ACU women’s tennis enters the new United Athletic Conference this season with a new team.

Only three players remain from last year’s roster: Junior Jessica Board, sophomore Victoria Correa and senior Angela del Campo.

The Wildcats added seven players to the team, including five freshmen and two transfers.

• Alejandra Corroto, freshman marketing major from Spain
• Alem Cote, sophomore health sciences major from Florida
• Julia Ionescu, freshman biomedical sciences major from Canada
• Anna Krljic, freshman management major from Sweden
• Che Nel, sophomore accounting major from South Africa
• Marlie Smith, freshman kinesiology major from Amarillo
• Zara Zafirovska, freshman finance major from Macedonia.

With the additions, 10 international players are represented on the roster, making women’s tennis one of the most internationally diverse teams at ACU.

Board, junior finance major from Australia, said the new roster brings excitement about the season ahead.

“It’s nice to see new faces and practice with different people,” Board said.

The team’s international background also gives the players a shared experience off the court. The players have moved away from their families and home countries to attend ACU, creating a connection among teammates.

“We can relate to each other,” Board said. “We are going through the same things.”

Board said that shared experience helps the team support each other as they adjust to a new season and a new team.

“We can figure everything out together as a team,” Board said.

While Board begins another season as a player, Del Campo will join Bryan Rainwater’s staff as the team’s graduate assistant.

“It’s hard seeing the girls playing and knowing I don’t have that anymore,” Del Campo said. “But at the same time, I want them to have the best year as a team.”

Del Campo said she is confident in what the team can accomplish in its new conference.

“All of our players can improve a lot because of the way they play,” Del Campo said.

As a graduate assistant, Del Campo’s goal is to push each player to improve and help the team compete for a conference championship.