(ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla.) – The Hillsborough Community College (HCC) Lady Hawks Tennis team became the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region 8 State Champions on April 14 and 15 at Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs. They will move onto the NJCAA Division 1 Women's Tennis Championship on May 7-11 in Tucson, AZ.
"It was very exciting to see everything come together at the state tournament with every Lady Hawk having contributed to the win," said Sarah Lytle, HCC athletics director and head tennis coach. "We are looking forward to representing HCC at the NJCAA National Championship in Tucson. We have set high goals and have our eye on the championship."
Lytle was also named the 2022 FCSAA Coach of the Year.
HCC claimed three singles wins and swept the three doubles flights to take home the championship after entering the tournament ranked No. 2, according to the most recent ITA Women's National Team Rankings. The Hawks' opponents were No. 3 ranked St. Pete College (SPC), No. 6 ranked State College of Florida (SCF) and No. 10 ranked Eastern Florida State College.
The Lady Hawks singles and doubles scores are as follows:
- Flight 1 doubles vs. SPC (6-2, 3-6, 7-5) – Viktoryia Zhadzinskaya and Mbali Langa*
- Flight 2 doubles vs. SCF (6-4, 6-3) – Arina Gamretkaia and Olivia Pezo*
- Flight 3 doubles vs. SPC (6-0, 6-2) – Ita Habekovic and Esmee Andresen*
- Flight 1 singles vs. SPC (4-6, 7-4, 2-6) – Arina Gamretkaia
- Flight 2 singles vs. SPC (6-2, 3-6, 0-6) – Ita Habekovic
- Flight 3 singles vs. SPC (6-3, 6-2) – Viktoryia Zhadzinskaya*
- Flight 4 singles vs. SPC (6-4, 6-3) – Mbali Langa*
- Flight 5 singles vs. SCF (3-6, 4-6) – Esmee Andresen
- Flight 6 singles vs. SPC (6-0, 6-0) – Camilla Mitolo*
*The Florida College System Activities Association (FCSAA) All-State/NJCAA All-Region 8 team is comprised of the winners of the six individual flights and three doubles flights.
The Lady Hawks currently practice and compete at the Tejas Pradip Patel HCC Tennis Center, located on the Dale Mabry Campus. For court registration, center hours and more, please visit hccfl.edu/tennis-center.
Hillsborough Community College serves more than 42,000 students annually at its five campuses located throughout Tampa Bay. For more information, visit hccfl.edu.
HCC is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Visit hccfl.edu/accreditation for more information.