Bishop Eustace Crusaders
Players to watch: Almost the entire starting lineup returns for Bishop Eustace, including Imogene Urbano, who seized the first singles spot as a freshman and should only get better with a year of experience under her belt. Senior Ava Montuori is a veteran of the program who has started for the past two seasons; she played third singles as a junior and led the team with 10 wins during match play. Senior Amelia Lozano and junior Claudia Coleman competed together at first doubles, and the second doubles team of senior Sophia Alicea and sophomore Daniella Lee is also back. Junior Isabel Palaganas saw varsity doubles action as well, while junior Gianna Maravilla and sophomore Brianna Hartman—a tennis newcomer moving over from volleyball—will push for positions too. Senior Sarina Tortella saw varsity time at Our Lady of Mercy and will make an impact when she becomes eligible per state transfer rules.
Outlook: The Crusaders made significant strides during a 5-14 season in 2024, and with so many players back in the mix, the improvement should continue this fall under new coach Tori Wishnick. A former longtime athletic director at the school, Wishnick coached the boys tennis team from 1999-2003 and had been an assistant with the girls since 2020.
Cherokee Chiefs
Players to watch: Six of seven starters are back for Cherokee, including all three singles players, and the team chemistry figures to pay dividends this fall. Senior Camryn Nelson has been in the varsity lineup since she was a freshman, with two of those seasons at singles. She took over the top spot last year, and if she’s able to retain it, she will apply the lessons she learned in facing each opponent’s best player and should see her record improve significantly. Senior Piya Dattani competed at singles for the first time as a junior, earning the second position, and junior Joyce Li also moved up from doubles and compiled a 10-9 record at No. 3. Senior Nidhi Mandrekar is another returning veteran who has singles and doubles experience. She played mostly first doubles as a junior and went 11-8 overall in team matches. Junior Alexandra Moncrief and sophomore Nupoor Wajge bonded immediately as first-time partners at second doubles and went 13-5. Seniors Soha Kenjale and Chryssa McCoy will push for a starting job as well.
Outlook: The Chiefs posted a 10-9 record with a playoff victory in 2024, and have a chance to do even better this fall thanks to the returning experience and skill on the roster.
Cherry Hill East Cougars
Players to watch: Michelle Michalowski has been a fixture in the singles lineup for Cherry Hill East throughout her career and is looking to go out with a big senior season. She has averaged nearly 10 wins a year in team matches and hopes to return to the No. 1 singles slot she called home as a junior. The Cougars’ other two singles players also return: sophomore Hannah Nash, who grabbed the second position as a rookie and went 8-5 in team matches, and junior Sophia Wei, who compiled an 11-3 record in her second straight season at third singles. Juniors Chloe Ren and Alivia Chen were second doubles partners and round out the returning starters. Senior Rebekah Kim also has varsity experience and could easily slide into a doubles spot.
Outlook: The Cougars reached their seventh straight sectional final last fall but fell short against Egg Harbor on their way to an 11-4 final record. They hope to get back to the championship match and finish the job.
Cherry Hill West Lions
Players to watch: Cherry Hill West was hit hard by graduation, with six of seven starters receiving their diplomas. The lone returner is senior Nhi Nguyen, who has competed at first doubles each of the past two seasons and won eight matches in team play last year. She will look to move into a singles role, quite possibly at No. 1, and is expected to be a leader for an inexperienced squad. Lauren Stoltzfus is another key senior who saw time at second doubles. Her younger sister, Allison Stoltzfus, and fellow sophomore Veranica Girshin are expected to play important roles as well. The rest of the lineup will be filled by promising newcomers.
Outlook: The Lions have put together consecutive eight-win seasons with a playoff victory in each, and they hope that success rubs off on the new players who will be counted on to carry the program forward along with new head coach Christopher Bova.
Clearview Pioneers
Players to watch: Clearview said goodbye to one of the best players in program history, as two-time Gloucester County champion and 2024 South Jersey Interscholastic Championships runner-up Sarah Crawford was one of four starters to graduate. There is no replacing a player of her caliber, but junior Serena Huang looks to be ready to move into the first singles slot. All she did in her first year as a starter was compile an impressive 20-3 record at No. 3. Junior Helena Homann is another key returner who was part of a first doubles team that went 19-4 and captured the Gloucester County title. Senior Lia Lyle is also back after a strong season at second doubles, and it would not be surprising to see her move up to singles. Senior Avni Pahal, junior Lily Culling and sophomore Amelia McLoughlin are looking to push for varsity positions as well.
Outlook: With five new starters last year, the Pioneers still managed to go 20-3, make their second straight trip to a sectional final and claim their fifth Gloucester County team title in a row. There is no longer an automatic point from Crawford in the lineup, but this program has proven to be resilient over the years and should remain a contender even with new leaders.
