North Dartmouth, MA --- Worcester State University has joined the Little East Conference as an associate member in women’s tennis for the upcoming 2010 schedule after the conference’s athletic administrators accepted the Lancers’ application at the annual June meeting. Worcester State has been an associate member in field hockey since 2000.
“I am pleased to announce the Worcester State women's tennis program will participate as a member of the Little East Conference in 2010,” said Commissioner Jonathan C. Harper. “The addition of the Lancer women's tennis program will add to the strength of the conference in the very near future.”
“We are very excited about joining the Little East,” said Worcester State College Director of Athletics Sue Chapman. “After having an independent schedule for the last couple of years, we hope that playing in the Little East will pay dividends and help our program continue to grow.”
The addition of Worcester State raises the Little East’s current membership in women’s tennis to nine schools. The Lancers will join Bridgewater State College and Salem State College as associate members, in addition, to full-time members University of Massachusetts Boston, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Plymouth State University, Rhode Island College, University of Southern Maine, and Western Connecticut State University.
The Little East began sponsoring the sport of women’s tennis in 1994 and is celebrating its 17th season in 2010. The conference sponsors an eight-match round-robin schedule with the top-six teams in the final regular season standings advancing to the Little East Women’s Tennis Championship Tournament. The two first-round matches will be played on Tuesday, October 19 with the winners advancing to the semifinals on Saturday, October 23. The championship match is scheduled for the following afternoon with the champion earning an automatic qualifier into the NCAA Division III Women’s Tennis Championship.
The Worcester State women’s tennis team was formed in 1968 under the guidance of women’s athletics administrator and head coach Margaret “Peg” Nugent. Under Nugent, the team flourished as they posted 11 winning seasons during her 16-year tenure as head coach. The Lancers made six consecutive appearances in the annual Massachusetts Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women Tournament (MAIAW) from 1974 to 1979. Worcester State captured the program’s only MAIAW championship during its first berth in 1974. WSC also qualified for the MAIAW tournament from 1982-84.
From 1976 until 1992, the Lancers played a schedule with Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference (MASCAC) opponents until the team moved to an independent schedule in 1993. The team qualified for the MAIAW tournament in 1991, 1992, 1994 and 1995 as they finished in second place in 1991 and 1995.
Worcester State took a brief hiatus in 2003 and 2004 as the tennis courts were used to build a dorm on campus. The women’s tennis squad reformed in 2005 and has been playing competitively ever since. Head coach Ann DiLeo enters her third year coaching the squad.
Initially formed in 1986 as a six-team men's and women's basketball conference, the Little East Conference has since grown to its present eight-school membership, sponsoring championship play in 19 intercollegiate athletics: baseball; men's and women's basketball; men's and women's cross country; field hockey; men's and women's lacrosse; men's and women's soccer; softball; women's swimming; men's and women's tennis; men's and women's indoor track; men's and women's outdoor track and women's volleyball.