The New Canaan High School Girls Varsity Tennis Team won its third straight CIAC title last weekend.
We put some questions to coach Catherine Walker following the team’s championship win.
Here’s our exchange.
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New Canaanite: Coach Walker, when we connected last year following the team’s state title, you said that NCHS would be looking at another strong team this year, despite losing three seniors. Tell us about last weekend’s CIAC title for NCHS varsity girls tennis team.
Coach Catherine Walker: Winning the Class L CIAC title again this year was very exciting. We worked really hard and smart all season long to bring home the championship for the third time in a row. We had not previously played any of the teams we faced in the State tournament this season. Not knowing how these teams played encouraged us to simply stick to our game plan at each position. We worked really hard to perfect the doubles teams and improve positioning and communication on the court which helped us win States. Each singles player had a game plan and stuck to it to bring home the Championship for NCGT again.
How proud are you of these young athletes?
We had seven returning Varsity players. Having Leah Zheng at the #1 singles position was very encouraging for the team because she was almost a sure win. We knew we needed to just win three more team matches for the overall team win. lThe other girls on the team worked really well together in practices and listened to me during match play. I was so proud of how the team came together to get better after each match we played. I really enjoyed coaching this team because they all got along so well and were so supportive of each other. We had six new players on the team this season who connected so well with the returning Varsity players. We even added two JV players to the V roster at the end of the regular season. All 15 Varsity players bonded better than any team I had coached before. They genuinely respected and liked each other. both on and off the court. This added to the team’s success and made the wins so much more rewarding for all of us.
I know that these girls all play tennis year-round and that at least two who have played on the squad in recent years—Leah Zheng and Aaciya Sonthonnax—also play in USTA tournaments. What else should our readers know about them and the skills they bring to the court.
Leah Zheng, a sophomore at #1 singles was named the FCIAC Player of the Year. She won all her matches this season with ease in straight sets. During the season Leah continued to play UTR/USTA events to improve her college recruiting options and improve her already impressive UTR. Leah is a great role model for all the girls on the team. She has really improved her serve, approach shots and volleys this season making her almost impossible to beat in the FCIAC or CIAC. Not only is she an amazing player she is also a true scholar athlete, consistently making high honors.
Unfortunately, Aaciya opted not to play for NC this season. She is solely focusing on improving her UTR to increase her college recruitment options since she is a junior. Aaciyya said she will play for NCGT her senior year. Having Leah and Aaciya in the lineup will make the team even more unbeatable.
All the Varsity players practice all year long. Each player knows they need to compete at the USTA/UTR level to be in the lineup since the squad is so competitive. The girls play against many of the other top FCIAC players regularly.
This team seems to be amid a period of sustained excellence, and even dominance at times. What can you tell us about how this squad fits into the picture of the NCHS varsity girls tennis team historically?
We felt confident going into the season that we could win the State title again in 2025. Having lost strong seniors on the squad from 2024 made us work really hard this season. We faced the strongest teams in the FCIACS early in the regular season which was unfortunate since this team got so much better as the season progressed. I feel like our top-two doubles teams as well as #1 singles were as competitive in those positions as any team I have coached.
How are you yourself feeling as coach of the team, and what else if anything would you like to say about these athletes and/or the state title?
I am so proud of this team. I have had so much fun getting to know each and every player on the team and am proud of the improvements on the court. I am truly going to miss the senior co-captains, Christina Carr and Amy Meng. Both these players have been on the team for four years. I have witnessed tremendous maturity and growth from both players. They have truly added to the success of the team and have enjoyed bringing home the CIAC state title three out of the four years they have been on the team. The other players know what they need to work on this off season to be a starter in the lineup going forward to bring home both the FCIAC and CIAC titles for New Canaan in 2026!