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November 19, 2009
Hawks Serve It Up in the Community
The Lady Hawk Tennis program traveled this week to Oak Grove Elementary School in Tampa to help in the Great American Teach-In. Hawk players Jillian O'Neill, Courtney Spafford, Nachell Proctor, and Jasmyne Smith along with Coach Chad Berryhill put on two 30-minute sessions that energized 4th grade students to play tennis. "We had a lot of fun," commented Coach Berryhill. "The kids had an absolute blast and the girls on the team really shined. I was very proud of their efforts." The HCC Tennis program has increased their presence within the Tampa Community by offering clinics for the underprivileged, volunteering at various tennis events, and communicating with various influential people to help improve the Tampa area. Coach Berryhill explained that "The players on the team are the ones who are used to getting serviced. It is nice to see our players now doing the servicing. It will help them become better tennis players and more importantly, better people."
October 19, 2009
  
Jillian and Olivia Jillian and Coach Berryhill Jillian, Coach Berryhill and Olivia
3-Peat for O'Neill and Howlett, ITA Small College Wrap Up
At the ITA Small College Championships this week in Mobile, Alabama, the Hawks started the season with the # 1 ranked doubles pair and # 1 singles player in the country. After the National tournament this weekend, those ranking will stay the same. The Hawks duo of Jillian O'Neill and Olivia Howlett defended their doubles title that they won last spring in Tucson by defeating Lee College's Lee and Akina in the final 6-4; 6-4. The next morning, Jillian O'Neill completed the sweep by beating Nadia Lee from Lee College in the finals 7-6 (3); 7-6 (3) to defend her title. Also in action was Nachell Proctor and Courtney Spafford who received an at-large bid into the doubles draw. The tandem dropped a heartbreaker to # 2 seeded Lee College in the opener 6-3; 3-6; 10-6, but rallied to win there final two matches over Reedley and ASA to capture 5th place. "We were just a few points short of pulling off an upset against Lee," said Coach Berryhill. "If we could have pulled out the match tiebreaker we may have had an all Hillsborough doubles final.
After winning the Junior College division, O'Neill participated in the Super Bowl of Small College Tennis against Elizabeth Lewis of Chapman (NCAA Division III) and teamed with Howlett to play Tufts in the Super Bowl Doubles semi against defending NCAA Division III champions Julia Browne and Meghan McCooey. Hillsborough continued there run by defeating Chapman's Lewis 6-2; 6-1 and won the doubles against a tough Tufts team 6-3; 6-2. In the Super Bowl final and a berth into the Division I Indoors at stake, the Hawks came up short for the fourth time in the Super Bowl Final in the last five trips. O'Neill lost a hard fought battle to Sona Novakova of Armstrong Atlantic State 6-4; 6-4 and experienced a disappointing doubles results of a 6-3; 6-0 loss to Sabate and Herroux of Fresno Pacific.
"Overall, it was a great experience for all four of our players," commented Coach Berryhill. "It will be an experience that they won't forget and now we know we need to get back on the courts and continue to simply getting better. If we had been able to execute basic shots throughout the tournament, we may not have had so many close matches and could be traveling to the D-1 Indoors."
