May 27, 2003
Three Individuals To Join Men's and Women's Tennis Teams
Head tennis coach Pete Kendall has announced that three individuals will be joining the men's and women's teams in the fall.
Lisa Shellenberger (Skiatook, Okla.) signed a national letter of intent to play for Truman beginning with the 2003-04 season. She posted 20 wins to four losses this past year as the Tulsa Seven conference champion at No. 1 singles. Shellenberger finished ninth in the 4A state championships this year at No. 1 singles, and was ninth in 2002 as well when Skiatook was a 3A school. She was second at No. 1 singles in the conference last year as Skiatook claimed the league title.
Shellenberger was selected as the Skiatook High School 2003 Most Athletic Female and is a five-sport athlete, also competing in volleyball, basketball, soccer and equestrian.
Hannah Wittmer (Topeka, Kan./Washburn Rural) will also join the Bulldogs in the fall after earning three letters and serving as team captain for the tennis team this past season. In 2002, she finished sixth in the state in singles for Class 6A as the team took third overall. She was also 10th in the state in doubles in 2000. Wittmer is also a member of the track and field team, as well as the school orchestra.
The lone male to sign a national letter of intent was Ryan Cope (Lenexa, Kan./Shawnee Mission East). Cope was recently ranked 27th in the Missouri Valley singles ranking for boys 18's. He was part of the Shawnee Mission East teams that won the 6A Kansas state championship in 2001, were the runnerup in 2000 and 2002, and finished third this past campaign. Cope was a doubles state qualifier in 2001 and is a 2003 6A state doubles champion.
Kendall guided the Truman men's and women's tennis teams to third-place finishes in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association this past season. The women's team narrowly missed the NCAA Division II tournament, after serving as an alternate team for the tourney.