Cal Poly Womens Tennis will be looking to build off their storied 2023-24 season, capturing their first Big West Championship since 2003.
The Mustangs charged through the Big West Tournament on a six-match win streak to earn an NCAA Tournament berth, matching up with the USC Trojans.
Cal Poly ended the year the season ranked No. 68 in the nation, with a plethora of award-winning athletes.
The defending champions will have a new addition to home court this season. The brand-new Comerford Pavillion was constructed, adding to the program’s prestige.
Leading the charge
Ellie Edles Williams leads the team in her third season as Cal Poly’s head coach.
Williams was named the 2023-24 Big West Coach of the Year and holds a record of 28-14 in her first two seasons, reaching the Big West Finals in both years.
“The theme this year is to come out and fight, silence the noise around our team, and compete to the end in every match,” Williams said.
Williams is joined by second-year assistant Emily Dush and long-time head coach and her father Mike Edles.
Seniors Peyton Dunkle and Romane Mosse will lead the team as the two captains.
Dunkle is coming off one of her most successful seasons in her outstanding Cal Poly career. The Arroyo Grande, Calif. native is among the winningest Mustangs in history, having already totaled 40 singles victories.
She was nominated All-Big West First Team in singles and doubles, with a 12-6 record primarily playing at singles line No. 2 and 13-5 at the No. 2 doubles spot with her sister Delanie Dunkle.
“Our past leaders have been able to lead by example, and we want to keep that legacy going with great leadership from within,” Dunkle said. “We have high hopes and want to accomplish all of our goals.”
Those past leaders and now alumni are Peyton’s older sister, Delanie Dunkle, and Melissa LaMette from last year’s championship run.
The pressure is on for the fiery and powerful left-handed Dunkle. She will play at the top again in her senior season and is ecstatic to make another run.
“I will put my head down to do anything to win, doesn’t matter if it looks ugly,” Dunkle said. “The team has got so close over the past few years and when we defend our title together that will be awesome.”
Romane Mosse was a spark of life and dominance in her first season as a Mustang in 2023-24.
The Jacksonville State transfer accumulated a 17-5 singles record and went 10-8 in doubles paired with LaMette, earning All-Big West Second Team honors for both performances.
Mosse’s confidence is only growing in her second year at Cal Poly.
“It was such a successful season last year and we all gained confidence in ourselves and the team,” Mosse said. “It shows where hard work can get you and we learned to trust the process, we are all super excited to get back.”
Born and raised in Virofly, France, Mosse’s French flair and energy can be seen and especially heard throughout the Ronca Tennis Center.
“We are here for each other, we are a team and a family and here for a reason,” Mosse said. “This year we are going to have a lot of fun, work really hard, and win many matches.”
This 2024-25 Cal Poly team lost some big pieces, including LaMette and Delanie Dunkle, but their depth will be a huge key going into this season.
Stepping up
The Mustangs will forever hold that 2023-24 Big West Championship trophy, but with a new season comes new faces and another opportunity to repeat.
“Being able to watch new voices, new energies, and leaders grow year after year is one of the reasons I love my job so much,” Williams said.
Cal Poly’s class of Juniors is primed for a year of growth and emergence, Williams said.
Kennedy Buntrock, Sasha Ozerets and Sarah MacCallum make up that group.
Last season, Buntrock (12-7 singles, 11-7 doubles) and Ozerets (14-9 singles, 3-4 doubles) played a huge impact up and down the lineup ranging from lines No. 2-6.
MacCallum has been making big strides and has ramped up her play in the Fall season, going 2-1 in singles in the inaugural Cal Poly Invitational.
The now upperclassmen are ready to make their mark and continue contributing to the program.
“What does that mean when you have a target on your back? You have to work even harder and train intensely,” Buntrock said. “These teams will come at us harder, and our mindset is to keep doing big things.”
Buntrock hails from Henderson, Nevada.
Any match with Kennedy on the court is one to watch; she is a wall on the baseline with a striking backhand and can easily go cross-court or down the line. Pairing that backhand with her phenomenal first-serve is a terrific one-two punch.
Competitiveness and consistency fuel Buntrock’s will to win.
“I’m a competitor at heart, I love the battle,” Buntrock said. “The message this year is just to stay committed and courageous and our results will come.”
The Mustangs have three seniors on the team: Dunkle, Mosse, and Eliza Bates.
Bates, a doubles specialist, was incredibly efficient last season, going 4-2 in singles play and teaming up with Buntrock, playing No. 3 doubles with a record of 8-2.
The Mustangs sophomores Natalie Lynch and Amy Leather are a huge addition to this Cal Poly team after being hit with injuries that kept them off the court all of last year.
“Nat has made a huge jump this year and she’s been able to build off of that and continues to develop on the court,” Williams said. “Amy is back and looking really good physically. It’ll be exciting to see what they will be able to do for us this season.
At the Cal Poly Invitational, Lynch was undefeated in singles play over the three days.
Amy is the younger sister of Cal Poly alumnus Joe Leather, who played on the men’s tennis team for all four years.
The Mustang freshmen class will see their first Spring collegiate action soon.
Cal Poly brought in Anushree Shekhera and Jessica MacCallum, Sarah’s younger sister.
Shekhera and MacCallum proved themselves earlier this year in the fall season and will look to impact this Mustang team immediately.
Coming off an NCAA Tournament appearance and now defending their title in a new state-of-the-art complex, there is a lot to look forward to.
“It’s going to get rowdy here, and I’m excited to prove we can do this again,” Dunkle said.