Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Shaak helps Rams reach NCAA Tournament
Shaak helps Rams reach NCAA Tournament
“It was fun to see Tina so excited. She is the heart and soul of the program, and she’s done such a good job. She’s been here the longest and she’s been working for it the longest. That makes it all the more special.” – West Chester University’s Maddy Shaak
WEST GOSHEN >> When the West Chester women’s tennis squad earned a berth into the NCAA Division II Tournament for the first time in 34 years, veteran head coach Tina Tharp was happy for the program. But most of all she was excited for her seniors.
Interestingly enough, Maddy Shaak, Claire Uhle, Abriana Nolan and Steph Cifarelli were most thrilled for their coach, who has been steadily building the men’s and women’s programs at WCU for nine years.
“It was fun to see Tina so excited,” said Shaak, the team captain. “She is the heart and soul of the program, and she’s done such a good job.
“She’s been here the longest and she’s been working for it the longest. That makes it all the more special.”
The last (and only other) time the Golden Rams made it to the NCAA’s was back in 1983, which just happened to be the organization’s inaugural tournament for
women -- and WCU went on to fall to Notre Dame. To put it into perspective, none of the nine players on the current roster were yet born, and Tharp was a sophomore in high school.
“We had some freshmen on the team and it was a little hard for them to grasp how important this was to us. But the seniors understood that this was quite an accomplishment,” said Shaak, a four-time allPSAC East selection and a first-team all-conference pick this spring.
During the regular season, the Rams went 14-3 overall and captured the division crown for the third consecutive year. But a loss to Indiana (Pa.) in the PSAC Tournament took WCU out of the running for one of the 20 automatic bids into the 43team NCAA field.
Needless to say, West Chester was on pins and needles in the lead-up to the NCAA Selection Show on April 25. And since the team had not been under serious consideration in decades, nobody really understood how the process worked. Most teams watch the show together, but the Rams were dispersed, and some had trouble finding the webcast.
“We were right on the edge, and there was some serious doubt whether we’d get in,” Shaak recalled.
“I’ve never had knots in my stomach before, but as 8 p.m. approached, I felt it,” added Tharp. “And when I saw our name pop up, I just started screaming.
“It’s been a goal with these four seniors. Had they not made it, it would have been a huge disappointment. They really took it to another level the past three seasons.”
Tharp first sent a text – all capital letters, of course – to Shaak, and then notified the rest of the team.
“That’s when our group chat exploded,” Shaak reported.
“It’s been our goal for as long as I’ve been a part of this program. Being able to get there our last year was very special. And I think it’s something that can really push the program forward.”
It was a milestone, for sure, but it also punctuated perhaps WCU’s most successful season ever. And even though the sixthseeded Rams were ousted in the first round on May 1 against Charleston (W.Va.) in Erie, the journey was another distinction for the foursome that make up the winningest class in West Chester women’s tennis history.
They boast a four-year record of 50-27, and hand off a 21-match winning streak against division opponents to their returning teammates.
“Those are things that we as players don’t track, so all of these milestones are kind of surreal for us,” Shaak acknowledged. “But it’s fantastic. It means a lot to all of us, but especially the seniors. It was a great way to leave your university.
“It also sets a new standard for the teams in the PSAC East. We are generally the division that is lacking, but this is a good indicator that we are getting better.”
And even though Tharp will have to replace a strong and deep senior class, the program has lots of youthful talent that’s been developing within a winning culture at WCU.
“To be honest, a couple years ago I thought it would be the men winning a (conference) championship first and now with the women, I kind of see it on the horizon – that they are getting closer,” Tharp said.
According to Tharp, the seniors made their way to West Chester in a number of different ways. Shaak was highly recruited out of ELCO High School; Uhle was a transfer from Division I Northern Colorado; and both Nolan and Cifarelli were walk-ons and had to win their positions through challenge matches.
“I didn’t recruit anyone like I recruited Maddy,” Tharp said. “I wanted to build this team around her.”
Playing primarily second singles, Shaak was 15-4 as a senior and was 53-24 for her career. And she teamed with Uhle at No. 1 doubles to carve out a 59-12 mark.
At No. 1 singles, Uhle’s 55 career victories set a program record, and she was a first team AllPSAC East pick for three straight years, and the player of the year in 2015. Nolan and Cifarelli have won a combined 64 career matches.
“The four of us have a very solid relationship. We’ve gone through a lot together,” Shaak said.
“You can pull for someone you don’t really like, but are you really emotionally invested?” Tharp asked rhetorically. “I don’t think so.
“And it’s more important with females because they want to be liked, be part of a group and be close.”
Now 108-72 since her first season in 2008, Tharp already has more wins than any other coach in program history. And she’s been honored as the PSAC East Coach of the Year five times, including three in a row.
“The key is recruiting and it’s tough,” she said. “It always seems to come down to finance and at West Chester, across the board, we are below the bottom half for scholarships.
“I think all of the coaches at West Chester are type A and we don’t take losing as an option. And as coaches, we feed off each other.”