Ingrilli, Saints ready for bounce-back year

By Emily Crosby | gargoyle@flagler.edu

If you walked by the Flagler College Tennis Complex, you have probably seen the women’s tennis team hard at work getting ready for their upcoming spring season. Now a captain, third-year player Krista Ingrilli is leading the charge and hopes to act as liaison between her teammates and coaches.

“Being one of the captains this year, I hope to not only be a good example, but also a backbone for the girls whenever they need someone to talk to,” Ingrilli said. “In order to build a team, the trust is not only established on the court, but mainly off the court.”

This will be Ingrilli’s first year serving as one of two team captains alongside Barbora Sebkova, a junior from the Czech Republic. After their disappointing 5-14 record last spring, the team failed to continue their streak of four consecutive NCAA Regional appearances (2009-12). The team hopes to have a bounce-back season.

“I am really excited for this year,” Ingrilli said.

Ingrilli started playing tennis at five years old. She attended Trinity Catholic High School in Ocala, Fla., where she was a three-year varsity tennis player. After high school, Ingrilli made her way to Flagler College.

“I was actually on vacation in St. Augustine and I saw the school, fell in love with the school and found out they had a tennis team,” Ingrilli said. “Soon after, I was in contact with coach Walter Shinn, and before I knew it, I was trying out for the team.”

During Ingrilli’s freshman year, the team consisted of mostly seniors. Two and half years later, Ingrilli is now one of the veteran players. Team dynamics have changed as they have transitioned into a younger team.

“This year I definitely see a change in the attitude of the team,” she said. “Last year we were a pretty young team, still developing and not yet mashed. This year we know each other a little better and we are on the same page.”

The women’s tennis team has participated in two preseason tournaments so far. According to Ingrilli, “the tournaments went well, but there is always room for improvement.”

“We all want to work hard and put in the hours to succeed this year,” Ingrilli said.

With coach Shinn retiring after the 2014 season, Ingrilli says they will go out with a bang.

“We are definitely coming out as a force to be reckoned with,” she said. “I am positive we will do well in the season and make it to Regionals.”

Former Barry University men’s tennis assistant coach Thomas Hipp, who accepted the Director of Tennis and Head Men’s Tennis Coach positions at Flagler in July, will take over the women’s tennis program in 2014.

Photo by Dyann Busse