Heading into their spring season, the Saint Mary’s tennis team is more than ready to show similar results to their successful campaign last year.
Under head coach Dale Campbell, the Belles have shown massive success. Campbell will be entering his 18th season as head coach and has not failed to show results. In the 2023-24 season, the team were finalists in the MIAA conference and in the 2024-25 season, the team made it to the semi-finals. Campbell has also been named “the winningest Coach in Saint Mary’s Tennis history” as his current record overall is 199-134 and 78-48 in the MIAA.
The team welcomes back a multitude of returners including senior duo Evelyn Demblans-Dechans and Emma Kealy. Demblans-Dechans, entering her fourth year with the Belles, has contributed heavily over the past three years. As a freshman, Demblans-Dechans competed in 17 matches, including the ITA Regional tournament with a record of 20-1 in singles, 16-6 in doubles, equaling an overall record of 36-7. As a sophomore, Demblans-Dechans showed similar if not better numbers, going 20-6 in singles, 21-7 in doubles, with an overall record of 41-13. Last season Demblans-Dechans didn’t compete as much as her first two years, having a 4-1 singles record and 4-4 doubles record for an overall record of 8-5. In her sophomore year, Demblans-Dechans was named to the second all-MIAA team.
Next to Demblans-Dechans is Kealy. A three year starter for the Belles, Kealy has never failed to put up winning numbers. As a freshman, Kealy finished her season with an 18–7 singles record, 15-9 doubles record accumulating to an overall of 33-16. Kealy didn’t stop there. In her sophomore year she rounded out the singles competition going 18-9 and 19-7 in doubles for a total of 37-16. In her junior year, Kealy went 11-9 in singles, 20-5 in doubles for an overall record of 31-14. Over the past three years, Kealy was named to the second-all MIAA team in her sophomore year earning ITA All-Scholar Athlete honors and CSC Academic All-District Honors.
The Belles also welcome back junior Anna Gardener. Gardener, who started both her freshman and sophomore year, has shown success on both the singles and doubles courts. Her freshman year, she finished 16-8 on the singles courts and 22-6 on the doubles courts for an overall record of 38-14. As a sophomore, Gardener finished her season 30-14, going 16-8 in singles and 14-6 in doubles.
Last season the Belles went 16-5 overall and 6-2 in the MIAA with losses to Kalamazoo, Goshen, Hope and Grace College. Looking ahead to the coming spring season, the Belles prepare to face off against Huntington on Jan. 31 at 3 p.m. at the South Bend Racquet Club.