Eastern Vikings
Players to watch: Six starters are back for Eastern, led by senior Gowtami Manem, who has been in the varsity lineup since she was a freshman. She moved up to first singles as a junior and held her own against a challenging schedule, and the experience should set her up for a strong final season. Senior Avery Fox is another veteran returner who competed at third singles. Juniors Kiera Pimpinello and Shreya Matthews played first doubles together and both could be candidates to move up to singles. The other holdovers are senior Hailey Ravitz and junior Abby Shapiro, who were partners at second doubles.
Outlook: The Vikings were in rebuilding mode in 2024 but have the potential to show vast improvement with almost the whole starting lineup returning.
Haddonfield Bulldawgs
Players to watch: Senior Mia Swiecicki has been at the top of the ladder for Haddonfield each of the past two seasons and is the lone returning singles starter. Her impressive junior season included a 28-9 record, a trip to the third round of the state singles tournament and a berth in the quarterfinals of the South Jersey Interscholastic Championships. She also repeated as Colonial Conference champion and captured the Camden County title, and is looking forward to many more accomplishments in her final scholastic campaign. Senior Marlina Kadar is also back after a sensational season at first doubles. She and Sophie Fred went 29-4, were champions in the SJIC, conference and county tournaments and advanced to the third round at states. Fred has left the team to pursue her passion for music as a member of the school’s marching band, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see Kadar move up to singles and continue her success at that level. Senior Addison Super and junior Megan Washburn are returning starters as well. They were partners at second doubles and placed second in the county and conference to their teammates, and reached the SJIC quarterfinals. Other returners who contributed to the success of the varsity team and the 20-0 JV team are seniors Emma LoCascio, Mia Carr and Liliana DeFeo, juniors Elise Pattay and Penny Davis and sophomore Natalie McCool. They will all contend for starting varsity positions.
Outlook: The Bulldawgs extended their streak of sectional crowns to 23 in a row as they defeated Middle Township 5-0 in last year’s South Jersey, Group 2 final on their way to a 19-5 record. They will continue to challenge themselves with a difficult schedule in order to hit their peak come playoff time.
Kingsway Dragons
Players to watch: Junior Abby Malesich has been a varsity starter since she was a freshman and played second singles last year for Kingsway. A strong finish to the season helped her post a 10-10 record in team matches, and with increased confidence she hopes to move into the vacant spot at first singles. The Dragons also bring back all four doubles starters: seniors Krishani Parikh and Mishi Chaturvedi, who were partners at No. 1, and juniors Kelsey Dion and Sophia Campbell, who teamed up at No. 2. Both duos progressed throughout the fall and expect to be contributors again, either at singles or doubles. Seniors Emily Magin and Alicia Magin also have varsity experience at doubles, while juniors Bianca Mirkovic and Cecilia Gross will push for starting jobs as well.
Outlook: A solid nucleus returns from a team that went 10-10 and advanced to the sectional quarterfinals, and Kingsway expects to make noise in its division and the playoffs.
Lenape Indians
Players to watch: Senior Jessica Yao is looking to cap her impressive career off with a third straight season at first singles after compiling a 15-4 record in team matches and reaching the semifinals of the South Jersey Interscholastic Championships as a junior. She is one of six returning starters for Lenape, a group that also includes junior Anushka Pal, who went 11-8 in team matches at second singles. Senior Elise Hyler and junior Aditi Ramachandran posted a 12-5 record at first doubles and advanced to the SJIC semifinals, while seniors Erin Logan and Prisha Parekh also had a winning record at second doubles. Junior Sarah Viseltear is yet another experienced doubles player who went 5-2.
Outlook: The Indians were unable to win their third straight sectional title last year as they fell to eventual champion Egg Harbor 3-2 in the South Jersey, Group 4 semifinals during a 12-7 season. With Yao leading a deep and talented core, they have the potential to get back on top.
Moorestown Quakers
Players to watch: Almost the entire starting lineup is back for Moorestown, including all three singles players, so hopes are high for the Quakers. Sophomore Akshaya Peketi made an immediate impact as she seized the first singles position as a freshman and held her own against some of the premier players in the region. She won nine times during team matches and advanced to the third round of the South Jersey Interscholastic Championships, and should only get better now that she knows the lay of the land in high school tennis. Senior Jane Ho has been a fixture in the lineup since she was a rookie herself, and she compiled a 20-5 record at second singles while finishing second in her flight at the Burlington County Open. MJ Bartholo is another senior leader who went 14-12 at third singles and was a runner-up in her county flight. Senior Ruhi Abrol was part of the first doubles team that reached the SJIC semifinals, and the other two returning starters are juniors Brooke Berkoff and Jiya Cooper, who competed at second doubles together. Senior Noora Rashid is experienced at doubles as well.
Outlook: The Quakers went 15-11 and advanced to the sectional final for the seventh season in a row before falling to Colts Neck. They have the talent in place to extend the streak this fall.
