Benjamin S. Bucca, Jr. Head Coach-Women’s Tennis
WOMEN’S TENNIS TEAM GIVES BACK The Rutgers women’s tennis team has always looked to make an impact in the community and this year has been no different.
Dear Prospect: Thank you for your interest in Rutgers University and our women’s tennis program. Rutgers is the State University of New Jersey. Since the first students stepped onto campus in 1766, Rutgers has been a place that embraces the joy of learning. With more than 100 majors and 4,000 courses, Rutgers will provide you with an academic experience that will allow you to explore your interests and discover your place in the world! Rutgers’ membership in the prestigious Association of American Universities, along with Harvard, Princeton, Michigan and Stanford, amongst others, is recognition of the outstanding academic and research opportunities available at Rutgers.
The team has developed a partnership with Dr. Michael Nissenblatt and the Challah Bread Foundation. Members of the team help deliver challahs to cancer patients on the oncology floor at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick. In the past, the squad has also donated tennis balls to the Alexander Graham Bell Society for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired. The team donated over 500 tennis balls this year. The tennis balls are used to eliminate noise interference for deaf children with Cochlear Implants. The balls are placed on the legs of desks and chairs in classrooms to minimize the scratching created by furniture movement. Additionally, the team participates with area youth in promoting the great game of tennis!
In intercollegiate athletics, Rutgers is a member of the BIG EAST Conference. With our fall tournament schedule and spring BIG EAST team schedule, you will have the opportunity to play against some of the best college competition in the country. Practices are organized and emphasize not only tennis and physical fitness training, but also mental and emotional training. Our goal is to provide a challenging environment that never loses focus on the fact that playing tennis on a college team is fun!! Participation on the team is more than just practicing forehands and backhands. Academics are emphasized as our team has consistently earned an ITA All Academic Team distinction. Unique community service programs have brought recognition and distinction to the team. This exciting and challenging opportunity will promote your continued development as a tennis player, as a student, and as a person!! I look forward to hearing from you.
Ben Bucca, Jr. Women’s Tennis Coach Rutgers University
Mailing Address: Rutgers Athlectic Center, 83 Rockafeller Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854 Phone: (732)445-7832 • Fax: (732)445-4623 E-mail: bbucca@scarletknights.com
According to Coach Ben Bucca, these and other community service projects add another valuable dimension to the experience of participating on the Rutgers Women’s Tennis Team. In his words: “Playing on this team is really a vehicle for these young women to find their special place in the world.”
Rutgers Tennis Facts
Rutgers Women’s Tennis Schedule Fall 2012 SEPTEMBER Wed. 12 Fri. 21 - Sun. 23 OCTOBER Sat. 6 - Mon. 8 Tue. 16 Fri. 19 - Mon. 22
Sucess on and off the court... • Ranked in the Top 10 in the ITA Northeast Region for three years in a row • ITA All-Academic Team seven of the last eight years • A perfect Academic Progress Rate score of 1,000 in four of the past five years • ITA Regional Sportsmanship Winner for three of the last five years, including the National Sportsmanship winner in 2011 • Had a semifinalist two years in a row at the ITA Northeast Regional Singles Championship
...at Rutgers University • A member of the Association of American Universities, which recognizes outstanding academic and research programs and includes 63 universities, among them Harvard, Princeton, Duke and Michigan • Ranked consistently as one of the top state universities in the country, with a mission devoted to providing outstanding academic and athletic opportunities • A university with an average student to teacher ration of 15:1, which creates an academic environment in which students have to opportunities of a small college with a large university setting • Filled with Scholar-Athletes, including members of the Rutgers Women’s Tennis Team
NJIT Brown Invitational
Piscataway, N.J. Providence, R.I.
2 p.m. All Day
USTA Invitational Princeton ITA Regional
Flushing, N.Y. Princeton, N.J. West Point, N.Y.
All Day TBD All Day
Piscataway, N.J. Bethlehem, Pa. Philadelphia, Pa. Piscataway, N.J. Princeton, N.J. Piscataway, N.J. West Point, N.Y.
11 a.m. 3 p.m. Noon 2 p.m. 12 p.m. 1 p.m. 1 p.m
Piscataway, N.J. Storrs, Conn. Morgantown, W.V. Pittsburgh, Pa. Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Miami Shores, Fla. Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Philadelphia, Pa. New Haven, Conn.
1 p.m. 2 p.m. 1 p.m. 10 a.m. 11 a.m. 3 p.m. 2 p.m. 2 p.m. 1 p.m.
Queens, N.Y. Piscataway, N.J. Piscataway, N.J. Washington, D.C. Tampa, Fla.
