Tennis season in review: Coyotes establish strong foundation

It had been a long time since Weatherford College fielded a tennis team, but it didn't take long for the Coyotes to remind the nation they are back. 

After being dormant for a couple of decades, the program stormed back this season to finish eighth at the NJCAA Division I Tournament in Tucson, Ariz. It was the pinnacle of a successful return. 

"Arriving as complete strangers, the team hit a few walls, especially at the beginning because Ana (Khrustaleva) and Michelle (Markovic) had their years of NCAA DI experience they tried using as a foundation of leadership dealing with five freshmen, but college tennis is a completely new concept for these freshmen," head coach Alexandra Leatu said. 

"They were thrown into a completely different environment, all about team success, not individual success. But they certainly progressed, they learned and they bought into our 'team first' mentality right on time. 

"This spring season had growing pains, adversity with injuries, but ultimately, the culture has been defined by this team." 

Khrustaleva began her college career at Troy University in Alabama, while Markovic started at Lamar University in Beaumont before both transferred to help get the WC program rekindled. 

Among the highlights at the national tournament was Khrustaleva winning the Spirit of Competition Award. She also advanced to the semifinals of the main flight in singles competition. 

"Coaches from every team at the national tournament were entrusted to nominate a player who exhibits resilience, competitive spirit, team player mentality and mental toughness, all role model behaviors," Leatu said. "She deserved it." 

Khrustaleva will be moving on to play for Lubbock Christian University next season, while Markovic will compete for Southeastern Oklahoma State. As for the rest of the squad, Leatu said, "The roster will look much different with some select players from this year coming back." 

Other highlights of the season included: 

• Defeating NCAA Division II Ouachita Baptist and Southeast Oklahoma State in the Oklahoma City Collegiate Invitational in the fall with Khrustaleva finishing second in No. 1 singles and Agathe Vaillant placing second in No. 3 singles. 
• Markovic reached the singles semifinals at the ITA Small College Invitational in the fall at Tyler Junior College, which won the NJCAA championship. 
• Playing against some of the top competition in the nation in the fall at the Collin College Open, Khrustaleva placed second in No. 1 singles and Markovic won No. 2 singles. 
• The spring featured 9-0 team victories against University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Meridian Community College, East Texas Baptist University, New Mexico Military Institute and Howard Payne University, along with a 7-0 win over Texas A&M-Texarkana and a 7-2 victory against fellow top-10 squad Collin College. 

"My goal was to develop a team that can create a solid foundation for teams to come, that enables growth, encouragement, enjoyment of the sport and discipline," Leatu said. "Ultimately, the focus on those things led to this year's success."