With its tennis season already in full swing, the Miami RedHawks are preparing to wrap up a challenging out-of-conference schedule, before embarking on Mid-American Conference (MAC) play. Following a 6-1 victory against the University of Cincinnati on February 16, Miami’s record stands at 5-5.
“We’ve lost some tough matches against quality teams but they were close,” head coach Ricardo Rosas said. “Even though we didn’t get the results we wanted, it gives me a lot of trust and confidence that we are getting better and ready for the conference coming up.”
Coaching Staff
Now in his seventh season, Rosas has gone 59-58 overall (26-15 in MAC competition) and won MAC Coach of the Year three times. He has also led the team to three MAC Tournament Championship Finals, one championship title and two regular season titles.
Before becoming head coach, Rosas spent 15 seasons as an assistant coach, helping lead Miami to eight MAC regular season titles. Assistant coach Champy Halim and volunteer assistant coach Matt Moore accompany Rosas. Halim is in his second year, and Moore joined the team in 2023.
Roster
The RedHawks return a veteran roster, having graduated only two players last season. The team also welcomes three first-year players this year, Lovisa Valentinsson, Lauren Joyce, and Niya Fried all of whom have seen the court this season.
The team is made up of athletes from seven different countries, including juniors, Emilia Valentinsson and Catherine Denysiewicz-Slowek who have both earned MAC singles players of the week on separate occasions in February.
Nishitha Saravanan, who was named Second Team All-MAC and MAC Freshman of the Year during her debut season, and Sara Zalukar who went 30-16 during the 2022-23 season, also return.
2024 Season Expectations
After finishing with an overall record of 11-14 (5-5 MAC) during the 2022-23 season, the RedHawks are hungry for a conference title and an appearance in the NCAA tournament this year. Miami has been picked to finish second in the MAC preseason coaches poll behind the University of Toledo. Miami opens conference competition March 17 in Oxford against Eastern Michigan University.
“All of the teams in the MAC are becoming a lot more competitive and stronger…Toledo and Western Michigan are some of the teams that we need to be ready for,” Rosas said.
Miami currently sits in third place in the MAC East division behind the University of Buffalo (7-1) and Toledo (4-3). Last year, they finished third in their division.
“We are well prepared and hungry to win. I think everyone is eager to play,” junior Sarah Dev said. “Everybody has the same goal; we’re not just thinking individually but as a team.”
Denysiewicz-Słówek feels the same. As a junior with three years of collegiate experience, she knows what it takes to be the best.
“We have to give 110% all the time and we have to bring our fighting spirit,” she said. “There is a lot of fire in all of us and we have a big heart, so it gets pretty intense.”
However, with strengths comes weakness, and for the tennis team that comes into play during highly competitive, close matches.
“Our ability to stay strong could also be our weakness,” Rosas said. “When things aren’t going our way, frustration sets in and we’re not able to come above that.”
Following a short break, the RedHawks return to non-conference action March 1 in Tampa, facing the University of South Florida and Florida Gulf Coast University.
