GC WEEKLY: With new courts and new talent, Goshen hopes for new fans
Goshen College’s tennis program is at its peak entering the 2025-26 season. The team is welcoming six freshmen, 14 talented returners and will soon debut new purple courts and bleachers on campus. For the first time in years, tennis could become a sport that students at GC take more interest in. Will it be worth the price of investment?
The upgrades are undeniable. Construction of the new tennis facility started in August, which means no more 20-minute drives for practices or matches.
“It's hard when you have some work or classes, you get ready fast, eat fast, and then go right away,” sophomore player Uliana Dotsenko said. “Here, it will be just one minute to the courts.”
On top of that, the team has featured some freshmen players while returners Dotsenko, Timo Novak, Blanka Bodo and Filippo Gallo continue to make history for the program. On the women’s side, Dotsenko and Bodo made the 2024 All-Crossroads League Team. Novak and Gallo accomplished the same on the men’s side.
Jon Bemisderfer, head coach of tennis, believes it all starts with recruiting and maintaining the team culture.
“Recruiting players that make our existing players, and us as a team, better, and building a culture that focuses on incremental improvement, that’s what made us successful,” Bemisderfer said.
“Really good players came in this year,” Bodo said. “Iago [Cicui], for example, is going to play No. 1 in singles, he impacted the team a lot. Aside from Cicui, freshman Marin Kawano is currently positioned No. 5 in women’s singles, a sign that the program’s foundation is strengthening.
This new season is considered “completely different” for Bodo. In her freshman year, the women’s team was incomplete. With a roster limited to five, the team entered each match at a disadvantage, losing a game by default in every competition.
“This year, our lineup is very strong, both in doubles and singles. I think this is going to be our strongest year yet,” she said.
The tennis courts are scheduled for completion on Oct. 10, coinciding with the Maple Leafs’ home opener. Bemisderfer sees them as a game-changer for recruiting, scheduling and the student body.
“It’s a place to practice whenever players want, gives us the ability to host more home matches, and potentially some larger events,” he said. “Recruiting is more attractive, and the community will appreciate having access to a brand-new facility.”
Dotsenko and Bemisderfer hope this excitement transfers to the stands and fan base.
“Last year, almost no one watched us play, only some professors, and that’s it. But this year, I hope they’ll be excited, too, and come watch us,” Dotsenko said.
Bemisderfer added, “Having a fan base should help in those tough home conference matches.”
Despite all the new developments, tennis isn’t basketball or football, which are consistent with extremely passionate support. Tennis, rather, is often quieter, and the atmosphere consists more of polite clapping than shouts and cheers.
Andrea Biffi, a sophomore business major and tennis enthusiast, is already convinced the sport’s visibility will grow at GC.
“I think it’s really important to link more people to this beautiful sport and bring more energy for our players,” he said. “The new courts are going to bring a better atmosphere and more fans to the matches.”
According to the GC’s athletic Instagram page, the Goshen men’s team has began the season 3-0 while the women have most recently swept Olivet Nazarene. Combined, the two squads have outscored opponents 26-2.
The numbers and evidence speak for themselves. The real question is whether other students will progressively attend more tennis matches as the team’s energy and momentum continue to build.
Whether or not interest grows, one thing is certain: the program is trending upward. With a mix of successful returners, a high-potential incoming freshman class, and a coach who values family and team spirit, GC tennis is building a community that could last.
