."

CU has also had improved doubles play this year, winning the doubles point in 10 of 12 matches (CU and Cal did not play doubles in their match due to weather). Just one season ago, the Buffs earned the doubles point only seven times in 22 matches.

Hule and Brigitte Beck have been the strongest doubles pair, going 9-1 in dual matches, including 5-0 at No. 2 and 3-1 at No. 1. Daniel and Ilana Oleynik are 5-1, including 4-1 at the No. 3 position. That success has given the Buffs momentum and a 1-point advantage heading into singles play consistently this season.

"We're just really competitive this year and wanted to improve on what we've been doing in my past two years and we're just tired of being at the bottom and losing," Daniel said. "I think that kind of sparked everyone to do better, compete harder and ultimately win more."

Kenneally believes this year's team is a more cohesive unit than in years past. The group is more competitive at practice between teammates.

"The group is continuing to learn," Kenneally said. "They got the idea and the grasp last year, but I think it's been less of an issue with regards to competing against your teammates. So when we're out here in practice, we're competing at a higher level in a lot more things compared to what we had previously when people didn't want to go up against a teammate. Now there's the understanding that, maybe it comes with maturity, that, 'hey look, I'm competing against my teammate so I can compete against my opponent.' I think there's just a mentality shift there."

The Buffs look to take that new competitiveness on the road next weekend as they take on 47th-ranked Washington on Friday, March 30, and No. 39 Washington State on Sunday, April 1. They return home on Friday, April 6, to take on No. 41 Southern California.