Moorestown Friends Foxes
Players to watch: With two varsity seasons under her belt, junior Erika Capella could be ready to assume the first singles spot for Moorestown Friends. She started last year at third singles and eventually moved up to second, posting a combined record of 10-6 in team matches. Senior Sophia Lo Re is another key veteran who went 8-3 at doubles and 3-1 at singles as a junior. She could also challenge for No. 1. Senior Makenna Wakahla and junior Kari Rotter were doubles partners last fall and saw action at both first and second on their way to an 8-5 record. Senior Rut Patil was victorious in all six of her doubles matches, and junior Emmie Huynh is another experienced doubles player. Both will push for bigger roles.
Outlook: The Foxes made a splashy debut in the Burlington County Scholastic League last year, as they went 7-1 in conference play to finish in second place. They also earned a playoff victory on their way to an 11-5 overall record, and will seek similar results in 2025.
Paul VI Eagles
Players to watch: Paul VI graduated three key seniors but is excited to reload around four returning starters, including junior Erika Oman. She cracked the varsity lineup for the first time as a sophomore and proceeded to go 16-6 at third singles. Now she’ll look to make another leap and take over at No. 1. Senior Katarina Slonis is another top veteran who has competed at first doubles for two seasons and is ready to take on the challenge at singles. Senior Annabelle Salvano and junior Sarah Wang were partners at second doubles and will be counted on as well. Sophomore Bianca Martinelli hopes to build on the promise she showed as a rookie.
Outlook: The Eagles are coming off a memorable 17-5 season in which they went a perfect 10-0 to claim the Olympic National championship and suffered a close loss in the sectional quarterfinals. There are some important holes to fill but the program should remain competitive.
Seneca Golden Eagles
Players to watch: Seneca is happy to welcome back its entire starting singles lineup, all three of whom finished with winning records in team matches. Junior Elisa Goncalves made the jump from No. 3 as a freshman to No. 1 as a sophomore and was up for the challenge, as she improved throughout the year on her way to a 13-9 mark. Senior Claire Lewis, who has held down the second singles position every year since she was a freshman, went 14-8 last fall, and senior Topham Taylor moved into singles at No. 3 and responded with a 13-9 record. The other returning starter is junior Paisley Hansbury, who went 15-7 at second doubles. Junior twin sisters Angelina and Sophia LoPinto are also back in the fold and will push for starting roles.
Outlook: The Golden Eagles rode their balanced lineup to a second straight sectional semifinal appearance and a 13-9 record in 2024. Strength at the top should equal more success this fall.
Shawnee Renegades
Players to watch: Not only is Shawnee coming off the greatest season in program history, but almost the entire starting lineup returns, which is bad news for opponents. It all starts with sophomore Sofia Basto-Cabrera, who earned the No. 1 singles spot right away and put together an unbelievable rookie season. She went 18-0 in team matches and captured titles at the South Jersey Interscholastic Championships, Burlington County Open and Olympic Conference Tournament. She also became the first Shawnee player to ever reach the semifinals of the state singles tournament, and it will be exciting to see what she can do with three more seasons to go. Basto-Cabrera wasn’t the only freshman phenom, as Victoria vonHahmann played second singles and also went undefeated in team matches. She won her flight at the Burlington County Open, finished second to Basto-Cabrera at the Olympic Conference Tournament, advanced to the SJIC semifinals and reached the third round of the state singles tournament. The Renegades also bring back all four doubles starters: seniors Emma Czechowski and Sofia Kaufer played first and won their flight at the county tournament to go with an appearance in the SJIC final, while senior Sophia Shoff and junior Sophia Giordano competed at second and were county runner-ups. Junior AnnaKate Clark also has doubles experience and could move back into the starting lineup with Czechowski or Kaufer likely making the leap to singles.
Outlook: Shawnee’s 18-0 season included the program’s third sectional title in four years and its first-ever state championship. Expectations will remain sky high with Basto-Cabrera and vonHahmann leading the charge and new head coach Dan O’Keefe taking over for state Coach of the Year Sarah Doyle.
Washington Township Minutemaids
Players to watch: Washington Township brings back a senior-laden squad with six returning starters, including Riley Holmes and Vivian Laliberte, who have been fixtures in the lineup since they were freshmen. Holmes made the jump from doubles all the way to first singles last year and was competitive against a difficult schedule. She should be much improved with a year of singles experience under her belt. Laliberte took over the second singles spot and compiled a 14-5 record in team matches. Seniors Alicia Fallon and Lucy Halicks also went 14-5 in team matches at first doubles and reached the quarterfinals of the Gloucester County Tournament, while seniors Bianca Miller and Madison Fritzsch went 12-5 at second doubles. Junior Taylor Minchin and sophomore Jillian Lai both got their feet wet in varsity play and hope to assume bigger roles.
Outlook: The Minutemaids won their final five matches in 2024 to finish with an 11-8 record for the program’s best season since 2011. There’s no reason the success shouldn’t continue this fall as a strong senior class looks to go out on a high note with a Tri-County Royal Division title.
