TENNIS TEAM BEGINS RECRUITMENT

by Mike Kissel

University of Missouri-St. Louis has lacked a women's tennis program for four seasons, but that will change this year.

The athletic department has made strides not only in the creation of a women's team, but also in setting the way to make it a top notch program.

The first task was to hire a coach who had a good tennis background. The person who met the athletic department's expectations was Lisa Schuito.

Schuito is a 1987 graduate of SIU-Edwardsville. She was the team captain during the 1986 and 1987 campaigns in which her team was the national champion.

Schuito also has a good background in coaching. She coached several nationally ranked junior players throughout the Missouri Valley Conference.

The most important part is that she has built a good network with local high school coaches.

"Lisa is familiar with the local junior players and the coaches throughout the area," said Pat Dolan, UM-St. Louis athletic director. "So, the hope is we can bring top notch high school players who would be interested in scholarships and earning a degree."

This is going to be a process that is not going to happen overnight. Lisa was hired in July, so recruiting has been limited for the most part to campus.

"The program needs to get a foundation. The girls who are playing now are enthusiastic and will help get things started," Dolan said of this year's squad.

The timetable set for the Riverwomen team to be highly competitive and a top-notch program is three to five years.

The major task for Schuito during the off season is to make high school women aware that the tennis program at UM-St. Louis is up and running.

"We felt that our men's tennis program has made major strides in the last couple years, and it should be a priority to have gender equity in athletic programs," Dolan said.

Dolan stressed it was the department's goal to do what is right for the student athletes.

"The girls can be competitive. The athletics help the students feel integrated and involved in college life. We just have to achieve the task of getting eight to ten girls who are competitive and want to play for UM-St. Louis," Dolan said.