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“My best friends are on the tennis team. Kristen and I are really close,” said sophomore Gust. “I’m going to be disappointed when she leaves. The team will really miss her. She is the best.”

Bothun, a senior, is graduating in May, and aside from being the captain of the team, she has also played first singles for the past three years. Bothun and Gust were 16-6 last year in doubles.

“Kelly and I work really well together and she is a good friend off the court. Most of us are really good friends,” said Bothun. “She’s just going to have to pair up with someone else, I guess.”

It may not be that easy, according to Gust.

“She is a great tennis player and a great person,” said Gust.

Gust described Bothun as the kind of person that always wins no matter what she’s doing. “If we play any sport with her, we are pretty much all beat.”

“I chose to keep playing tennis because I liked it the best. I really like more individual sports,” said Bothun.

Bothun is graduating with a major in sociology but has yet to decide where she will be putting it to use. Women’s tennis will graduate two other seniors this year: Trina Ellis and Andrea Eilertson.

Like other spring sports, tennis began practice immediately following J-Term. But unlike other sports, the team has a fall schedule as well, when they try to play around five matches, all non-conference.

“Tennis is probably a lot more laid back than other sports here. If we are unable to make it to our practice, we can practice with the guys team. It is pretty nice.” said Bothun.

The team has the rare advantage of returning every one of their varsity players from last year, although they are under new leadership as the assistant men’s and women’s coach in 2006, Nathan Klonecki, took over for head women’s coach Dan Haertl. Haertl had led the women’s program for the last 20 years and until this year was the only coach in the history of the program.

“I miss Dan Haertl and his wonderful personality, but [Klonecki] has a lot of great coaching strategies and helps me a lot with my game,” said Gust.

By the time this issue hits the stands, women’s tennis will have five regular season games left to play, weather permitting, ending at Bethel on Apr. 24.