BEVERLY, Mass. — Nichols College and newly-minted head coach Javier Godoy Gomis look to defend their crown this season in the Conference of New England Women’s Tennis season this fall. The league will be more competitive, with the addition of four new programs competing for the crown (Colby-Sawyer, University of Hartford, University of New England, University of Saint Joseph).
Curry College
After making the playoffs for the first time since 2013, the Colonels will look to make it streak this year under new head coach Job Roach. Roach comes to Curry after spending the past year at Bridgewater State as an assistant for both the men's and women's teams. Just this spring he also led the Concord Academy varsity men's team. He has also served as the head coach of Bishop Stang High School's men's team, as well as BMC Durfee's varsity women's team. He will look to lead Curry to some victories with a completely new roster. The new look Colonels will kick off their season at UMass Dartmouth on Saturday.
Additions: Job Roach (Coach), Josephine Williams, Kaylee Creech, Phoebe Sartory
Graduates: Grace Coopee, Sam Ferrara, Cayla Osowski, Serena Wilson
Endicott College
The Endicott women’s tennis team kicks off its season against Saint Michael’s on Saturday, September 6 at 1 PM at the South Campus Courts. Endicott has competed in the Conference of New England (CNE) Tournament every year since 2011. The Gulls return CNE All-Conference selections Emily Leclerc (Manchester, N.H.) and Caroline Sutliffe (Duxbury, Mass.) to the lineup. Dejan Stankovic will complete his first full season at the helm of the women’s tennis program. The Blue and Green will host six home matches this fall (5 CNE, 1 non-conference). Earlier this summer the
South Campus Tennis Courts were resurfaced and given an updated look.
Gordon College
Gordon finished the 2024-25 season with an 8-10 overall record while posting a 4-2 mark in conference play. Serena Ross claimed All-CNE First Team Singles and Second Team Doubles last year. Gianna Hallam also owned a 10-3 record in singles action last year.
Additions: Lucille Belval, Hannah Putsure
Graduated: Annette Kim
Nichols College
Nichols College women’s tennis seeks to compete coming off of a season that resulted in a Conference of New England (CNE) Championship win and an appearance in the NCAA tournament. The Bison posted an impressive record of 11-10 and were an undefeated 6-0 in conference play. Following the 2024-25 season, former player, graduate assistant, and volunteer coach Javier Godoy Gomis will assume the role of men’s and women’s tennis head coach. Nichols sees five returners in Cora Brosch, Pamela Gonzales Vallardi, Erin Helly, Charis Vogler, and standout CNE Rookie of the Year Kamora Helton.
Women’s tennis will visit Bridgewater State University on Tuesday, September 9th to start the 2025-26 season.
Additions: Catherine Pollock, Cassie Rice
Graduated: Johanna Schroeder, Kiley O’Brien, Bethany Prendergast, Antonia Carrero
Roger Williams University
Roger Williams University enters the 2025-26 season with multiple All-Conference selections returning to the lineup. The Hawks finished the 2024-25 campaign with a 14-6 overall record and advanced to the Conference of New England Tournament semifinals. Sophomore Valentina Abarca (Riobamba, Ecuador) earned Second Team All-Conference recognition in singles after an 11-3 record, while also pairing with graduate Gianna Ferraro for a First Team doubles selection. Senior Izzy Pecora (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) was named to the Second Team at No. 2 singles after posting key victories against Curry and Western New England. Abarca also added a team-best 15-4 singles record in her first collegiate season, while Pecora went 9-9 overall. Additional returning contributors include juniors Ella Mancini (Middlebury, Conn.), who finished 14-4, Adriana Palmieri (Southington, Conn.), who went 13-6, and Gabrielle Petroniro (Wolcott, Conn.), who closed the year at 11-6.
Additions: Megan Bache, Claire Dwyer
Graduations: Gianna Ferraro, Gracie McCarthy
Suffolk University
2024 Record: 1-11, 1-5 CNE / Postseason: CNE First Round, Sixth Seed
Graduate: 2 | Returners: 3 | Additions: 3
Suffolk women’s tennis emerged in the CNE Postseason for the first time in program history a year ago and looks to build off that momentum in 2025.
