Nov. 21, 2014

Anessa Leyva, Annie Phillips and Natalie Weaver have all confirmed their commitment to attend Siena and play tennis starting in the fall of 2015.

"I am incredibly excited to announce and welcome Anessa, Annie and Natalie to Siena and our women's tennis team," head coach Andy Christodoulou said. "These young ladies are extremely talented and will help us reach our goals. In turn, we will help them succeed on and off the court. All three are Presidential Scholars, the highest academic distinction for incoming freshmen. Anessa, Annie and Natalie have great interpersonal communication skills, are brilliant students and great team players."

Leyva, who is from Clewiston, Fla., is an aggressive baseliner who isn't afraid to move in and can finish the point at the net when needed. Her athletic ability and her determination to get to every ball are her strengths. Because of her solid tennis skills, she can match-up against many different opponents in singles and doubles according to Christodoulou.

"Siena College is getting an outstanding young lady who will flourish academically and athletically," Leyva's personal coach Todd Wise said. "Anessa will bring her dynamic personality along with her extraordinary athletic skills to the team."

Leyva was listed at No. 35 on Prince's April 2014 Hot 100 list for tennis recruiting. She has lost one regular season high school match in her career and is undefeated since the start of her sophomore season in regular-season play. She was the individual district champion in 2013 and 2014, and an individual state semifinalist in 2013 and quarterfinalist in 2014. According to tennisrecruiting.net she is ranked No. 53 in the State of Florida.

"I'm really excited to come to Siena and have the opportunity to play tennis for Coach Christodoulou," Layva said. "Coach and the team are all very nice and fun to be around. I'm sure the next four years are going to be great!"

Layva is the daughter of Lenette and Valentine and has no siblings. She is a member of the National Honor Society, Student Council, Drama Club, and is the Senior Class Secretary. She plans on majoring in accounting at Siena. Off the court and out of the classroom, Layva volunteers at Clewiston Performing Arts Center as an assistant dance instructor, Clewiston High School media center, and co-coordinated the first ever Tiger Run (a fundraiser for her High School's TV Production program).

Phillips, a local product out of Niskayuna High School, hits a heavy ball and is able to push her opponents far behind the baseline. She has a variety on her game that will help her succeed at the College level, and she knows how to use her strengths to win matches according to Christodoulou.

"It is great to have a local player of Annie's caliber stay in the area and choose Siena College and our Women's Tennis Program," Christodoulou said.

Phillips has been the varsity tennis team captain at Niskayuna the last two years. She qualified for the NYS Championship Tournament as a junior and senior, advancing to the State Tournament with an undefeated record of 15-0 as a senior. She was an Albany Times Union First Team All-Star in 9th through 12th grades and also earned recognition as an ESPN Radio Athlete of the Week. She has additionally been nominated for the "Time Warner Cable News Scholar Athlete Award" which will be announced in the spring.

"I am very much looking forward to being a part of the Siena community and excelling both academically and athletically," Phillips said. "I grew up following Siena College athletics and now I am excited to be part of the tradition."

Phillips is a member of the National Honor Society and volunteers at her church (St. Basil Greek Orthodox Church) as a Religious Education assistant. She also helps organize food drives.

Phillips is the daughter of Jim and Susan and has no siblings. She plans on majoring in marketing at Siena and pursuing a minor in creative arts.

Weaver is a power player who likes to control points. She is athletic and moves well on the court. She can generate a lot of racquet head speed from both sides and has a variety of ground strokes according to Christodoulou.

"Natalie will be a great asset to our team due to her good hearted nature and hard-working and competitive personality," Christodoulou said.

Weaver is graduating from Mentor High School, a suburb of Cleveland, continuing the recent tradition of Ohio student athletes joining the women's tennis program.

"Natalie is a tennis player who has not yet reached her full potential," Weaver's personal coach Nora Sauska Myers said. "In a team environment with regular practices Natalie will grow to be an even better competitor and tennis player. She can pound the ball but she can slice and hit drop shots. Her mind set is strong so she can accomplish what she is asked to do. Natalie has a kind personality and she is a fair competitor."

Weaver is a member of National Honor Society and won the leadership award, and was named MVP as a sophomore, junior, and senior as well as serving as captain all three years. Weaver competed in the Ohio State High School tournament as a senior.

Weaver is a member of the National Honor Society. She was named captain and Team MVP three times during her scholastic career and also was honored with the Leadership Award. As a senior in the fall, she competed in the Ohio State High School Tournament.

"I have known Natalie since age 6 when she was a beginning student at Mentor Heisley Racquet Club," Wever's high school coach Eddie Manuel said. "During this time, I have come to appreciate her many fine qualities as I have watched her grow as a player and a person. Natalie is not only an amazing player, but also an outstanding individual. She excels in the classroom and is looked upon for her leadership. She understands the value of goal setting and the importance of teamwork. She has shown the ability to bounce back from adversity and is willing to put in the extra time to improve on weaknesses. She realizes that success can only be obtained through hard work and approaching each task with a positive attitude. She has played some very inspiring tennis on her way to the State Tournament this season."

Natalie is the daughter of Michelle and Todd and her younger brother is a three sport athlete. She wants to major in business at Siena.