Eastern Michigan University’s women’s tennis team has announced three new additions to the 2019-20 roster this summer. Last November, head coach Jayson Wiseman was re-hired as the women’s tennis coach after leading the Eagles to a 16-10 record and to the fifth seed in the 2018 MAC Tournament. However, EMU’s tennis program was suspended at the end of the 2017-18 academic year.
Athletic director Scott Wetherbee announced on November 29, 2018 that Wiseman would be back as the head coach and the tennis team would begin competition in the spring of 2019, but they will not be able to compete in the MAC until the following season. Wiseman has coached at fellow MAC school Bowling Green as well as Wright State and Evansville, prior to Eastern Michigan.
Wiseman, who was only the head coach at EMU for one year, led the team to 16 wins, including victories over Youngstown State, Cleveland State, Oakland and Detroit Mercy in non-conference play. In the MAC, the team went 3-5 with wins against Ball State, Akron and Northern Illinois. The season ended with a loss to Bowling Green in the MAC Tournament on April 27, 2018.
The tennis program was set to be reinstated for competition this fall, per judge's order. Since then, the program has been looking to rebuild the roster. On Friday, June 21, Wiseman announced the signing of Emma-Lou Pommiers to the tennis team, per EMU Athletics. The France native has previously competed in tennis tournaments and played other sports in high school.
Less than a month later, Wiseman announced another addition to the tennis team. Julia Piatek signed to the team on July 10, per EMU Athletics. Piatek was also a multi-sport athlete. Aside from tennis, she competed in soccer, volleyball and basketball. Previously a student-athlete at Salem University, she was a semi-finalist in both singles and doubles during her collegiate debut at the ITA Atlantic Regional Tournament.
The most recent signee, Isabelle Popma was added to the team on July 30. Popma was nationally ranked in singles and doubles in the Netherlands. She was a member of the Dutch National Team. Popma previously went to prep school where she was a multi-sport athlete. She competed in soccer and is a crossfit athlete.
After the reinstatement, the Eagles will be looking to compete next season.
Related Stories
Justin Meis' freshman season in review
By Zach Sturgill
Scott Wetherbee Discusses State of EMU Athletics
By Charles Post
Eastern Michigan Volleyball Names New Coach
By Hayden Vassar