Garden City, N.Y. – The Adelphi University men's and women's tennis teams begin the 2011-12 season this weekend as the women travel to the University of New Haven on Saturday and the men play at Hofstra on Sunday. The first season under Head Coach Lauren Leo and Assistant Coach Leo Bruno '11 will rely on a mix of veterans and fresh faces to lead the Panthers back to the Northeast-10 Conference and NCAA tournaments.

Leo, who served as a two-year assistant for the Panthers and gained coaching experience at Hunter College and Saint John's University before landing in Garden City, helped the Adelphi women reach the NE-10 Semifinals and the first round of the NCAA East Regionals in 2010.

Bruno earned 39 wins over four years of play for the Adelphi men's tennis team, and brings a fresh perspective to the coaching staff having recently concluded his playing career.

“I am happy to have Leo Bruno join my coaching staff,” Leo said.  “He has a lot of Panther pride and will be a great motivator for the returners as well as the new players.”

Women 

 “We have a good mix of upper and lower classmen,” Leo said. “This season the women's team will have a lot of talent and depth to work with.” At the top of that talent is junior captain Maria Toft, who will hold down the #1 singles position. Toft posted a 15-2 overall singles record last season to earn NE-10 All-Conference Second Team Singles and Third Team Doubles recognition.

“She is a very skilled player whose hard work ethic is contagious,” Leo said of Toft, who is joined by classmates Carolyn Smith and Nicole Byrnes. Smith is returning from a shoulder injury and will look to return to form after earning NE-10 All-Conference Third Team Doubles honors last season. Byrnes, who took a year off in 2010, rejoins the team for a final fall season.

“I am happy to announce the return of Nicole to the Adelphi women's tennis team,” Leo said. “She brings a lot of heart and spirit to the team.”

Michelle Gurda and Samra Redzematovic fill out the junior class. Gurda is a hard-hitting lefty who will contribute greatly to singles and doubles, Leo said. Redzematovic returns another year stronger and has all the tools to excel in the NE-10.

Sophomore Gaby Adia made an immediate splash as a freshman, going 13-4 while landing on the NE-10 All-Rookie team. “Gaby is a great fighter,” Leo said. “Her on-court tenacity is one to be reckoned with.”

Joining Adia is sophomore Taylor King, who Leo notes has an extremely calm composure on the court and wields arguably the team's best serve.

Newcomers Joanna Haich and Bianca Posa arm the Panthers with fresh new talent and give Adelphi what Leo describes as “aggressive all court players.”

Men

The men's tennis team brings an almost entirely new squad for the 2011-12 season, fronted by the lone returner and junior captain Adrish Tewarie.

“Each year he has improved as a player and I am looking forward to see what he will be able to contribute to the team this year,” Leo said of Tewarie, who played to an 8-2 singles record in NE-10 matches last season. “He also shows great leadership on and off the court.”

Transfer students Andreas Hammer and Bryan Kallenberg join Tewarie in rounding out the upperclassmen. Hammer has a great mixture of power and touch, while Kallenberg transfers from Nassau Community College. “Bryan is an extremely hard worker with a huge serve and great hands up at net,” Leo said.

The remaining four Panthers are freshmen, and include Alex Morris, Chiwete Njokanma, Ryan Villarruel and Ryan White.

Morris' agility on the court will give him a chance to contribute right away. “He has some great wheels and has the ability to make his opponents really earn their points against him,” Leo said.

Villarruel's determination makes him equally as pesky an opponent. “He fights for every point and I'm eager to see him in competition,” Leo said.

White, a Long Island native, is a solid young player and Njokanma is an all court player who has impressed Leo with his passion for the game.

“I am eager to see how this new squad competes in the NE-10,” Leo said. “We have very deep teams this year and I believe with hard work, dedication and discipline, both teams will have an extremely good year.”