The 2020 UH Hilo women's tennis team was just starting to get in a groove when COVID-19 shut down their season on March 12. 

11 months later, they will try and get off to a fast start this weekend when they host Chaminade (Feb. 13) and Hawai`i Pacific (Feb. 15) at the Fairmont Orchid Resort on the Kona side of the Big Island. The Vulcans will play the Silverswords and Sharks twice on each of those days, (10 am and 2 pm). All four matches are closed to the public.

"It means a lot for me to get back on the court and coach the women's team," said head coach Kallen Mizuguchi, entering into his third season. "I believe all the coaches across the country have been waiting for this moment. For the women, most of them have not played a competitive match for at least a year, I know many of them are excited and nervous at the same time. Getting them on the court and playing the game they love will be very good for them." 

Mizuguchi welcomes back players that played the second, third and fourth spots on his ladder last year, along with two additional returnees and seven total newcomers. All the returnees retained a free year of eligibility, meaning they will still be listed as the same class that they were in 2020. Additionally, 2021 had been tabbed as a free year, meaning no one loses any eligibility during this shortened season.

On paper, this team should easily be Mizuguchi's strongest.

"We have a good amount of returnees and many new faces this year," the former Vulcan player now coach confirmed. "I am very excited to see how they perform. I believe that having a larger team adds variation to the practices and helps in the case of injuries." 

A year ago, the Vulcans had just taken a couple of matches off of No. 8 nationally ranked Hawaii Pacific and then defeated Pacific West Conference foe Dominican. Two days earlier they had beaten Chaminade, and were set to take on the Silverswords again when the pandemic ground everything to a halt. 

Sandra Dafincescu was one of the Vulcans that was playing very well. Anchoring the number two singles spot the Romanian had a 5-2 record in both singles and doubles, which included singles victories over players from Dallas Baptist and UC San Diego. Sophomore Anouk Van Hoek played the number three spot in singles and No. 1 in doubles. As a freshman she played all three positions on top of the singles ladder. 

Van Hoek teammed with another returnee, Carmelle Joyner on court one in doubles last spring. That duo went 4-4 last year, and the year prior posted a 10-5 doubles mark, earning Third Team All-PacWest honors. Joyner also anchored the No. 4 singles spot last year. As a freshman in 2018, the left-hander was 12-5 in singles and she went 8-3 in 2019. 

Freshman Mia Rosa and Shelby Graber are also back, both having posted 2-0 singles marks last year during the month-long season. 

The list of newcomers vying with the returnees for playing time is impressive. It includes two transfers and five freshmen. 

UH Hilo benefited from the unfortunate elimination of the Sonoma State program this past summer. Transferring to the Vulcans from the Seawolves are Carolina Alfonsin and Hannah Highsmith. 

Highsmith is a junior who brings a career record of 34-16 in doubles (sometimes playing with Alfonsin) and was 23-14 in two+ years of singles (courts 4-5-6). Alfonsin played as high as No. 3 on the Seawolves' singles ladder and had a 5-3 record last year in doubles for a good SSU team.

The freshman class includes four players from the state of Hawai`i and one from Japan. All four Hawai`i prep players reached the Hawai`i state tournament prior to the 2020 COVID shutdown--Casydee De Mattos (Hilo HS), Chloe Teramoto (Waiakea HS), Lino Yoshikawa (Maui HS) and Hokulani Iseri (Kauai HS). Osaki attended tennis academies in Spain and Florida before arriving at HIlo. 

After this weekend's matches with Chaminade and No. 5 nationally ranked Hawai`i Pacific, the Vulcans 2021 schedule is fluid. They are scheduled to travel to Northern California for a week of matches in March, and the Pacific West Conference Championships are scheduled for April in Surprise, Arizona. All of course, pandemic permitting. 

"With so many unknowns with the 2021 schedule, we approach each practice with a positive mindset where we will be ready to play in the case we do have a chance to travel," Mizuguchi added. "Getting them on the court helps with physical and mental health. I am grateful to be able to have them out there and look forward to whatever we allowed to do this season."