With their first match scheduled on Friday, the San Diego Mesa College women’s badminton team is ready to improve on last season's record with a mix of first and second year players. The team finished with a 2-6 record along with sophomore Erica Garcia Badaracco capturing the South Coast Conference singles title. Badaracco also placed top 8 in the state championships. “Erica is a key player in our program,” states head coach June Andrews. “Her talent and work ethic is something that the other players follow. She’ll be one of the favorites for the singles title once again this year.”
Andrews explained that the team struggled at the #3 through #6 slots. She attributed that to first year badminton players and hope that with a notch under their belt, will start winning some points down at the lower part of the line-up. “I think the year of experience and knowing what to expect in the matches will truly help,” adds Andrews. “Now it will be just executing the shots and minimizing mistakes.”
Two additions to the line up are freshmen Megan Nguyen and Ariana Huerta. Both Nguyen and Huerta are seasoned badminton players. Both are known to possess a true passion for the game and understand the dedication it takes to compete at the highest level. Sophomore Becky Lester will be returning for her second full season and will play both singles and doubles. Kathy Rodriguez has made tremendous improvements in her overall game, she is expected to contribute immediately.
The coaching staff is expecting to win more matches this season due to the team's depth. The combination of novice players along with dedicated badminton players should improve the wins in the lower part of the line-up, particularly lines 3 through 6. The team is confident that they have a shot at not only the conference, but also the state title as long as the team plays to what they are capable of. “We always strive for the best,” states Andrews. “Anything is a possibility if we keep the shuttle in play and execute what we work on. Regardless of what we achieve, I know that our team will have fun as a unit and make life long memories.”
Follow the Olympian Badminton team on Instagram at: @sdmesabadminton