What is starting out as an obstacle going into the 2008 North Carolina A&T women’s tennis season will hopefully transform into inspiration. Junior Porche Martin, whose last name is synonymous with N.C. A&T tennis, will miss the 2008 season with a back injury.                                  Christina Ruffin

Not only was Martin expected to be among the Aggies top six players this season, but head coach Andy Smith and her teammates thought so much of her that they made her a team co-captain. The Aggies will begin their season at UNC-Asheville Saturday at 5 p.m., without the Sanford, N.C., native.

“Finding out Porche can’t play this year was really heartbreaking,’’ said Smith. “She is a super young lady and an outstanding teammate. She really understands the game of tennis, so it’s a shame that someone who loves the sport so much will not be able to play.”

Martin’s understanding of the game comes from her family background. Her father and uncle played tennis at N.C. A&T. Two years ago, her cousin Damon Martin, completed a career in which he was a two-time first-team All-MEAC selection.

But Martin hoped to make a name for herself in the history of Aggies tennis. Instead, she will serve as motivation for a team still in full rebuilding mode.

“She was working hard to better herself,’’ said Smith. “I thought she had a pretty good year last season. She showed a lot of improvement. Injuries are a part of the game like in any sport. The good news is, we have a little more depth than we had last year. Some of our young players are going to have to step up and take on a bigger role.”

Porche Martin

One young player Smith will rely on heavily is Dudley High School product Winnie Quick. She is Smith’s first prized recruit as he enters his second season at N.C. A&T. Like Martin, Quick’s family has deep ties with N.C. A&T and the sport of tennis. Her mother works in accounting on the Greensboro campus and father is a tennis instructor.

Smith hopes being around familiar surroundings will help the talented freshman progress even quicker on the tennis court.

“She has the total game,’’ said Smith. “Her ground strokes are solid, she has a good serve and she plays well at the net. One of the first things you notice about her is that she doesn’t get rattled easily. She is going to step in and be one of our top three players, so that’s good to know about her. I keep telling her, if she stays focused and continues to work hard she has the potential to be one of the best players A&T has ever had.”

Smith got a glimpse at his new No. 1 singles player over the fall. Quick won the Flight A championship at the Dr. Robert Walker Johnson Tournament at Virginia State University in September. She also teamed with senior Christina Ruffin to win the Flight A championship in doubles at Virginia State. Quick went 3-1 at the Historically Black College and University Tournament in Atlanta on September 30.

But for all the excitement surrounding Quick’s potential, the leader of the Aggies women’s tennis program is still Ruffin. Ruffin serves as a positive example for the Aggies on and off the court. Academically, she is as strong as any student-athlete on campus, having recorded another 4.0 semester in sports science and fitness management.

On the court, Ruffin has been there through the ups and downs of the program. She has either played at the No. 1 or No. 2 singles spots – mostly at No. 1 – throughout her career which means she faced the opponents most talented player. Quick’s emergence means she along with the rest of Smith’s lineup can take a step down, which should help the Aggies tremendously.

“I put so much on Tina and she always takes it stride,’’ said Smith. “I really lean on her to be my leader and help some of the younger players adjust. But that’s what Tina does. She loves helping people, she’s active around the campus and she is involved in Christian organizations. She is just built for leadership.”

Smith’s other senior is Terika Palmer. Palmer won three matches last season, but should improve on that as she moves down to starter at No. 4 singles. Last season she went 3-4 in the conference at No. 3 singles.  Like Ruffin, she is a solid student-athlete. She too will bring valuable experience to a team trying to improve on a 3-16 season.

“I think Terika and Tina want to go out with a bang,’’ said Smith. “They want to win just as bad as anyone else, and winning only three matches last year didn’t sit well with them either. They want to finish their careers on high note. I expect both of them to have good seasons this year. They’re both competitive and they both made a lot of improvement.”                                                              Jaymee Jones

If sophomore Jaymee Jones improves, she and Quick could form a formidable 1-2 punch in the Aggies future. Jones won the most games of any Aggie player last season with five victories. She was also the only Aggie to have a winning record in the conference at 4-3. Four of Jones’ 12 losses came in tie-breaker matches.

“The biggest difference between this year and last year is depth,’’ said Smith. “We now have depth in the program and that’s one of the first things you want to address when you’re rebuilding.”

Adding to the Aggies depth is freshman Danielle McCaskill. The freshman should step in and play the No. 5 or 6 singles spots this season. Junior Destiny Williams, who hasn’t been playing tennis over a long period of time, will also earn time at the No. 6 singles. Junior Revorn Ferguson should help Smith replace the void left by Martin.

A year ago, Smith set the goal of making the MEAC Tournament. The conference took the top eight teams. The Aggies finished ninth. This season the MEAC teams are separated into two divisions – North and South. The top four teams from each division reach the tournament. Smith believes if his team can take that step into postseason, the other goals will begin to fall into place.

“We would love to win every match,’’ said Smith. “We want to win the MEAC Conference, but if we make the tournament, that would be fantastic.”