The Ankeny girls’ tennis team will be tested right away in its second fall season under coach Katie Owens.
The Hawkettes will open their campaign on Thursday by hosting Urbandale in a CIML Conference matchup. The J-Hawks are coming off a 9-5 year that included an 11-0 victory over Ankeny.
“The practices have been going great, and the hard work the girls put in this summer is already showing,” said Owens. “Heading into our opener against Urbandale, I can’t wait to see them compete with great energy and fight for every single point. Our team has a fresh look this year, so this first meet is our baseline. Our team will focus on effort and competing. Seeing that summer preparation pay off on the court will be awesome.”
Ankeny finished with a 3-12 record a year ago, including a 1-7 mark in the conference. Most of the team’s varsity lineup graduated.
The biggest loss was the departure of No. 1 singles player Olivia North, who placed third in a Class 2A regional tournament. She will play for Wartburg College in the fall.
Senior Ella Dietrich, who saw some action at both the Nos. 3 and 4 singles positions, is the Hawkettes’ top returnee.
“We have 33 girls out this year, which gives us incredible depth and energy on the courts,” Owens said. “While we only return two out of our top 10 players from last year, it opens the door for a lot of fresh talent. Ella is back as our only returning top-six singles player, which means we have a lot of new faces stepping into varsity roles. We have a massive group of talented underclassmen, and it’s going to be incredibly fun to watch each of them develop as competitors throughout the season.”
Owens returned to the Ankeny program last fall after previously coaching the Hawkettes from 2014-20, although her final year was interrupted by COVID-19. She was initially hired to take over the girls’ program in 2013, but stepped aside that season due to maternity leave while longtime coach Mike Mullins agreed to coach the team for one more year in her absence.
Owens resigned from her position before the birth of her fourth child in 2020, but then returned a year ago following the departure of coach Steve Smith. She is excited about the future of the program.
“Transitioning to the fall has actually been fantastic for us,” she said. “It feels completely natural now. The best part is that it allows the girls to spend the entire summer at camps and on the courts, leading right into the start of the season. That continuous momentum is incredibly beneficial for developing our younger players. By the time day one of official practice hits, they are already in a great rhythm.”