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Blacksburg – Virginia Tech women’s tennis coach Terry Ann Zawacki-Woods has added seven newcomers to her squad as Sarah Baron, McKenzie Collins, Fallon Delp, Shene Disbergen, Nancy Fawzy, Natalie Novotna and Luisa Uscocovich join the Hokies squad for the 2016-17 season.
“We are thrilled for all seven newcomers to join our team this fall,” Zawacki-Woods said. “They all bring a combined wealth of experience on a national and international level, and they have proven themselves as leaders on championship teams and in the classroom. Their enthusiasm and desire to be Hokies really stood out during the recruiting process, and I truly believe they will make an immediate impact to our program, on and off the court. I look forward to watching them progress during their time in Blacksburg.”
Baron comes to Blacksburg from Orlando, Florida, with two years of eligibility remaining as a student-athlete. A transfer from Indiana, Baron ranked No. 46 in the nation and was a five-star recruit by TennisRecruiting.net for the 2014 class. She reached the top 10 in the United States Tennis Association (USTA) Florida Girls’ 18 rankings and finished fourth at the Florida State Closed her junior year. Baron also lettered in soccer her freshman and sophomore years of high school.
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While at Indiana, Baron won the 2015 Bronco Super Challenge in doubles play and the 2014 and 2015 Hoosier Classic in singles action during the fall season. She also held a 7-4 singles record and a 6-3 doubles mark in dual-match play as a freshman.
“I choose Virginia Tech because I was looking for a great coach, and Terry Ann is not only a great coach who can help me reach my potential, but she also is an inspirational woman to be around,” Baron said. “I was looking for a well-known and respected university academically, and Virginia Tech is beautiful. I also was looking for a team that cared about tennis, academics and each other. Overall, Virginia Tech was the right fit for me, and I can’t wait to start training and playing as a Hokie.”
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Hailing from Savannah, Georgia, Collins was ranked as Georgia’s No. 3 tennis recruit by TennisRecruiting.net for the 2016 class. She was named the 2016 Savannah Morning News Girls Tennis Player of the Year after compiling a 24-0 singles record at the No. 1 slot, leading her team to the 2016 GHSA Class AAA state title. In addition to winning a state title, Collins claimed the doubles title at the 2015 USTA Closed Regional Tournament in Mobile, Alabama.
“I chose Virginia Tech because it was the best place for me to succeed as a student-athlete,” Collins noted. “The strong academics paired with the competitive tennis program made it a perfect fit for me.”
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Delp joins the Hokies from Roanoke, Virginia, where she led Cave Spring High to state titles her junior and senior year. Delp finished 28-0 in singles and 27-0 in doubles, teaming up with her younger sister Reagan in her final year at Cave Spring High. She won a total of 55 matches her senior year, including the VHSL Group AAA singles and doubles crowns.
“Growing up at Virginia Tech football games and watching almost everyone in my family attend Virginia Tech, I knew it was impossible to see myself anywhere else,” Delp stated.
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A native of Southwest Ranches, Florida, Disbergen was ranked a five-star recruit and held a national ranking as high as No. 46 by TennisRecruiting.net for the 2016 class. Disbergen competed in multiple tournaments across the country, winning the 2013 Girls’ 16 USTA Florida Junior State Championships in doubles as well as the 2015 Girls’ 18 USTA Florida Junior State Championships as an unseeded singles player.
“I chose Virginia Tech because not only is the school great in itself, but also the level of tennis is very high and competitive,” Disbergen said. “I was looking for a university that provided a great education and an opportunity for me to improve my tennis.”
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Hailing from Abu Dabi, United Arab Eminates, Fawzy ranked No. 1 in the United Arab Emirates under-16 and under-18 divisions. She also achieved an International Tennis Federation (ITF) junior ranking of No. 583.
“Virginia Tech is my dream school because of the highly competitive tennis team and the great quality education,” Fawzy noted.
Novotna comes to Blacksburg from Vysoka nad Labem, Czech Republic, where she was ranked as high as No. 227 in the ITF world juniors’ rankings and No. 976 in the World Tennis Association (WTA) polls. Novotna, a finalist in four different ITF junior events, qualified for the 2014 Australian Open Juniors, losing to Great Britain’s Isabelle Wallace who was listed at No. 37 in the world, in the second main draw. As a native of the Czech Republic, Novotna has achieved the highest rankings in both the junior and open divisions, checking in at No. 16 and No. 57, respectively.
“I chose Virginia Tech because of the team’s enthusiasm and passion as well as the relationship and interest shown by the coaches,” Novotna stated. “Virginia Tech has a strong academic program for sciences, and it will be a great opportunity to learn more about the American culture.”
A native of Guayaquil, Ecuador, Uscocovich ranked No. 695 in the ITF junior rankings. She was a singles and doubles finalist at the 2015 ITF in Quito, Ecuador. She also reached the doubles semifinals at the 2014 Panama Bowl and 2013 and 2014 Gogo Open. In addition, Uscocovich was named the 2015 IV National Singles Champion in the 18-U Division at the Manta Club in Ecuador.
“I chose Virginia Tech because of its renowned architectural program, the amazing campus and the warmth of the tennis coach,” Uscocovich said.
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