The Rams will be led by second-year head coach Zach Goodstein, who brings back three student-athletes – sophomore Nia Bebb and seniors Jaylin Hills and Elene Nishnianidze – from last season’s team that went 1-11 overall and 1-5 in league play.
Goodstein recruited seven newcomers including a pair of true freshmen to add depth to the blue-and-gold’s ladder.
The 2025 edition of Suffolk women’s tennis starts Tuesday, Sept. 3 with a Beantown battle at UMass Boston at 3:00 p.m.
University of Hartford
Hartford Women's Tennis is back for the 2025-26 season as Head Coach Jeff Splinter takes the helm of the women’s tennis program which saw a 10-year absence from collegiate competition. Splinter joined Hartford back on August 5th of 2024 from Frostburg State University where he was the head coach of the tennis programs. The Hawks roster features two returners in Gabriella Carr and Jessica Marks who will bring experience to a young group. The team has 12 matches scheduled for the fall season including five being held at the Watkinson School in West Hartford for home contests. The season kicks off on September 6th when the Hawks travel to take on Rhode Island College. The Conference of New England season starts on September 16th when the Hawks battle cross-town rival the University of Saint Joseph at 3:00 PM on the road. September 20th will be the first home match for the Hawks hosting Gordon College at 1:00 PM. Other key matches include October 8th at defending CNE Champion Nichols College and October 18th versus the 2024-25 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Champions and new CNE member Colby-Sawyer College at 1:00 PM.
University of New England
The University of New England and 1st-year head coach Jovan Jordan-Whitter opened the inaugural season of Nor'easter tennis with a 7-0 win over Vermont State University-Johnson. UNE will play home matches at Blue Cyclone Complex, which consists of six newly-surfaced courts, competition lighting, a sound system, and a two-story press box/clubhouse.
Additions, so far: Sydney Pelletier, Madeline Frank, Zoe Lambke, Nora Hill, Alyssa Fritschka, Olivia Crooker
University of Saint Joseph (Connecticut)
The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) women’s tennis team is aiming to make an immediate impact in its first season in the Conference of New England. The Blue Jays are coming off an 11-7 overall record in 2024-25, which was highlighted by the program’s first appearance in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Championship match since 1999. Leading the returners is sophomore Maddie Rossetti, an All-GNAC First Team honoree in singles play. Rossetti delivered a standout debut season, finishing with a team-best 22-4 overall record (12-1 in singles, 10-3 in doubles) while competing primarily at No. 2 singles and No. 1 doubles. Senior captain Lili Garcia also returns after holding down the No. 2 doubles and No. 4 singles spots last season.
Additions: Anna Beauchene, Bernae Webb
Graduated: Kate Hardy, Olivia Santoro
Western New England University
The Western New England women’s tennis team will look to rebound after a rebuilding year last season that still saw the Golden Bears come away with three victories during the season. The 2024-2025 roster consisted of eight underclassmen who will now have one full season of experience as WNE looks to climb the ladder in a competitive Conference of New England schedule. Western New England women’s tennis will look to their two senior leaders this season, including captain Sydney Shepard (Windsor Locks, Conn.) and Gabrielle Tirkot (Springfield, Mass.), who have been with the women’s tennis team for the last three seasons. Additionally, Emma Miller (Glastonbury, Conn.) has played heavily in the top singles and doubles spots throughout her first two seasons in blue and gold and is expected to remain at the top of the WNE lineup this season under first-year head coach Steven Duquette. The Golden Bears will open their 2025 fall season in conference play, traveling to Colby-Sawyer College on Saturday, September 13 at 1:00 PM.
Additions: Lauren Bilodeau, Elise Catlett, Madelyn Hills
Graduated: Gianna Arace
ABOUT THE CONFERENCE OF NEW ENGLAND
Originally founded in 1984 as the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC), and reconstituted as the Conference of New England (CNE) in 2024, the CNE is an NCAA Division III athletic conference composed of 11 full member and five associate member institutions throughout the New England region. Its membership aims to provide student-athletes with a positive experience in their pursuit of excellence through high academic standards, quality competition and a meaningful student life. The Conference administers championships in 21 intercollegiate sports.