WILKES-BARRE, PA (March 19, 2021) -- The King's College women's tennis team will have a different look this season under the direction of 42nd year head coach Bill Eydler, and the reason for that is that for the first time in three years Emily Fernandez will not be locked in as the No. 1 player for King's. 

Fernandez, who finished her career with one of the best winning percentages in school and conference history having tallied a 49-11 record in just over two seasons of action while earning a pair of Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Individual titles, in in the physician's assistant program and unfortunately will not return in 2021. 

The loss of Fernandez will hurt in the short term, as not having someone that won 23 of her last 28 dual match starts while going 14-3 in her career in tournaments would obviously be a hit to any time. The absense will create an opportunity, a free spot, that someone will need to step into. King's will have 11 women on the roster this year which is up from previous years. 

This internal competition between the four newcomers and seven returning letter winners will be one that is exciting to watch both for coaches and fans. The Monarchs have three seniors that return this year to guide the young squad in PJ Kaur, Diana Rodriguez and Alexis Zalutko. 

Zalutko has been a starter for the Monarchs since her sophomore season, earning action in seven matches in 2018-19 before going 4-9 last year as a junior before the season was shut down due to CoVID-19.

Zalutko played mostly at No. 3 singles, but also has had experience at No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 doubles. In fact, her 21-26 doubles mark over her time at King's features an 8-3 record at the No. 1 spot. Zalutko should be a go-to performer for King's this year.

Rodriguez has been good in her time as a Monarch, going 13-9 as a sophomore while dominating at the No. 4 spot. After only seeing action in five matches during 2017-18, she played in all of them as a sophomore before also playing in all 10 dual matches in 2020. 

Kaur doesn't quite have the on-court experience for King's but has been on the team for the last three seasons, and has played well in her doubles chances. 

King's also has a pair of juniors that each have played well in their tenures and should be contributors in 2021. Mikayla Reynolds has played mostly in No. 4 and No. 5 spots in singles, and earning a strong 12 victories in doubles as well.

Fellow junior Lauren Lamarca joined the team as a sophomore, and was very good late in the year as she went 5-2 in her last seven matches at the No. 5 position. She also 7-5 in doubles, playing only with Addie Atkins in 2021. 

Speaking on Atkins, she had a very strong season as a newcomer in 2020, going 9-4 overall including posting a 6-2 dual match record. She was 6-1 overall at the No. 6 spot in 2020, and will look to bring that momentum into this season. 

Sophomore Nina Zola was poised to come on late in the spring for the Monarchs, as she joined during the fall semester but was unable to get into any matches in 2020. She has been with the team now for an entire season, and will look to battle her way into the lineup. 

Zola will be battling with four newcomers to the team, each of which has a strong pedigree and will be looking to make a mark on the program this season. First-year Jackie Costello is also a member of the King's women's basketball team, and her athleticism and movement on the court will help in both singles and doubles. 

First-year Rachel Bath comes to King's after serving as a team captain of the women's tennis team at Coughlin High School in Wilkes-Barre. Bath was also a four-year letter winner, holding down the No. 1 singles position.

Newcomer Braelan Drollas, from Caldwell, New Jersey, was a varsity letter winner for the Chiefs, also earning letters in track and golf. Briana Moraca comes from just north in Scranton, PA, and also is another athletic player that won letters in tennis, hoops, softball and track. Look for all four first-year players to battle for playing time this season. 

The Monarchs will get its season started March 20 against Wilkes University, and will enjoy a home slate of six home matches at Kirby Park. After Saturday's home match with Wilkes, King's will also host Misericordia University, DeSales University, Lycoming College, Stevens Institute of Technology and FDU-Florham.