As part of the buildup to the 75th Anniversary celebration for Claremont McKenna College (visit CMC's 75th Anniversary Countdown Page to learn more), we are reliving many of the great moments from CMS athletic department history over the 75-day countdown from April 17 to July 1. If you were a part of this great moment and would like to add to the memories, or if you would like to submit your memories of your own favorite CMS Athletics moments, fill out the form on our main 75th Anniversary page.
Great Moments from 75 Years of Athletics
1995 Women's Tennis: Athenas 5, Emory 4
Current followers of CMS Women's Tennis will instinctively think of the 2018 national championship match when they hear the score "CMS 5, Emory 4." But the 2018 title was actually the second big moment with that same score in the history of the program, with the first one putting the Athenas on the big stage nationally for the first time.
The CMS women's tennis program was competitive from the first time they strung their rackets in 1977, never finishing lower than fourth in the SCIAC and finishing second or third every year from 1983-1993. Breaking through for the first SCIAC title was a challenge, though, with Pomona-Pitzer standing in the way. The Sagehens won the national title in 1992 and presented a tough bar for the Athenas to reach, but they reached it for the first time in 1994, earning its first share of the SCIAC title with Pomona-Pitzer.
The 1995 season, though, was even more rewarding, as the Athenas ran the table through the SCIAC, defeating Pomona-Pitzer soundly (8-1) in the regular season to win the league outright and take over as the SCIAC's dominant program (they would keep the championship streak going through 2001). The Athenas also captured the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament berth, and they rose to the occasion, defeating Emory in a dramatic match 5-4 in the Round of 16, with freshman Julie Kirkpatrick providing the clincher, to advance to the NCAA Quarterfinals and raising the bar for a program that has continued to raise it ever since.
Allison Mizuo became the first All-American in program history, reaching the quarterfinals of the NCAA Singles tournament. As a team, CMS was ranked No. 5 in the country by season's end, the highest ranking in the program's history at the time, and the Athenas remained consistently in the top 10 over the rest of the decade. Rosemary Cella, a freshman on the 1995 team, would also go on to earn All-America honors, as well as induction into the CMS Hall of Fame.
Victoria Colf:
It was all a bit of a blur. It was my senior year at Mudd and I was exhausted and stressed. However, traveling to the NCAA championship was so much fun and was an amazing culmination of four priceless years on the tennis team. I specifically recall the late night match that I believe Julie had to play to clinch the match for us. We were all gathered around, cheering her on like crazy and I was in total awe of her composure and ability to pull through under all the pressure! Ali - she was the human wall! She could crush anyone's spirit with her consistency!
It was the first time many of us had played indoors in that kind of setting. That season was special for the time we had together and ending the season on such a high note. I think a lot of credit goes to Max and Steve, the program took a significant step forward when they came in to coach. We weren't always easy.
Ging Ging Liu:
All I remember is how every time I broke the strings on my racket, Steve would somehow show back up with my rackets restrung the next morning. I remember how only he could wrap a grip so that it would stay on for the whole match. I remember Max's sometimes long but rambling pep talks between our doubles and singles game, however when I needed that pep in the middle of a match, she was there to provide it (and somehow I remember bagels and bananas).
I remember dragging a lamp outside into the hallway while everyone else slept so that I could take a physics final while everyone else was sleeping in the room. I remember Vicky's amazing and solid leadership of our very young team, always setting a positive attitude for us. I remember Julie's sweet determination at every match. Ali's consistency, oh that consistency that eventually broke every opponent. Rosie's sense of humor.
For me, tennis was a legitimate excuse to take a break from studying. If it weren't for tennis, I probably never would have left the Mudd campus my freshman year. I was very lucky to have these great gals to practice with, compete with, make each other better together, and goof off with. Through them, I visited other dining halls, set aside the seriousness of classes and grades (I distinctly remember thinking that if Vicky could balance it all so gracefully AND be team captain, I could at least manage to be on the team) and together as doubles partners and teammates cheering each other on, we made a pretty formidable team that year! I feel like the successes and teamwork on the court (followed sometimes by utter exhaustion off the court) helped keep things a bit more in perspective for me than it would have been otherwise.
1995 Women's Tennis Roster (first NCAA team)
Head Coach: Max Sechter
Assistant Coach: Steve Kronseder
Erika Anhood (Jr., CMC)
Nicole Berc (Fr., Scripps)
Thurese Bonneville (So., Scripps)
Rosemary Cella (Fr., CMC)
Victoria Colf (Sr., HMC)
Stella Ho (So., CMC)
Sunmee Jang (Fr., HMC)
Julie Kirkpatrick (Fr., Scripps)
Ging Ging Liu (Fr., HMC)
Allison Mizuo (Fr., CMC)
Leslie Smith (Fr., Scripps)
Laura Travis (Jr., Scripps)
1994 Women's Tennis Roster (first SCIAC Champions)
Head Coach: Max Sechter
Assistant Coach: Steve Kronseder
Erika Anhood (So., CMC)
Trisha Buchanan (So. CMC)
Victoria Colf (Jr., HMC)
Ria Gost (So., Scripps)
Stella Ho (Fr., CMC)
Nadia Lee (So., Scripps)
Sharene Lee (Jr., CMC)
Jodi Ostrow (Sr., CMC)
Kirsti Scheer (Fr., CMC)
Erin Schiller (Fr., CMC)
Laura Travis (So., Scripps)
Hermelinda Vargas (So., CMC)
