JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – The Carson-Newman women's tennis team kicks off its 2024 fall season on Saturday, taking a trip to Harrogate, Tennessee, for the LMU Invitational.
After a stellar freshman campaign, Leah McBride wants to build on her successes, and she is encouraging her team to do the same, starting with the first fall event.
"I feel like every year I push myself to be a better player," McBride said. "Try to beat what I was last year, and the same goes for my team. I hope everyone can push themselves this year and go farther than we did last year."
The Eagles had an impressive season under first-year head coach Jon Parker, almost doubling their win total from the season prior, but C-N welcomes in a handful of new faces this year. Parker's squad returns three players, including McBride, while seven new players enter the fold. McBride believes the new Eagles bring a much-needed punch to the group.
"There's a lot of fight coming in this year," McBride said. "A lot of girls are ready to go, ready to show our conference what we have with the new faces, so that's pretty exciting to see all of them pushing themselves and working hard to perform."
While the fall season is geared more towards individual results, McBride sees the LMU Invitational and the other events throughout the fall as an opportunity for the team to gel and teach the freshmen the ropes of college tennis.
"Some of the girls are freshmen, so they're learning the aspect of tennis as a team sport rather than individual," McBride said. "Because it is individualized, sometimes it can be hard, but going out there and cheering each other on, pushing each other to the next level, being there on the sidelines throughout every match, that's how we're going to have to work together and gel as a team, so that we can look like a team."
As the first event of the fall quickly approaches, McBride has pinpointed the mental part of her game as the main thing she looks to work on as the Eagles work through the fall schedule.
"I'd like to go in with a little more confidence," McBride said. "As a freshman, it was easy to lose my confidence, but I'm hoping this year I can go in with a lot of confidence and more stamina, pushing myself to another level this year compared to last year."
McBride and the Eagles will look to kick off the fall season on a high note at the LMU Invitational on Saturday and Sunday.
For updates throughout the fall season, visit cneagles.com and follow us on social media @cn_eagles.
