So far this season, Women’s Tennis is nearly undefeated, with a record of ten wins and one loss. The team heads into Patriot League play in fourth place.
Last season, the Greyhounds had an overall record of twelve wins and six losses. They finished fourth in the Patriot League but unfortunately lost in the first round of playoffs four sets to one to Lehigh University. Now, the team looks to win their first ever Patriot League Championship.
Captain Lauren Manwiller ‘25 has big goals for the team during her last season as a Greyhound. She hopes that her team can perform to the best of their abilities, remain positive during tough games, fight for every point they earn, and continue to grow closer as a team as the season progresses.
Manwiller has been playing tennis since she was eight years old. She has hoped to go Division I since attending Mullen High School in Colorado. She believes they have a really strong team this year, with good lineups that will earn them a high seed in the Patriot League playoffs.
Manwiller also has a lot of personal goals for this season. She wants to be a leader and set an example for the underclassmen both on and off the court. Manwiller also hopes that the team will continue to have successful seasons even after she graduates. She is currently working on figuring out how to play freely and enjoy her last college season. Though she knows that tennis is a very stressful sport and it takes a mental toll on all of the players, she is trying to let go of the anxiety and have fun on the court as much as she can.
Jessica Bodewes ‘26 also shared her thoughts and goals for her own last season of competitive tennis.
“I am very excited for my senior season… We have an extremely talented group of girls this year so I can’t wait to see how we compete,” Bodewes said.
Bodewes got into tennis at six years old through her dad and grandfather. Her goals for the team this year are to go into every match believing that they will win. They are a close team, so she has no doubt that they can win together and lose together, no matter what. She expects to see amazing results and progress as the team moves through the spring season. Her personal goals are to have fun and enjoy the sport for one last time. With it being her last season and her last time playing competitive tennis, she wants to make her grandfather proud.
Elena Hartley ‘28 is excited about being a part of a college team and being ready for her collegiate career to begin.
“Coming into my freshman year, I was excited to be on a team and not just be playing for myself anymore… After meeting the girls, I looked forward to being a part of the Hound family,” Hartley said.
Hartley is more than excited to begin her collegiate tennis career. She started playing tennis when she was five years old. The first-year did not attend high school and instead was homeschooled so that she could focus on her tennis skills. She played one year of high school tennis and won states. Her favorite part of playing the sport in college is the thrilling atmosphere. Her goal for her first year is to be in the top six for singles, or individual play. So far she has played the third spot in the lineup and is hoping to continue working hard to maintain her position.
Head Coach Josh Eventoff has defined goals for the team in order for them to make it far into the Patriot League playoffs. He shares and encourages his athletes’ competitive fire.
“I expect great things for them this year… One of my main goals is to beat Army and hopefully compete for the top four positions again in the Patriot League. We can get to the semis again. We can play for the title,” Eventoff said.
Eventoff has been coaching for three years at Loyola, but has been a collegiate coach since 1998. He was the head coach for the Stevenson University tennis team and coached for a couple of years at Coppin State University. After that, he took a break from coaching colleges while he was the director of tennis at area country clubs. Eventoff also grew up in Baltimore playing tennis.
Eventoff attended Towson University for two years and had a very successful career, being recently inducted into their Athletic Hall of Fame and recognized as having the highest winning percentage in the history of the program. He then transferred to the University of Maryland, where he graduated and played at the number two position, being the second player in the lineup.
His goal this season is to continue building a successful culture for both tennis teams. With the three new first-years and the returning players alike, he believes that the women’s team can make it back to the semis and win a championship. Eventoff has a lot of faith in his team and believes that they are getting better every day and that they can compete with any team in the country.
“Overall, our teams are competing hard and getting better all the time… With the addition of our streaming cameras on the courts, we are able to review film, record matches, and really analyze the details to bring our program to the next level,” said Eventoff.
For more information on players and upcoming matches, please visit the Loyola Women’s Tennis Page.