2 p.m. 10 a.m. 2 p.m. 11 a.m. TBD
Spring 2013 FEBRUARY Sun. 3 DELAWARE Thu. 7 Lehigh Sat. 9 Penn Wed. 13 FARLEIGH DICKINSON Sat. 16 Princeton Sun. 17 CINCINNATI Sat. 23 Army MARCH Fri. 1 MARQUETTE Tue. 5 UConn Sat. 9 West Virginia Sun. 10 Pittsburgh Sun. 17 California (PA) @ Nova Mon. 18 Barry Wed. 20 Nova Southeastern Wed. 27 Villanova Sat. 30 Yale APRIL Thu. 4 St. John’s Sun. 7 SYRACUSE Wed. 10 SETON HALL Sat. 13 Georgetown Thu. 18 - Sun. 21 BIG EAST Championships BOLD CAPS indicate home matches
Meet Your Teammates Balasa, Balsamo, Judeh, Kayati, Li, Petrini, Sasinin and Zein Head Coach Benjamin S. Bucca, Jr. A native of central New Jersey, Ben Bucca is entering his 10th season as head coach of the Rutgers women’s tennis program. Coach Bucca has guided his teams to tremendous success both on the court and in the classroom, while also spearheading community service projects carried out by team members.
Stefania Balasa
Lindsay Balsamo
Noor Judeh
Year: Junior Major: Exercise Science/Psychology Hometown: East Brunswick, N.J.
Year: Sophomore Major: Psychology Hometown: Wall, N.J.
Year: Sophomore Major: Psychology Hometown: Potomac, Md.
Lindsey Kayati
Gina Li
Vanessa Petrini
Year: Freshman Major: Communications-Journalism Hometown: Monroeville, N.J.
Year: Freshman Major: Biomedical Engineering Hometown:Hillsborough, N.J.
Year: Junior Major: Communications Hometown: Stamford, Conn.
Coach Bucca has led the Scarlet Knights to BIG EASTTournament berths in eight of the last nine seasons, posting an overall record of 118-85 (.581). Additionally, the team has garnered ITA All-Academic honors seven of the past eight years with numerous players receiving ITA All-Academic individual honors. In 2009 and 2010, the Scarlet Knights garnered the most ITA Scholar-Athletes in all of Division I. Also, the team under Bucca's leadership has had a nation-leading perfect APR score – which measures graduation rate and player retention – four of the past five years. In nine years, Coach Bucca has been significantly involved with national collegiate tennis committees. Bucca is now on the ITA Northeast Region Committee. He is also presently a member of the USTA Constitution and Rules Committee, as well as the USTA/Eastern Section Constitution and Bylaws Committee. Last year, RU notched a 13-10 (.565) record, including a 7-4 mark in conference play. Rising junior Vanessa Petrini earned All-Big East Honors and graduating senior Morgan Ivey was the recipient of the ITA/Northeast Region Cissie Leary Sportsmanship award.
Satreethai Sasinin
Mariam Zein
Year: Sophomore Major: Chemistry Hometown: New Brunswick, N.J.
Year: Freshman Major: Pre-Law Hometown: Sugarland, Texas
Coach Bucca resides in New Brunswick with his wife, Christine, and their two children, Ben and Annie.
Volunteer Coach Geralyn Molinari Geralyn Molinari has been a volunteer assistant coach with the Scarlet Knights for 23 years. During her time as a Scarlet Knight, she was the first RU tennis player to be ranked nationally in both doubles and singles. A two-time captain during her tenure at Rutgers, she was named team Most Valuable Player in 1986 and 1988. After graduating from Douglass College in 1988, Molinari went to Penn State University to earn her Masters Degree in Health Education in 1990. She is employed full time as a Program Manager with the New Jersey Department of Human Services. She enjoys the opportunity to offer guidance and support to the Rutgers women's tennis team. She has two sons, Matthew and Robert, who are also avid fans of the Rutgers team.
Assitant Coach Hilary Ritchie Hilary Ritchie begins her third season as an assistant coach. A former Colorado State and Iowa standout, Ritchie arrived “On the Banks” after spending two seasons as the assistant coach at Division III St. Lawrence University. A letterwinner at Colorado State and Iowa, Ritchie played her senior campaign with the Rams, posting a team-best 18-11 record at No. 1 singles and 22-2 record at No. 1 doubles. The 22 wins marked the most doubles victories in CSU history and were fifth all-time for career victories. Ritchie received her Masters of Education while at St. Lawrence University. She graduated Cum Laude from Colorado State in 2008, with a bachelor of arts in speech communication. She now resides in Scotch Plains, N.J.