May 8, 2006

Chelsea Rauck

GENEVA, N.Y.—William Smith first-year Chelsea Rauck (Columbus School for Girls/Bexley, Ohio) is one of 32 tennis players from across the country who will compete for the NCAA Division III Women’s Tennis Singles Championship May 20-22 at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She is one of only two players from New York schools and one of only six first-years in the tournament field.

“We’re very excited because this is the first time in over 10 years that we’ve had a player in the NCAA Tournament,” Heron Head Coach Chip Fishback said. “This is a monster step for our program.”

William Smith’s top player this season, Rauck compiled a 25-5 singles record, including a 14-3 mark at first singles in dual matches. Her 25 wins are the most by a Heron since Jill Kathmann ’96 posted a 25-4 record in 1995-96. Rauck won her first nine collegiate matches and also recorded a 16-match winning streak, spanning the fall and spring semesters.

The Ohioan will be the first William Smith player to compete for the NCAA individual title since Cindy Dash ’91. Dash participated in the NCAA Tournament in each of her four seasons on campus, compiling a 79-15 singles record and earning All-American honors in 1988-89.

Rauck was named the Liberty League Player and Rookie of the Year. At the William Smith Athletics Award Banquet on May 2, she received the Stephanie Christie ’82 Award as William Smith’s most outstanding first-year and the Mary Hosking Tennis Award as team MVP.

UC Santa Cruz will provide live online coverage of the tournament.

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