Two Colby Tennis Players Selected to Compete in NCAA Tournament
Carly Levitz ’22 of Chappaqua, N.Y., and Jan Wenger ’23 of Pfeffingen, Switzerland, have been selected to play in the 2021 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Singles Tournament May 28-30.
“It’s nice recognition for where our program is going and has come,” said Head Men’s and Women’s Tennis Coach Adam Reeb. “We’ve been taking steps each year to become an even more competitive team, both in our region and nationally. And it signifies that we’re becoming that type of program and one that’s in the top 10 of the region, sending players to nationals.”
For men’s and women’s D-III tournaments, the NCAA selects 32 players across the entire country from hundreds of schools. This year, players had to be ranked in the top eight in the region to be selected, explained Reeb. Levitz was ranked around seventh and Wenger around fourth.
“It’s going to be best-to-the-best and obviously a really great competition,” said Reeb, who last year was named College Coach of the Year by the United States Professional Tennis Association, New England Division.
A junior, Levitz is co-captain of the women’s team, which she joined as a first-year student. “She’s played number one since she’s got here, which is really impressive,” said Reeb. Levitz has an unconventional way of playing, Reeb added, where she hits heavy, hard-to-counter balls. “She’s just extremely consistent, a great competitor, gritty, tough.”
In her first year, Levitz was selected as the first alternate for the 2019 NCAA Singles Tournament, earned NESCAC All-Second Team honors, and ranked 29th nationally and ninth regionally in singles. She was named an ITA Scholar-Athlete, too. The following season, she was named to the NESCAC Spring All-Academic Team.
“She’s just one of the best players in the country,” said Reeb. “I’m really excited for her to get the opportunity to compete on that stage.”
Reeb feels the same way about Wenger.
“He’s been a top four or five player in our region this entire year and is definitely deserving of that,” said Reeb. In his first season at Colby, Wenger was ranked 18th nationally in doubles, which he played behind Colby All-American Scott Altmeyer ’20.
“He’s got a pretty good all-court game, and he’s smart,” Reeb said of Wenger. “He can adjust and correct during the course of a match.” He’s also a very fit competitor who went to three sets in every singles match this season and was victorious in most of them.
Levitz and Wenger’s selections speak to the team’s overall success, Reeb stressed. During a roller coaster-like season with so many unknowns due to the pandemic, “we had as good of a preparation as we could have had,” he said. “We’ve got great student athletes, and it’s awesome to see them being recognized for their hard work and the progress that they’re making.”
The competition will take place at Champions Tennis Club in Chattanooga, Tenn.
