Transylvania Claims Second HCAC Women’s Tennis AQ Championship

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Transylvania University’s women’s tennis team capped off the season in impressive fashion, claiming the school’s second Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament championship on Sunday afternoon.  The Pioneers earned the second seed after completing the regular season with an 8-1 mark against league competition.

Transy earned a 5-1 win over Franklin before knocking off No. 5 seed Anderson 5-3 to earn the championship and the conference’s automatic qualifier for the Division III NCAA tournament. 

In Sunday’s championship match with Anderson, the Pioneers posted a 5-3 victory at West Indy Racquet Club.  Transylvania earned wins at two doubles positions.  Kelsey Fulkerson (Lexington, Ky.) and Stephanie Townsend (Goshen, Ky.) knocked off Alex Hammel (Anderson, Ind.) and Courtney Postmus (Kalamazoo, Mich.) of Anderson at No. 1 doubles 9-8 (4).  Kaitlyn Hizny (Owensboro, Ky.) teamed with Andi Mong (Chillicothe, Ohio) to notch an 8-5 win at No. 2 doubles over Sylvia Schering (Kalamazoo, Mich.) and Tara Akers (Warsaw, Ind.).

In singles play, Transylvania earned wins at No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 singles.  Fulkerson collected a win at No. 1 singles over Hammel 6-2, 6-1, Townsend handed Postmus a defeat at No. 2 singles 6-1, 6-3, and Hizny handled Akers at No. 3 singles, 6-5, 6-2. 

Anderson’s victories came at No. 3 doubles and No. 4 and 6 singles.  Michaela Hammel (Anderson, Ind.) teamed with Kourtney Brubaker (Warren, Ind.) to knock off Victoria Haugli (London, England) and Samantha Voss (Lexington, Ky.) 8-3 at No. 3 doubles.  Schering defeated Mong at No. 4 singles 6-2, 6-1, while Shel Willhelm (Cedar Grove, Ind.) handled Caroline Tapscott (Franklin, Tenn.) 6-1, 6-3 at No. 6 singles.

With claiming the tournament title, Transylvania has earned the conference’s automatic bid to play in the NCAA Division III tennis championships this spring.