WESTON, Mass. - The Regis College women's tennis team will open the season with nine players for 2011. The Pride move to a new conference joining the New England Collegiate Conference, "We are still building the program, but this year's recruiting class should give the team a great start in the NECC," stated head coach John Ciarleglio.

Senior captain MJ Barron (Whitinsville, Mass.) will be playing her final season for the Pride. Barron brings intensity and leadership to the team on and off the court. Coach Ciarleglio commented on Barron's play, "She is one of the toughest competitors that I have ever seen and she is one of the most gracious as well."

The Pride returns sophomore captain Caroline Roche (Hanover, Mass.) for the fall season. Roche is a tremendous player and has improved her tennis skills significantly during the 2010 spring season.

Sophomores Paige Pasley (Dorchester, Mass.) and Maryse Emungu (South Burlington, Vt.) return having improved their serves and overhand abilities. This increase in skill will allow Pasley and Emungu to gain ground on future opponents.

The Pride welcomes four newcomers to the 2011 squad. Freshmen Deirdre Botsch (Foxboro, Mass.), Vanneyra Chum (Lowell, Mass.), Kendall Kolb (Plymouth, Mass.), Elora Gvandos (Chillicothe, Texas) and Erika Palmer (Southborough, Mass.) will look have an immediate impact on the court for Regis.

This will be the first year that the Pride will compete in a dual season, the Pride will also participate in matches during the 2012 spring break. The team will be traveling to Hilton Head, N.C. to compete against fellow Division III and II teams. The Pride will culminate the spring season with the second annual Pride Tennis Invitational.