Huskers Focused on Taking Next Step

The Nebraska women’s tennis program has its sights set squarely on a top-half finish in the Big Ten Conference and a bid to the NCAA Tournament in 2018.

“We’re excited about the upcoming season,” Nebraska Coach Scott Jacobson said. “We believe that this is the highest level program we’ve had since our 2013 NCAA qualifying program.”

After producing the best season in school history with a 24-6 record, a Big Ten Conference Championship and a trip to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2013, the Huskers went through a rebuilding year in 2014.

Jacobson, who was the 2013 Big Ten Coach of the Year after leading the Huskers to the conference title in just their second season in the league, took the Huskers a step forward in 2015 with a 12-12 record while moving into the spectacular Sid and Hazel Dillon Tennis Center.

In 2016, Nebraska made more strides with a 17-8 overall record to solidify the upward trajectory of the program.

Last year, the Huskers were knocking on the door of the NCAA Tournament, finishing with a 19-8 record, including a 16-2 mark at the Dillon Tennis Center. The Big Red knocked off Minnesota in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament, but the Huskers finished a step or two short of making the Big Dance.

Now, with another year of experience under its belts, a Husker team loaded with talented juniors and sophomores is ready to break through behind proven seniors Katerina Matysova and Brianna Lashway.

“With the return of the majority of our team as well as the addition of Brianna Lashway, Emily Rees and Marina Cozac, we believe that there is tremendous depth within our program,” Jacobson said. “In addition, we should be stronger in the upper part of our lineup as well as the lower part of our lineup.”

The Huskers, who return nine of 12 letterwinners from the 2017 roster are joined by transfers Lashway (Missouri) and Cozac (DePaul) and talented freshman Rees.

“We are grateful to all three for entrusting us with their future,” Jacobson said. “We believe all will have a positive and powerful impact on our Husker family moving forward.”

According to Jacobson, Lashway comes to Nebraska playing the best tennis of her college career. No stranger to the No. 1 spot, Lashway won 10 matches primarily out of the top singles spot in Missouri’s lineup last spring. As a sophomore, she won 18 singles matches and 20 in doubles play.
Cozac is also expected to be a valuable addition to an already talented roster.

“We believe Marina is going to set the standard for work ethic at Nebraska,” Jacobson said. “Not only has she proven to be a phenomenal player, Marina is also a phenomenal person.”

Rees is expected to add a competitive edge to the Big Red roster, after choosing the Huskers over Wisconsin and Missouri among other schools.

The new Huskers will help replace the departure of 2017 seniors Lisa Andersson and Mary Hanna, who combined for 30 singles wins last season.

The 2018 Huskers will be led by senior captain Matysova, who went 13-0 in spring singles action, including 3-0 in Big Ten play, before earning her undergraduate degree in 2017.

Matysova missed much of Big Ten play last year with an injury, but the Huskers still fought their way to a 5-6 conference mark and a bid in the Big Ten Tournament.

The return of a healthy Matysova could go a long way in helping the Big Red climb in the final Big Ten standings.

Junior captain Paula Del Cueto Castillo also returns after recording 12 singles victories primarily playing in the top half of the Husker lineup last year.

The Spaniard was also a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and earned Nebraska’s Big Ten Sportsmanship Award for her leadership standards on and off the court.

Del Cueto Castillo is joined by fellow juniors Vasanti Shinde and Elizabeth Gould. Shinde enters the spring with 33 career singles wins and 41 career doubles victories. Last year, she went 10-9 in the spring playing out of the top two spots in the Big Red lineup.

Hayley Haakenstad serves as an anchor for the young Huskers as a third team captain. The sophomore from Chanhassen, Minn., notched 11 singles wins for the Huskers as a freshman in 2017. She also went 19-9 overall in doubles play.

Haakenstad leads a talented group of returning sophomores that includes Claire Reifeis, Jeannie Lozowski, M’Balia Bangoura and Emma Worley.

Reifeis, who won a singles championship at the Minnesota Invitational during the 2017 fall season, had one of the best freshman seasons in recent history with 20 singles wins, including a 12-10 mark playing out of the top half of the Husker lineup in the spring. She also had a hand in 20 doubles wins as a freshman, including a 15-6 mark with Haakenstad. The duo went 13-5 during the spring, including 7-3 in Big Ten play.

Lozowski posted 15 singles wins, including nine in the spring, while adding a 9-3 mark in doubles play a year ago. Bangoura pitched in nine singles wins and seven more in doubles as a freshman.

Jacobson believes outstanding team chemistry will play a major role in NU’s success this season.

“This is a cohesive unit that loves and cares about each other and loves competing as a team.”