SANTA CLARA, Calif. – With two league matches left at home and the West Coast Conference Championships looming, two Santa Clara women's tennis players will say goodbye to the team in the next couple of weeks.
Chelby Cooke and Delphine Rouvillois are the lone seniors on the roster and their careers are coming to a close at Degheri Tennis Center, a place they've called home the last four years surrounded by an environment that has felt like family.
Santa Clara (11-8, 4-3) faces off against No. 9-ranked Pepperdine (17-2, 7-0) on Friday (2 p.m.) and Loyola Marymount (9-11, 3-4) on Saturday (noon) before hopefully heading to the WCC Championships in Los Angeles next Thursday.
Update April 22 | 10:45 a.m. PDT : Friday's Match Start Time Delayed
The Broncos and LMU are vying for one of the six spots in the league tournament. Santa Clara is in good position, currently tied for third, but five teams are within one victory among the 10 conference schools.
The Waves vaunt the No. 5-ranked singles player in the country in Luisa Stefani and the No. 19 doubles team, consisting of Matea Cutura and Christine Maddox as well as the 23rd-ranked duo of Stefani and Apichaya Runglerdkriangkrai.
LMU has won four of its last seven matches and travels to the University of San Francisco on Friday before facing the Broncos, who have won three of four.
"(Rouvillois) and (Cooke) have been two incredible players for us the last four years," said head coach Ben Cabell. "They're two of the best competitors that have played here, for sure. We're definitely going to miss them on the team next year and they've had incredible careers and we know that they're going to do even more impressive things after they're done here."
He went on to mention that both have been starters at the top of the lineup for their entire careers as well as being a part of the only Santa Clara team that won a conference championship (2012-13 season) and most of the nationally-ranked Bronco squads.
The finality of senior year still hasn't quite dawned on the two yet.
"I don't think it's really going to hit me until I'm not back here next fall, playing," Cooke said. "I'm definitely going to come into these matches with the same mindset and preparation that I always do, but with the Senior Day celebrations and everything, I think it is going to be a little bit more emotional."
The key word for Rouvillois about her time at Santa Clara was "appreciation," especially in her final year.
She missed all of the fall season after an ACL injury led to surgery in September and her main goal was to return and play alongside her teammates in the spring where she has posted a 4-3 dual singles record with four unfinished matches.
Rouvillois talked about how she was approaching it as a "gift" that she was able to return and that she gets to spend more time on the courts with her teammates.
Both players mentioned the lifelong friendships that they have formed during their four years at Santa Clara and how it is truly like a family.
"I'm still talking to seniors I met when I was a freshman, still talking to those people that graduated already, so I know it's like family and I know that it's the most special part of my Bronco career," Rouvillois said.
The familial aspect was particularly important as her actual family resides in France. Having a family away from home was a common theme for the two seniors.
"Honestly, I think what made my career so special was our assistant coach, (Tricia Guidace)," Cooke said. "She has just been a mom away from home and has taken such good care of all of us and has cultivated relationships that I know I'm going to be thankful of for the rest of my life."
Guidace has been with them for their entire four years at Santa Clara and had trouble putting her feelings into words.
"I have mixed emotions," she said. "It's always sad to see seniors go, but it's always nice to watch them head into the next facet of their lives. Their new lives are commencing and I love watching who they become as they head out into the world."
For assistant Scott Keaton, this was his first year in college coaching. Though he has only spent a season with the team, and the two seniors, he was very thankful for the time he had.
"To have (Rouvillois) and (Cooke) as two of my first players to work with, they've been really great," he said. "I don't think I could've asked for two better players to work with in my first year. Going forward, as I continue to coach, looking back upon these two players … if I can find any more years coaching players like this, it will be a situation that I'm really lucky to be in."
Cooke, who has teamed with Madison Clarke to post a team-best 13-6 doubles mark, and Rouvillois are looking forward to continuing play in the WCC Championships next week in what could be their final road trip with the team before it all ends. The two were happy about the opportunity at postseason play and also some more time spent with the team.
"A lot of nonsense always happens when we travel, so I think just making some really specific, fun memories with the girls next week at (the WCC Championships) would be a great way to end the season and my tennis career," Cooke said.
After being told of Cooke's response, Guidace was finally able to piece together what she felt was all encompassing about the two seniors, and the team as a whole.
"Make sure to include 'shenanigans' and 'knuckleheads,'" she said. "'Nonsense' is good; that's the perfect word."
Some words often used when hanging around with family.
Parking & Admission: Admission is free to Degheri Tennis Center. Metered parking should be available in the Leavey Center lot (free on Saturday and Sunday), which is adjacent to the tennis center. Click here for a campus map and parking information.
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