Bucknell University Athletics
Parks, Urbinati Named Women's Tennis Captains for 2016-17 Season
5/18/2016 6:26:00 PM | Women's Tennis
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Bucknell women's tennis head coach Rebecca Helt has announced that Melissa Parks and Michele Urbinati will be the team captains for the 2016-17 season. The seniors will take on the role for the first time as they enter the final season of their collegiate careers.
“Melissa and Michele have been in constant communication with me since they arrived as freshmen,” Helt said. “They've had a strong desire to lead by example and stress accountability from all members of our team. I've established a strong working relationship with both of them and I think the three of us working together will be able to make significant strides in the advancement of our program. I've been extremely proud of both of them for their strong commitment to tennis and academics.”
Parks sits just outside the Bucknell career wins lists, and is sure to crack the top 25 in at least one of them with a solid senior season. She has a winning record in both singles at 31-28 and doubles at 25-21 and has won at least one tournament title in each of her three seasons. She took first in singles play at the Mount St. Mary's Invitational as a freshman and a sophomore, and won a doubles bracket at the Bucknell Tournament this past season.
“I am very excited to be a captain this upcoming season,” Parks said. “Being captain means much more to me than just a title. A captain is a leader on the team that younger and older players can look to for advice, guidance and problem solving. I feel that captains shouldn't be bound to just helping with their particular sport, but be able to provide advice regarding all aspects of life at Bucknell. Being in the Bison Leadership Academy since my sophomore year has allowed me to learn more about being a leader and the actions required to step into that role. I feel the Academy has given me the tools to tackle any issue our team might face throughout the season. I am privileged to help lead the team in the right direction.”
Urbinati has established herself as one of the top all-around players on the team, fueled by her excellent play in doubles. She is 41-28 in doubles through her first three seasons and has won four tournament titles. She has been impressive in singles, as well, racking up 30 wins, including a 9-6 record in Patriot League dual matches. She has one tournament title in singles. Urbinati ranks 17th in program history in doubles wins and 20th in combined wins.
“I am more than excited about being named co-captain for next year with Melissa,” Urbinati said. “We had an amazing season and have endless talent on our team. I truly cannot imagine playing with a better group of women. Moving forward, I hope to keep the energy and enthusiasm going and ensure that we're always having fun with everything we do. Being a captain requires leading by example, so I intend to keep that a number one priority.”
The Bison went 16-9 last season, a 10-win improvement from the year before. The 16 wins were the team's most since 2005. They entered the postseason as the fourth seed in the Patriot League Tournament, where they opened with a 4-2 win over Lehigh.
“We had an outstanding season this past year, and I attribute much of that success to our senior leadership, as well as a strong presence of leadership skills throughout our entire team,” Helt said. “There are several members of this team who have stepped up in their effort to lead by a strong example and that will help us tremendously as we look to improve upon a successful year.”
Players Mentioned
