After a two-year absence, tennis is back as a varsity sport at Bluffton University. J. Ronald Huber, who is also a member of the athletics halls of fame at both the university and Shawnee High School in Lima, Ohio, will direct the women in 2011. Coach Huber has a young team with no seniors, but plenty of enthusiasm.
The six courts are newly resurfaced and players are looking forward to the challenges of a conference that saw few graduations from last year's rosters. Five players enter the program with high school varsity playing experience and they will form the base of the team that will include four incoming players.
Juniors include Shahad Aldoori (Damascus, Syria), Melissa Hostetler (Goshen, IN/Goshen) and Hilarie Severt (St. Marys/Memorial). The lone sophomore is Ashley Jones (Fayette/Evergreen). Freshman players for 2011 are Alexia Fox (Berne, IN/South Adams), Kelly Helton (Clarksville/Clinton Massie), Tyler Jennings (Archbold) and Caitlyn Nearhood (Clyde).
The Beavers kick off the conference portion of their schedule with a trip to Rose-Hulman on Saturday, September 10. Four days later, Bluffton welcomes Mount St. Joseph for their first home conference tennis match in nearly three years. The Beavers renew their long-standing rivalry when they go to Defiance on October 5.
