MCC Lady Eagle Tennis preps for national championship tournament

The Meridian Community College ladies' tennis team, who finished second in the Region XXIII/MACJC State Tennis Championships held April 26-28 in Tupelo, will be competing in the NJCAA National Junior College Championships in Tucson, Arizona, May 5-11. This will be the sixth consecutive appearance for the Lady Eagles at the national tournament. The Eagles won four back-to-back state and region titles from 2003-2006.

The Lady Eagles finished the season with a 19-7 record overall and a 18-2 JUCO record. Currently, the ladies are ranked number fourteen in the most recent ITA rankings.

The Eagles are led at the number one singles and doubles by sophomore Sierra Woolery from Morton, MS. As a freshman Sierra finished sixth at the national tournament and garnered ITA All-American honors. She is currently ranked number eight in the nation in singles and ten, with Alycia Le Merle, in doubles and has finished her dual match career at MCC with a 37-8 record overall and a 33-4 JUCO record. In the fall she and Alycia qualified for the National Small College Championships which was held in Ft. Myers, Florida. Sierra has opted to not pursue her tennis but to remain in the PTA program at MCC.

Freshman Alycia Le Merle, who hails from Melbourne, Australia, plays the number two singles and the number one doubles. As a freshman she has a 22-2 record overall and a 19-2 JUCO record. She currently has an ITA ranking of 24 as a singles player and a #10 ranking as a doubles player.

Playing three singles and two doubles for MCC is Laine Denuex. Laine has a current ITA ranking of #64 in singles, and she and doubles partner Leslie Bunn are ranked #38th. Her record as a freshman is 20-3 at singles overall and 17-2 in JUCO play.

Rounding out the team are sophomore Leslie Bunn and freshmen Jodi Webb and Molly Moon. As a freshman Leslie accumulated a 14-5 record overall and went 13-4 in JUCO. Her career record at MCC is 31-11 overall and 29-7 in JUCO play.

Freshmen Jodi Webb and Molly Moon have impressive stats as well. Jodi was All Region and All State at the no. 5 singles spot and no. 3 doubles with her partner Molly Moon. Jodi had a 17-8 record this season; Molly finished 16-8.

The Eagles are coached by Wanda McPhail, who is in her seventh season as coach of the men's and women's teams at MCC.