The 2008 Pioneer women's tennis team had the biggest turnaround of any of the teams at L&C this season, going from not making the post-season tournament in 2007 to being the #3 seed in 2008. The Pioneers posted an 11-5 mark in the Northwest Conference, finishing third in the regular season. The Pioneers advanced to the post-season Northwest Conference Championship tournament for the first time since the format was changed in 2006 to include only the top six teams. The Pioneers were upset in their first round match by the Pacific Lutheran Lutes, but won their consulation match against Willamette to finish fifth in the tournament.

The Pioneers top-two players, Lisa Harunaga (sophomore, Kailua, Hawaii) and Amailia Nilsson (freshman, Stockholm, Sweden), were responsible for much of this success. Harunaga, a sophomore who plays #2 singles and doubles, earned her second-straight First Team honor. Harunaga lost one match in Conference play all season, going 14-1 in the regular season and adding two more victories in the Conference tournament. Harunaga also was 12-4 in Conference play at #2 singles. Harunaga was third in All-Conference voting, falling only behind teammate and Player of the Year Amalia Nilsson and the #1 player from the champion Linfield Wildcats.

Amalia Nilsson, the Pioneer Athletics Rookie of the Year award recipient, had an amazing debut season. Nilsson did not drop a set in Conference matches this season, going 16-0 at the #1 singles court in the regular season and adding two more victories in the Conference tournament. She was 14-2 at #1 doubles in the regular season. She is the first Pioneer to be named Player of the Year in women's tennis since Sara Schipani, who won the title three times, her last honor coming in her senior season of 2003.

Nilsson was also named the Northwest Conference Women's Tennis Sportsman of the Year, an award that is voted on by the Conference coaches, honoring the individual who shows the best sportsmanship among all the players in the Conference.  Nilsson also received regional and national recognition. She was named the ITA West Region Rookie Player of the Year for Division III Tennis and was selected as an alternate to the NCAA III National Women’s Tennis Singles Tournament.

Whitney DeBree (freshman, Ketchum, Idaho) and Maggie Peach (sophomore, Bellingham, Wash.) also finished their seasons with winning records in Conference singles matches.

On the men's side, George Allen (sophomore, Madison, Wisc) did not disappoint in his second season with the Pioneers. Allen was 10-9 on the #1 singles court and 10-7 with partner Dirk Frouws (freshman, Oisterwijk, Holland), at #1 doubles. Allen, who earned Second Team All-NWC honors in 2007, was named First Team All-Northwest Conference in 2008.

Dirk Frouws had a solid debut. Playing #3 singles, he had six Conference victories, second behind Allen for the Pioneers. Peter Ray (sophomore, Boulder, Colo.) and Adam Rager (freshman, Bellingham, Wash.) each had five Conference singles victories.

The Pioneer men's team finished with a record of 3-13 in the Northwest Conference, finishing in seventh place. They did not make the post season tournament.

Click here to find archived recaps from the 2008 season.