Bucknell University Athletics
Helt Tabs Cioffi and Pino as Women's Tennis Captains
8/12/2015 2:13:00 PM | Women's Tennis
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Bucknell women's tennis coach Rebecca Helt has announced the team's captains for the 2015-16 season and a pair of accomplished seniors are set to take on the responsibilities. Maria Cioffi will serve as the captain for the Bison, while Stephanie Pino was tabbed as a co-captain.
“Choosing the right leaders for our team has become one of the most crucial parts of our program,” Helt said. “For us to remain competitive in the Patriot League it is necessary for every member of our team to be dedicated and committed to our expectations and rules. Having captains in place who believe in those expectations and rules, and who have a strong desire to hold their team to a high standard of performance, means everything to the success of this program.”
Cioffi has been one of the elite players in the Patriot League in her first three seasons at Bucknell and certainly the most consistent. She has gone a perfect 12-0 in Patriot League dual matches, including the conference tournament, over the past two seasons. She was the only player to go unbeaten at No. 1 singles in league play last season and was a top contender for both the Patriot League Player of the Year Award and the Patriot League Women's Tennis Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award, the latter of which she won in 2014.
For her career, Cioffi ranks eighth all-time in singles victories with a record of 66-29, eighth in doubles wins with a record of 58-28 and seventh in total victories with a mark of 124-57. She is just 10 wins shy of cracking the top five in singles.
“Maria has shown an extraordinary level of dedication and commitment not only to her own success, but to the team's success, as well,” Helt said. “She sets the standard when it comes to hard work on the court, off the court and in the classroom. Her priorities are in line with what one would expect from a Division I student-athlete. My hope would be that our younger players will look at what Maria has accomplished at Bucknell and have the desire to follow in her footsteps.”
Pino also has a chance to work her way up Bucknell's all-time wins lists this season. She is currently in the top 20 in doubles wins at 39-42 and in total victories with a career mark of 76-72. She has a solid 37-30 record in singles play, which sits just outside the top 20. Pino started her career off on a high note with an impressive freshman campaign in 2012-13, going 19-11.
“Stephanie is entering year three as a representative in the Bucknell Bison Leadership Academy, and we have shared many conversations and ideas about how to increase the teams' cohesion and success overall,” Helt said. “I'm counting on Steph to take what she has learned from the Leadership Academy and apply it to our entire team.”
The Bison return all six regular starters from last season's singles lineup. They will open the season at home with the Bucknell Quad Tournament on Sept. 4-6.
Players Mentioned
