Carthage Women’s Tennis Honors and Awards
Bernice Hightower Ihlenfeld, Carthage’s First Women’s Tennis Star
Bernice Hightower Ihlenfeld, ’34, who was inducted into the Carthage Athletic Hall of Fame in 1986, was Carthage’s first women’s tennis star. The Little 19 Conference actually sponsored one women’s sport during the 1930s—women’s tennis. Ihlenfeld was the conference singles runner-up in 1932, and she won league titles in both 1933 and 1934.
There were no varsity sports for women, as we now know them, in that era. State universities and small colleges, including Carthage, typically sponsored “sports days” for female athletes. The first such “sports day” on the old Carthage campus was conducted during the 1937-38 academic year and included Carthage, Augustana College (Ill.), Knox College, MacMurray College, Monmouth College and Western Illinois University. The six schools competed in both basketball and badminton. These day-long events continued, periodically until 1958 when they became a more-regular occurrence. In the 1950s and 1960s, Carthage would often travel to Illinois State University, Northern Illinois University, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, Eastern Illinois University and nearby Western Illinois University. Millikin University was well known for its annual spring tennis invitational.
During a winter “sports day” for basketball, each team might play three games on a Saturday against three different teams. The first team for the universities was their best team, and since they had many majors who wanted to play, they had multiple teams. There was never an overall winner in team sports, just compete and do your best to win.
Tennis and badminton were played
as tournaments with winners for both singles and doubles.
When a school invited Carthage to a “sports day,” the teams would practice for
several weeks prior to the event. There was never a “season” with daily
practice and multiple dates of competition. The concept carried over to the
late 1970s, as the Carthage women’s basketball team was still playing multiple
games on the same day as late as the 1979-80 season.
|
2004-05 |
Kelly Mikkila, singles and doubles Elizca Buys, doubles |
|
2006-07 |
Amanda Sta. Romana, doubles Elizca Buys, doubles |
|
1998-99 |
Sarah Lesinski |
|
1999-00 |
Sarah Lesinski |
|
2001-02 |
Kelly Mikkila |
|
2002-03 |
Kelly Mikkila |
|
2003-04 |
Kelly Mikkila |
Sarah Lesinski, earned the CCIW's "Most Outstanding Player" by winning the league's number-one singles championship in both 1998-99 and 1999-2000
Kelly Mikkila earned the CCIW's "Most Outstanding Player" by winning the league's number-one singles championship in 2001-02, 2002-03 and 2003-04
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2004-05 |
Amanda Sta. Romana |
|
2007-08 |
Beth Kaufman |
Prior to 2001-02, winner of a singles or a doubles flight at the CCIW Women's Tennis Championship. Beginning in 2001-02, voted on by the CCIW women's tennis coaches)
|
1991-92 |
Caroline Waring, number-five singles Alexis Siegel-Judy Schlict, number-one doubles |
|
1992-93 |
Aimee Maurer, number-five singles Pam Bedker, number-six singles |
|
1995-96 |
Kelly Daniels, number-four singles |
|
1997-98 |
Kelly Carstensen-Cherie Matthaidess, number-three doubles |
|
1998-99 |
Sarah Lesinski, number-one singles Kelly Carstensen-Cherie Matthaidess, number-three doubles |
|
1999-2000 |
Sarah Lesinski, number-one singles Kelly Carstensen-Cherie Matthaidess, number-three doubles |
|
2000-01 |
Sara Cahoon, number-five singles Christine Hamm-Kristine Meulendyke, number-one doubles Sara Cahoon-Rachel Lesinski, number-three doubles |
|
2001-02 |
Sara Cahoon, second team Christine Hamm, first team Kelly Mikkila, first team Kristine Meulendyke, second team |
|
2002-03 |
Kelly Mikkila, first team Sara Cahoon, first team Christine Hamm, second team Alex Jackson, second team Kristine Meulendyke, second team |
|
2003-04 |
Kelly Mikkila, first team Sara Cahoon, first team Elizca Buys, first team Alex Jackson, second team Kristine Meulendyke, second team |
|
2004-05 |
Kelly Mikkila, first team Elizca Buys, first team Amanda Sta. Romana, first team Alex Jackson, second team |
|
2005-06 |
Elizca Buys, first team Amanda Sta. Romana, first team Taylor Gustafson, second team Kristin Minkowski, second team |
|
2006-07 |
Elizca Buys, first team Kristin Minkowski, first team Amanda Sta. Romana, first team Gina Klein, second team |
|
2007-08 |
Beth Kaufman, first team Gina Klein, first team Taylor Gustafson, second team |
|
2002-03 |
Brady Lindsley, Carthage |
|
2003-04 |
Brady Lindsley, Carthage |
|
2004-05 |
Brady Lindsley, Carthage |
Winner of a singles or a doubles flight at the Chicago Metro Conference Women's Tennis Championship
|
1982-83 |
Sue Spencer, number-six singles Hope Henschel-Julie Peaco, number-two doubles Sue Spencer-Karen Cutler, number-three doubles |
|
1983-84 |
Heidi Henschel, number-four singles Trisha DeVries, number-six singles Nan Naver-Julie Peaco, number-two doubles Karen Cutler-Mary Jo Meyer, number-three doubles |
|
1984-85 |
Sue Hurst, number-five singles Kathy Smith, number-six singles Sue Hurst-Mary Deering, number-three doubles |
|
1985-86 |
Mary Deering, number-five singles Mary Deering-Sue Hurst, number-three doubles |
|
1977-78 |
Laurie Lee |
|
1978-79 |
Cindy Wacholz |
|
1979-80 |
Kim Severson |
|
1980-81 |
Jackie Schilz |
|
1981-82 |
Beth Aaro |
|
1982-83 |
Hope Henschel |
|
1983-84 |
Nan Never |
|
1984-85 |
Mary Deering, Sue Hurst |
|
1985-86 |
Mary Deering |
|
1986-87 |
Heidi Henschel |
|
1987-88 |
Mary Deering |
|
1988-89 |
Sharon Budler, Judy Schlicht |
|
1989-90 |
Alexis Siegel |
|
1990-91 |
Terri Ellman, Caroline Waring |
|
1991-92 |
Judy Schlicht |
|
1992-93 |
Caroline Waring |
|
1993-94 |
Maxine Arinta |
|
1994-95 |
Rena Benn |
|
1995-96 |
Kelly Daniels |
|
1996-97 |
Rena Benn |
|
1997-98 |
Kelly Daniels |
|
1998-99 |
Sarah Lesinski |
|
1999-2000 |
Sarah Lesinski |
|
2000-01 |
Cherie Matthaidess |
|
2001-02 |
Kelly Mikkila |
|
2002-03 |
Kelly Mikkila |
|
2003-04 |
Kelly Mikkila |
|
2004-05 |
Kelly Mikkila |
|
2005-06 |
Amanda Sta. Romana |
|
2006-07 |
Amanda Sta. Romana |
|
1999-2000 |
Sarah Lesinski, second team |
|
2003-04 |
Kelly Mikkila, first team |
|
2004-05 |
Elizca Buys Kelly Mikkila Amanda Sta. Romana |
|
1991-92 |
Judy Schlicht |
|
1995-96 |
Pam Bedker |
|
1997-98 |
Kelly Daniels |
|
1999-2000 |
Sarah Lesinski |
|
2000-01 |
Cherie Matthaidess |
|
2001-02 |
Sara Cahoon |
|
2002-03 |
Sara Cahoon |
|
2004-05 |
Elizca Buys |