October 12, 2009
 
Coach Berryhill and Jillian O'Neill Jillian O'Neill and Olivia Howlett
October 12, 2009
10/11/2009 Hawks Sweep C.L. Varner
The HCC Women’s Tennis team traveled to Rollins College this past weekend to compete in the C.L. Varner Memorial Tournament in Winter Park, FL. For the second year out of the last three visits to the tournament, the Hawks captured the singles title. This year the Hawks swept the Varner with Jillian O’Neill beating Senka Softic from Florida Southern in the flight A singles final 6-3; 6-1 and teamed with Olivia Howlett to beat Armstrong Atlantic in the flight A doubles final 8-5. Also seeing success in the tournament was Nachell Proctor who made it to the semi-final of flight B singles before falling to Kagukina from Armstrong Atlantic 6-4; 2-6; 6-1. I was very pleased with our performance this weekend” commented Head Coach Chad Berryhill. “Anytime you can have a strong showing at a tournament that showcases some of the top programs in NCAA Division II, it has been a good weekend.” For all results for the C.L. Varner Memorial, please visit http://www.rollinssports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=92562&SPID=11235&DB_OEM_ID=19500&ATCLID=204807581&KEY=&DB_OEM_ID=19500&DB_LA
The Lady Hawks will now travel to the ITA Small College Championships in Mobile, Alabama. The Hawks Jillian O’Neill will be the tournaments # 1 seed in the singles draw and will also earn the # 1 seed in the doubles draw with reigning ITA Small College Champion Olivia Howlett. Accompanying O’Neill and Howlett will be teammates Nachell Proctor and Courtney Spafford who received an at-large bid into the doubles draw and will take on # 2 seed and rival Lee College in the first round. “This was a great warm-up tournament for us (C.L.. Varner), and I feel confident we will have a strong showing in Mobile. We obviously have a lot at stake anytime we play Lee College, but we have prepared well for the tournament.” Results for the ITA Small College can be found at http://www.itatennis.com/Events/ITANationalChampionships/SmallCollege.htm
September 26, 2009
(Jillian O'Neill, Nachell Proctor, Courtney Spafford & Olivia Howlett)
The Hillsborough Community College tennis team kicked off the 2009 fall season in dominate form as it traveled to Ocala, Florida, host of the ITA Regional Tournament. The winner of one of the eight ITA Regional automatically qualifies for the Small College Championships in Mobile, Alabama October 15-18. The Hawks have made the trip each of the last four years and this year was no different. 3 out of 4 Hawks reached the singles semi-finals while both Hawk doubles teams reached the final. It was Olivia Howlett knocking out teammate Nachell Proctor in the singles semi-final to earn an opportunity to play the returning NJCAA National Champion Jillian O'Neill in the final. "This year we really got a true championship match" said Head Coach Chad Berryhill. "Jillian and Olivia are the top two returning players in Junior College and it is only fitting that they both made the final." Not only that, the Hawks now over the past 4 years have won the singles title and 3 of those players are now on the team (Proctor 2007, Howlett 2008, and O'Neill 2009). The other being Hiroko Nishikawa who won in 2006 and is now the asst. coach at St. Pete College. "It was fun having two former ITA Regional Champions from our program watch two others who also have accomplished the same feat." Jillian O'Neill downed Olivia Howlett in the final 7-5; 6-2 in hard fought match on both sides. Howlett who qualified for the Small College Championships last year also is the reigning Small College National Champion. In doubles, O'Neill and Howlett paired up to beat their teammates Proctor and Courtney Spafford 8-2 in the final. "It is always fun to have two (doubles) teams in the finals. We had both teams serving and volleying and coming forward on returns. It was fun!"
O'Neill and Howlett will now get the opportunity in Mobile to see if they can win both a singles and doubles National Championship. The HCC program has won the doubles championship twice and the singles once out of their last four trips. "We have always been successful at the Small College Championships," said Berryhill. "It is a fun tournament and we are looking more and more prepared each day." Before traveling to Mobile, the Hawks will play in the C.L. Varner Memorial Tournament hosted by Rollins College on October 9-11.
September 8, 2009
Fall 2009 Preview
The 2009-2010 HCC Lady Hawks enter this fall with one thing in mind, get better! The team is coming off a disappointing finish to a season that ended with the team being one point away from repeating as National Champions. However, the Hawks have a lot to look forward to this fall with the return of sophomores Jillian O'Neill and Olivia Howlett who were named ITA All-Americans, NJCAA All-Americans, and were ranked #1 and #3 respectively at the end of last season. The duo also returns as the #1 doubles team in the country after winning the flight one crown in May. The Hawks also welcome the return of a fellow ITA All-American Nachell Proctor who played #1 for the team the year they won the National title. With the return of the top three players from a season ago and the addition of Proctor and freshman Sandra Pickerill, the Hawks look poised to make a strong fall showing. "This will be a fun fall for us because of the depth of our team, " Coach Berryhill said. "The team is working hard and are preparing for what we expect will be a successful year both on and off the tennis court. I am looking forward to seeing us compete."
The Hawks open up the season with the ITA Regional event hosted by Central Florida Community on September 25th and 26th.
July 31, 2009
Serena Williams visits and practices at the HCC Tennis Complex!
2009 Wimbledon Women's Single Champion Serena Williams with former HCC Tennis Players Elisa Leeder (left)
and Brittney Bowden (right).
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