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Record-setting pair end their careers
Release Date: April 9 , 2009
MONMOUTH, Ill. —
When senior tennis players Brittany
Donnelly (top) and
Cassie Frantz (bottom) entered Monmouth College four years ago,
neither could have dreamed they would end their careers as the two
winningest women’s players in Fighting Scots history.
It’s not often classmates put up the
kind of numbers the former high school rivals did over their
four-year collegiate careers. The duo amassed a staggering 85
singles victories between them and for the last three years of their
careers were paired as doubles partners. Donnelly, who did not play
doubles as a freshman, recorded 36 career doubles victories, second
only to Frantz’s 50 wins.
On the singles circuit, just one win
separates the two. Donnelly maintained her slim one-win edge on
Frantz during the spring season to enter the record books as the
title-holder for career singles wins. Her 43 victories is just one
more than Frantz and 23 ahead of sophomore Kimi Wegner.
“Cassie and I never viewed the
singles record as a competition,” said Donnelly. “It’s an honor to
hold the record for the time being, but the way the team is growing
and with the number of talented women we have, I’m sure that record
will be broken in a few years.”
No other classmates in Scots’
history have won as many matches in singles or doubles as the
Donnelly-Frantz duo. While Donnelly has the singles record and
Frantz can lay claim to the doubles crown, when it comes to combined
singles and doubles wins, Frantz holds the record with 84 combined
wins, just five ahead of Donnelly.
Donnelly, a powerful baseline
player, and Frantz, who possesses an overpowering serve, were a
natural fit at doubles. Coach Kerry Frantz – Cassie’s father – knew
a winning combination when he saw one as he took the reins of the
program during the pair’s sophomore year.
“That was an easy decision,” claimed
the elder Frantz. “They had always been seeded high at the
conference championship for No. 1 doubles. It was a simple coaching
decision due to their success and familiarity with each other’s
game.”
Known as “doubles specialists” among
the Midwest Conference coaches, neither played competitive tennis
until their high school years. Donnelly credits her father with
giving her the tennis bug.
“My dad really loves tennis and got
me started the summer before my freshman year in high school,”
reported Donnelly. “Everyone in my family plays, so there was always
someone to play with.”
Frantz has a similar storyline,
although it began much earlier than Donnelly’s.
“My parents frequently took our
family to the park to play tennis,” said Frantz. “I don’t remember
how old I was when I started, but I did have a tiny rainbow-colored
racket.”
Both made quick adjustments to the
college game. Some adjustments were made for competition’s sake,
others for self-preservation.
“In high school, I usually ran up to
the net to freak out my opponents,” said Frantz. “In college, I
quickly learned that when I charged the net, I got a return shot
right at my face.”
At 5-feet-10, Frantz could be an
imposing figure at the net. Donnelly, described by her coach as
someone who hits at three speeds: hard, harder and hardest, made for
the perfect doubles combination. Chasing the singles record was a
bonus for both.
“I tried to focus on one match at a
time,” said Donnelly. “I was more focused on doubles wins because
Cassie and I had so much success throughout the conference.”
Frantz agrees with her partner and
credits the Monmouth community with the ability to stay focused.
“Many people on campus and in the
community followed the tennis teams,” praised Frantz. “I could rely
on those people to keep us updated on the win totals, so all we had
to do was go out and play.”
After their collegiate careers ended
with Monday’s victories over arch-rival Knox, Donnelly had claimed
the singles record, Frantz had her stamp on the doubles total and
owned a slight edge on the combined total. Maybe now they’ll want
face each other as singles players for overall bragging rights.
“I think we’ll call it even,” said
Frantz.
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