Collin College's men's and women's tennis teams swung into action last week with the opening matches of their 2024 spring season. Coaches around the country are taking notice, with both teams ranked in the Top 10 in an early coaches poll.

The team picked up a win over Cameron University with several close matches against the University of Texas at Tyler, Tarleton State University, and the University of North Texas (UNT). Check the results here: Men's Tennis / Women's Tennis.

Collin Men's Tennis was ranked No. 4 in the nation in the first National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) poll of the season. The Collin College Women ranked No. 9 in the country.

We talked with Coach Jamie Nanez about recent matches and what he expects from the teams as they work through the season. 

How do you feel about the opening week of spring play? 
Men's Team – We started our season with Cameron University. We came in and executed our game plan in doubles very well. There were times when we had our chances and just didn't convert. It is early in the season, so that is not a surprise. Ultimately, we lost the doubles point. In singles, though, we won five of the six lines. That is very difficult against any team, especially a great team like Cameron.    
Against UT-Tyler, we came out again very well in doubles. It was a similar situation where our execution was good, but we just couldn't seem to convert when we needed it. Playing NCAA teams is tough because their format is a bit different. In JUCO, we play with ad, while the NCAA plays No-Ad (Editor's note: This refers to a single point ending a tie game rather than the need to win by two points.) So, there are a lot of pressure points where we need to execute. In singles, we did well. Three out of six singles is a much more expected result, which is why that elusive doubles point is so important. But we battled, and I think teams are noticing our results. 
Women's Team – We started our season out with a couple of very good D1 teams against Tarleton and UNT. They were great hosts, and our Lady Cougs got some valuable experience playing that caliber of team. Ultimately, we lost both matches. It is tough sometimes to keep your mindset positive when you are facing such great opponents. We just have to understand that each match is an opportunity to take something positive. What I took was that we have a great group of ladies who compete well. We need to focus on limiting our errors and giving away points. Make teams/players play.

Did the team perform to your expectations? 
Both the men's and women's teams did what we wanted them to do. They competed hard and let the tennis speak for itself. We have some things that we need to work on and see from them in practice. Ultimately, that is where matches are won and lost … in the preparation. I think we have the skill set to achieve our season goals. What we need now is the tenacity to come out in practice. No doubt we compete hard, but again, our preparation is where we win and lose.

Did anyone stand out?
Men's Team – There isn't really one person who stands out the "most."  I think what does stand out is our competitive spirit. The guys get a bit rowdy, and I think for them, their energy is a large part of their success. 
Women's Team – I can tell Sophia Dalla has been working very hard over the break. We did a few sessions in the fall, and I highlighted two or three things I felt would help her game this semester. It will be interesting to see where she is when we get to the end of the season. But that is the same for everyone, really. I have seen a definite difference in each player from fall to spring.

Last year, you focused on fitness and mental toughness. Are those primary this year as well? Or are you focusing on other things? 
I would say we have had many more conversations about our mental toughness than last year. We focus on a little of everything physical, tactical, technical, and mental. In the fall, we focus more on the technical, tactical, and mental.
We haven't ramped up our physical yet, but we will. The fitness we do goes in conjunction with mental toughness. Workouts aren't easy at all, so just making it through a workout develops their mental toughness. 

What challenges do you expect in the coming season? 
Staying healthy is always a challenge we look out for. We are implementing some injury prevention pieces that Assistant Coach Clint Laukhuf is focused on, as well as spending more time on flexibility. I'm hoping I can push the players a bit harder this year than last with the added focus on the recovery piece of training.