SIUE women's tennis Head Coach Adam Albertsen announced the addition of three student-athletes who will join the program in the 2023-24 academic year. The newest women's tennis Cougars are Grace Keller (Marietta, Georgia), Chloe Koons (Edwardsville, Illinois) and Paula Guillén Cerver (Valencia, Spain).
"I am thrilled to add Chloe, Grace and Paula to the Cougar family," said Albertsen. "They come to our program with tons of playing success and a desire to make us better. Each year, we look to improve our team, and I am confident these three will be great student-athletes that continue to raise the bar."
Grace Keller is a two-time Georgia State qualifier and has guided her team to back-to-back Region and State championships in 2021 and 2022. Keller is ranked as a four-star recruit by TennisRecruiting.net and currently No. 152 in national rankings. She intends to major in nursing at SIUE.
From Coach Albertsen..."Grace is a player who will bring a strong competitive energy to our team. She has competed at the national level throughout her junior career and will bring a game filled with variety that will help us in singles and doubles. In addition to Grace's tournament play, she has been a member of very successful teams and will be a great fit in our program. I look forward to Grace arriving in the fall and making an impact on our team right away."
From Keller..."I chose SIUE because the tennis team felt like a family and were very welcoming. It felt like a home away from home with a great campus, newer classrooms and class sizes that provide an intimate learning experience. I'm very excited to learn and further my athletics at SIUE and can't wait to be a Cougar!"
Chloe Koons is a three-time All-State player who won Sectionals and Conference three times. Koons played No. 1 singles each of her four years at Edwardsville High School. Koons is ranked as a four-star recruit by TennisRecruiting.net and currently No. 175 in national rankings. She intends to major in biology or engineering at SIUE.
From Coach Albertsen..."Chloe is someone who knows our program inside out and will be a tremendous addition to our team on and off the courts. I have been impressed by Chloe's desire to get better and be pushed as a player. She has had an excellent career at Edwardsville High School, and I am thrilled she is staying home and becoming a Cougar. I can't wait to have Chloe join our team and watch her game continue to grow!"
From Chloe..."I've grown up watching the SIUE women's tennis team and have always admired the players and coaches. I have had family graduate from SIUE and they all have had phenomenal experiences. I am super excited about facing new opportunities, people and challenges that will help my game grow."
Paula Guillén Cerver has held a Spanish National ranking as high as No. 119. She has been selected to the Valencia Tennis Club and placed third in the Spanish Under 18 championship. Guillén Cerver was a finalist at the Marca National tournament and won seven regional tournaments in 2022. She is considering chemistry or engineering as a major at SIUE.
From Coach Albertsen..."Paula will bring an elite level of energy to our team and the courts. She is a very strong baseline player who moves very well and can be crafty within the court. Paula loves to train and compete, which is why I can see her game improving to even higher levels here at SIUE. I am extremely excited to welcome Paula into the Cougar family and know she will bring so much to our team."
From Paula..."SIUE is my dream university where I could see so much passion and joy from everyone I spoke to. The campus size is a perfect fit, where it's not too big or too small. As soon as I spoke to Coach Adam, I could see that he loves what he does and gives 100 percent every day. He gives me a lot of energy and happiness, and I can see how he wants the program to keep improving. I am excited to play against strong players, improve and give my best to the team to help win in the Ohio Valley Conference. Go Cougars!"
Original source can be found here.
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