Case Era Set to Serve for Lady Wolves in 2025

The 2024 season saw the Co-Lin Women's Tennis team finish 12-5 overall, 6-4 in MACCC and fourth in the conference standings. The Lady Wolves then advanced to the Region 23 Tournament and lost their opening round match to Itawamba to finish 12-6 overall. However, the Lady Wolves earned an at-large berth into the NJCAA National Tournament and finished the season with a strong showing on the national stage. With the 2025 season quickly approaching, a new era also begins for tennis as Tripp Case begins his first season as head coach, and he is excited about the potential that the team has for this season.

"I think this is going to be an exciting season for several reasons," stated Case. "We have a great group of freshmen that have come in and I am excited to see them play, but also we have returning sophomores that know what to expect and are ready to compete this season."

The roster this season for the Lady Wolves features eight players with four sophomores including three returners and one transfer along with freshmen. Sophomores for the Lady Wolves include Yariange Bello (Caracas, Venezuela), Sophie Sisson (Moss Point), and Ann-Clark Van (Jayess) who return to the team after successful freshmen seasons along with transfer Munashe Bera (Bulawayo, Zimbabwe). The four incoming freshmen are Kayleigh Ann Griffin (Houston), Georgina Labusch (Verl, Germany), Allie Grace McNeill (Brookhaven), and Gracie Smith (Lucedale). Case says he loves what each group brings to the team.

"Having four sophomores who have already played a season on this team is huge for us especially from a leadership standpoint," said Case. "This group has come in and done a great job of setting the pace and expectations for this season. They also know how it feels to come up just a little short of that goal after losing to Itawamba in the opening match of the regional tournament and it has motivated them to work harder over the offseason."

"I am excited about our freshmen along with our transfer sophomore and how they will make us better as a team," added Case. "Munashe is a player that comes to us with a lot of experience including playing at the national tournament last season, so she knows what it takes to get back there. I'm excited to see how Georgina Labusch works into the group along with Allie Grace McNeill who is someone that didn't play a lot of singles matches until she got here, and she has had a lot of success throughout our practices and fall matches."

"Also having a player back like Yari is huge for our team because every coach wants a player like her who is Top 20 in the nation," said Case. "She has talent like we have never seen, and she might be one of the best women's players that Co-Lin has had. I'm excited to see her possibly break into the Top 10 by the end of the season. On the doubles side, I expect her to have great success especially after losing only one doubles match during her freshman season."

Case said he's preparing the team for a long season and that he expects contributions from every member throughout that time.

"I keep telling them that this is a long season, and we are playing more matches than we have in the past so stay ready to play when we need you," stated Case. "We need all eight healthy and ready to show up to play because I expect our lineup to change. One thing I love about our women's team is that we have a ton of flexibility and have so many performing well in our practices. It is a great problem to have as a coach to have eight players you trust that will go out and play to the best of their ability each time they are called upon."

Case said his definition of a successful season comes down to a simple few things.

"I definitely want our team to be a top three team in the conference and earn an automatic bid to the national tournament by making it to at least the semi-finals of the Region 23 Tournament," said Case. "If we get that far and still have everywhere playing really well then we give ourselves a good chance of making it to the region championship match."

The season starts for the Lady Wolves with a home exhibition against Alcorn State on Tuesday, January 28 with the first regular season match coming on the road against Coastal Alabama – South at the Mobile Tennis Center on Friday, January 31.