DUDLEY, Mass. (8/21/2026) - Nichols College women's tennis is set to open serve in the fall of their 2026 campaign. 

The previous season, the Bison earned their seventh conference championship in program history. With a 4-2 semifinal win over Gordon College on November 1 and a decisive 4-1 victory over Endicott in the CNE Championship the following day, women's tennis secured back-to-back conference championships. In the latest ITA Ranking (June 3rd, 2026) Nichols College women's tennis landed their program-best national ranking of 66.

Nichols College women's tennis will be led by Head Coach Chris Nordenson, starting his first season on The Hill. Nordenson joins the Bison after serving as an assistant coach for the men's and women's tennis programs at Bates College from 2024-26, where he assisted in all aspects of the programs, including player development, recruiting, match preparation, and video and analytics operations. During his time at Bates, Nordenson helped guide the Bobcats to several notable achievements; The Bates men's No. 1 doubles pairing earned Second Team All-NESCAC honors in both 2025 and 2026, while the women's program secured its first victory over Williams College in program history on March 16, 2025. On the men's side, Bates earned victories over nationally ranked opponents No. 32 Brandeis on March 1, 2026, and No. 38 MIT on April 28, 2026. 

When asked about the team's outlook and expectations for the upcoming season, Nordenson emphasized the importance of building on last season's success while staying focused on the task at hand. "Coming off a conference championship, we know we have a strong challenge ahead of us in a competitive conference. We have a lot of belief in this team and in each other, and our focus will be on controlling what we can, continuing to improve every day, and competing with confidence and determination in every match. We're excited for the opportunity to compete, and our goal is to push every opponent to the limit and make the most of every opportunity we have." 

Returning to women's tennis are Cassie Rice, Erin Helly, and Pamela Gonzalez-Vallardi. The Bison see large change in their additions, stamping four new members of the team for the 2026 season. Additions include Delaney Giesen, Marta Hellstrom, Gianna Musumeci, Kaitlyn Tingle, and Julia Beaulieu.

The Bison will open the new season traveling on the road to Clark University on Saturday, September 5th. The match start is set for noon at the Cornish Tennis Courts.