Newburgh, N.Y. – Head Coach Elora Benfer will begin her second season at the helm of the Mount Saint Mary College Women's Tennis program on Thursday when the Knights welcome non-conference foe Western Connecticut to the Kaplan Tennis Courts to open the 2016 season. The contest will be the first of two home matches to begin the campaign, with conference rival Sarah Lawrence set to visit Newburgh on Saturday.
 
At A Glance: The Knights are coming off a 2015 season that saw them post a 5-11 overall record and a 2-5 mark against Skyline Conference rivals. The Mount graduated its top singles player from a season ago in Breanna Scott (Highland Falls, N.Y.), who was named First Team All-Skyline Conference after posting a 9-7 mark at first singles.
 
Also graduating a season ago was Scott's first doubles partner Katie Conroy (Middletown, N.Y.). The duo produced five wins as the Mount's top pair, with Conroy adding five victories between the fourth and fifth singles positions in 2015.
 
Returners: Mount Saint Mary welcomes back a talented group of returners from last season's squad that combined for 22 singles victories in 2015-16. Senior Alissa Gileau (East Granby, Conn.) posted a 7-5 record at third singles and also picked up a win at the fifth position for the Knights a season ago.
 
Sophomore Mikayla Zaccaria (Point Lookout, N.Y.) led the Mount in singles wins as a freshman after posting a 12-4 record at the sixth position. Zaccaria collected a pair of Skyline Conference Rookie of the Week awards as a freshman and joined junior Mallory Menneci (Lake Ronkonkoma, N.Y.) for seven doubles wins at the third position.
 
Rounding out the returning core for the Knights is senior Isabella Tartaglione (Pine Bush, N.Y.). She joined Gileau for an impressive run at second doubles in 2015, with the duo going 8-5 together. Tartaglione also picked up a pair of wins at second doubles, playing 15 matches at the position as a junior.
Newcomers: Benfer will welcome four newcomers to the mix in 2016-17 who will look to make an impact from the start of the new season. Senior Charlotte Pascual (Freeport, N.Y.), junior transfer Dorothy Tighe (Walden, N.Y.) and freshmen Michelle Carnovale (Massapequa, N.Y.) and Miyanna Vernon (Liberty, N.Y.) will look to move into the lineup starting on Thursday.
 
A Look Ahead: Following the season opener with Colonials on Thursday, the Mount will begin Skyline Conference play with a home match against Sarah Lawrence on Saturday afternoon. Following the tilt with the Gryphons, the Mount will take to the road for three straight matches, traveling to Bard, St. Joseph's-L.I. and Pratt.