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Hawkeye Rookies Find a Home in Iowa City By Chris Brewer T hey come from Oregon, Pennsylvania and northern England, and they're happy to call Iowa home. Assistant coach Courtney Nagle and freshmen Annette Dohanics and Caitlyn Hindmarsh arrived on campus last August, and after one season of tennis, they have made a lasting impression on the Hawkeye program. "Both those freshmen, they're two of the feistiest ones on the team," said Nagle, who came to Iowa following an All-America playing career at the University of Oregon. "They're setting the tone for intensity on the court. They're good competitors." Dohanics and Hindmarsh have a combined 20-8 singles record, not a simple task to complete while competing in a conference that features eight teams in the ITA national team rankings. Dohanics won her last four Big Ten matches at the No. 6 position, while Hindmarsh collected 13 wins while climbing from the bench to the No. 4 spot. "I stay out there as long as I can and fight for every single point," said Hindmarsh, a native of Sunderland, England. "I haven't played great in all of the matches, but I try to stay on the court as long as I can and break the opponent down." "She knows how to battle," said Nagle. "She has to play opponents that make a lot of balls and a lot of times that's how she has to play. She has gotten tougher. She's now playing No. 4 singles and she's found success." Hindmarsh's battle started from the outside looking in. She wasn't in the lineup when the season started, but after the opportunity on the court presented itself, she began performing at an irreplaceable level. "She started out of the lineup and when she jumped in she immediately started competing," said Nagle. "She didn't have the best fall, but after the break, she came back more fit and confident. The fitter she was, she could run down balls and fight for every point. I think she got a couple wins under her belt and she's just been good ever since." Hindmarsh has been so good her assent up the lineup opened the door for Dohanics to return to the No. 6 position. Dohanics opened the season at the No. 6 spot, but she was unable to find consistent success at the position and was ultimately replaced by Hindmarsh. "Nettie went through a little slump that a lot of people go through," said Nagle. "Everyone has their ups and downs throughout the season, hers just happened to be at a time where Caitlyn was playing very well, so we couldn't really put her back in." That slump everyone goes through eventually gave Dohanics a second opportunity. "She stayed hungry every day," said Nagle. "She worked through it on the practice court and tried to get extra reps. She was sitting there for six or seven matches just hungry to go in. We put her in and she won four straight matches. She loves to play, she's a grinder and a fighter. Nagle added that the atmosphere the freshmen create lend reason for excitement in the program. "They're both very smart and coachable. They have a pretty good bond, just from being young classmates, and they're capable of doing great things. They're both good kids and I'm excited for them." 11