JERRY ADAMS
Head Coach

Coach Adams begins his tenth season as head coach of the women’s tennis program. During his tenure, the program has risen from a one-win season his first year to being a perennial contender in the region. Adams’career record at Aquinas is 83-52. Over the past seven years, Aquinas is 75-38. Prior to coaching at the collegiate level, Adams served as the boy’s tennis coach at Lowell High School. In his real life, Coach Adams owns a design firm, Media Rare ,that specializes in museum exhibition development. A University of Michigan anthropology graduate, Adams earned a master’s degree in museum studies and the history of science from Oregon State University. Before opening his company, Adams served as a curator at the Public Museum of Grand Rapids and still serves as the curator for Alticor Corporation. Coach Adams resides near Aquinas’campus with his wife, Amy Sherman (an Aquinas grad) and their three children, Finn (9), Rohan (7) and Edie (5).

2009 Outlook:

The Saints lost three key players from last season, Lindsey Skinner and Sarah VanGessel to graduation and Ashley Austin to transfer. Despite these losses, the squad looks forward to another successful campaign, having several new recruits joining the core of last year’s team.

Leading the team this season is senior captain Kelly Magee (Ludington/Ludington). Magee played in the three slot last season and expects to provide strong “top of the lineup” play this season in singles and doubles. “Kelly is blessed with a solid all-court game, she is steady and has great hands in doubles.” Joining Kelly this season are fellow seniors Kellie Herringa (Cadillac/Cadillac) and Lauren Cherluck (Sterling Heights/Sterling Heights). Herringa continues to improve her game and gained more experience last season, getting into several matches in singles and doubles. “Lauren will contribute in both singles and doubles this year, having improved her backhand significantly with a lot of summertime play.”

Sophomores Katie Siegel (Grand Rapids/Forest Hills Northern) and Cecilia Vaughn (Grosse Pointe
Woods/Regina) are expected to continue their strong contributions in the heart of the lineup. Siegel is especially potent in doubles, having lost in the Division I semi-finals two seasons ago at first doubles for a state championship team. Cecelia Vaughn was the surprise of last year’s newcomers. She will provide solid play in the singles and doubles lineup, giving her all on every point.

Freshmen Emily Decker (St. Clair/St. Clair) will compete with Kelly Magee at the top of the lineup. Emily is very talented; it is just a matter of time before she figures out the college game and starts racking up wins. Samantha Buehler (Grandville/Grandville) will be joining our squad this season. Samantha showed great hands and will be an important doubles contribution this season. This year will be a new experience in that the NAIA is no longer hosting regionals, but will select participants to nationals from the rankings. Three out of the past four years, we were ranked in the top 25 and did not qualify. This year, we will be seeking out more NAIA clubs to work on our ranking and take on the better teams from Indiana and Illinois with the same intent in mind.”

“Last season was difficult in that a player who would have been a key contributor was ineligible all
season. That said, I was really proud of the way the rest of the girls stood up. Lindsey Skinner was an
Academic All American for the second year in a row and the team finished third at regionals. The girls
fought all the way through and were a strong team which means more than wins to me.

Kristin Heinrich - Ludington High School

The latest product of a quality program in Ludington, Kristin Heinrich, will join the Aquinas College women's tennis team. Kristin played first singles and saw some action at first doubles in preparation for the the dual role she will certainly fill at the collegiate level. Heinrich follows in the footsteps of the recently-graduated Kelly Magee, first singles player for the Saints. Kristin looks like a tennis player, well-formed strokes from both sides, two serves and she has that killer instinct... that will to win.