By: Kendis Butler '23
MIDDLETOWN, Pa. - Longtime men's and women's tennis head coach Becky Cecere recently announced her retirement after 17 seasons with Penn State Harrisburg.
Cecere was named the United East (formerly the North Eastern Athletic Conference) Women's Tennis Coach of the Year on three occasions (2020-21, 2011-12, 2008-09). She was also voted the conference's men tennis coach of the year in 2011-12. She has coached 73 men's all-conference players, including United East Players of the Year Caleb Fockens (2021-22), Joshua Cartmill (2011-12), and John Dixon (2010-11), as well as 2011-12 conference rookie of the year Vishnu Gopalakrishnan. On the women's side, 49 of her players have earned all-conference recognition, including three conference players of the Year in Olivia Bandini (2022-23), Rachael Lim (2020-21) and Gabrielle LeGendre (2012-13), Fockens and Bandini also earned United East Rookie of the Year honors under her watch. In 2008-09, she led the women's team to the college's first-ever conference title, while her men's teams won back-to-back North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Championships in 2010-11 and 2011-12. The latter resulted in the school's first trip to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament. In the spring of 2021, Cecere led the women's team to its second conference title and first appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
"We greatly thank Becky Cecere for her service to Penn State Harrisburg," said Penn State Harrisburg Director of Athletics Rahsaan Carlton. "She developed and established our tennis program from the ground up which was instrumental in the overall growth of our athletic department."
Most recently, Cecere's women finished 8-6 overall and placed second in the United East Conference Tournament. Bandini was named both the United East Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year, and she earned United East Player of the Week accolades four times. The freshman also earned a pair of all-conference first-team honors at the No. 1 singles designation and the No. 1 doubles slot. Breanna DeSantis joined Bandini as an all-conference first-team pick at the No. 1 doubles designation. DeSantis also secured all-conference second-team honors at the No. 2 singles spot. Carissa Fallon too finished with all-conference first-team honors in the No. 6 singles spot. Sarah Shaub and Gabrielle Sabatose joined the pack as they earned all-conference second-team recognition at the No. 2 doubles designation. On the men's side, Derwin Merca earned all-conference first-team honors at the No. 4 singles slot, while he and Owen Ou garnered all-conference second-team recognition at the No. 2 doubles position. The men's squad finished second in the United East Conference Tournament as well.
Additionally, Cecere served on the NCAA Division III Women's Tennis Committee from 2011-2015, first as the Chair of the Atlantic South Regional Advisory Committee. In 2013, still serving as Chair of the Atlantic South Region, she was selected as National Chair of the Division III Committee, overseeing all regional and national rankings, as well as selections of individuals and teams for the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament.
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