Today the Westminster College athletic department would like to honor the four seniors from the Westminster tennis teams that lost their final season and Senior Day. We will use this opportunity to highlight the accomplishments of these student-athletes. 

Allison Frisella (St. Louis, Mo. / Oakville)

Allison has been named Academic All-Conference twice in her career and is a Political Science major with minors in Security Studies, History, and Pre-Law. She is also a member of Kappa Alpha Theta, the Blue Blazers Investment Committee, Chi Alpha Sigma, and the Student Foundation. After graduation, Allison will be attending St. Louis University Law School.

Why did you choose Westminster? I chose Westminster because of the feeling when I stepped onto campus. It really was a community and it made me feel like home!

What is your favorite Westminster tennis memory? My favorite tennis memory is getting Chick-fil-A before and after matches!

What advice do you have for your underclassmen teammates? Take it all in because it really goes by so fast and you never know which practice or match will be your last.

Coach Payne on Allison: Alison is an avid competitor on the court. She's the type of athlete who will find a way to win! She's both reluctant to make errors but at the same time incredibly aggressive- a great combination of traits. She was also very responsible, attentive and a great teammate to everyone."

Madison Gregory (Chillicothe, Mo. / Chillicothe)

Madison is a Biochemistry major with minors in Spanish and Religious Studies. In addition to tennis, Madison is a member of Alpha Gamma Delta, the Pre-Health Care Professionals Association, the Peer Health Association, Chi Alpha Sigma, the Spanish club, and is also a cheerleader during the football season. After graduation, she plans on either getting her masters or entering the workforce in preparation to apply to medical school within the next few years.

Why did you choose Westminster? I chose Westminster for the small school environment. I really love the community environment and getting to make so many connections.

What is your favorite Westminster tennis memory? My favorite tennis memory would be our weekend tournament in Wisconsin freshman year. The team spent a day in Chicago and there was a lot of team bonding and good food.

What advice do you have for your underclassmen teammates? Enjoy it while you can!

Coach Payne on Madison: Madison was always an absolute pleasure to be around. She admittedly had the difficult role of filling out the roster which she did with no complaints and always with a smile on her face, in this regard she was a true team player. She also had a fantastic swinging volley!"

Natalie Tiffany (Columbia, Mo. / Battle)

Natalie had her best season in 2018, going 6-5 in singles matches and 4-0 in doubles with four different partners. Off the court, Natalie is a Biology, Exercise Science, and Philosophy major She is a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority, the Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society, the Order of Omega Greek Honor Society, the Phi Sigma Tau Philosophy Honor Society, the TriBeta Biology Honor Society, the Omicron Delta Kappa Honor Society, the Chi Alpha Sigma national student-athlete honor society, and the Pre-Healthcare Professionals Association. Natalie was named Academic All-Conference twice in her career. After graduation, Natalie will be attending Mizzou's Doctor of Physical Therapy program as a member of the class of 2023.

Why did you choose Westminster? I knew that at Westminster I would be able to obtain a quality education with a small student to professor ratio. I would also be able to play tennis, the sport I am passionate about, as well as have the opportunity to be active in other campus groups.

What is your favorite Westminster tennis memory? In the fall season of my freshman year, we had the opportunity to travel to play in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. During the trip, we got to spend a day in Chicago sightseeing which was a great team bonding experience!

What advice do you have for your underclassmen teammates? Tennis is generally an independently played sport, but at the end of the day, it's all about teamwork. We win as a team and we lose as a team. The time spent with my teammates during practices and on the court are the memories I will always cherish

Coach Payne on Natalie: "Natalie was undoubtedly one of the hardest workers on the team both on and off the court. Natalie led the team in both singles and doubles at the #1 spot as well as serving as our team captain this year. I know that she will continue to love the game following her college career and will have a prosperous career in her chosen field of physical therapy."

Mike Rois (Webster Grove, Mo. / Webster Grove)

Mike went 1-8 in singles and 3-7 in doubles and was named to the SLIAC All-Sportsmanship team during the 2018-19 season. He is an Accounting major and a member of Delta Tau Delta and the Blue Blazers Investment Committee. After graduation, Mike will attend graduate school at Webster University and pursue an MBA.

Why did you choose Westminster? I chose Westminster because I knew it was a small school that would allow me to form valuable connections with teachers and help hold me accountable. It also has an amazing reputation and an awesome small school to attend.

What is your favorite Westminster tennis memory? My favorite memory was my first ever win. I joined tennis to help fill the team so we could compete and I had never played before. I definitely struggled at first and had some losses to start but I got my first ever singles match win against Fontbonne University. It was rewarding to see my work pay off and the support of my teammates was something I won't forget.

What advice do you have for your underclassmen teammates? My only advice is to just give it your best effort and that as long as you keep the right mindset and don't get discouraged you'll be able to do anything.

Coach Payne on Mike: "Mike came along to the team in the middle of last year. Formerly a baseball player, he threw himself into the game ever eager to learn and become better. Mike returned last fall having spent much of the summer perfecting his game. His level of effort and intensity was an absolute pleasure to coach and be around. Not a practice or match would go by that Mike wouldn't dive for at least one ball, which doesn't yield for a very soft landing on the tennis court. Despite being somewhat new to the game Mike quickly took on a leadership role with his contagious positive attitude."