MCKENZIE, Tenn. – Saturday would have been Senior Day for the lone senior on the 2020 Bethel Women's Tennis team. Marcela Cordeiro of Sao Paulo and her teammates were off to the best start by a Lady Wildcat squad in ten years. The Lady Cats were scheduled to host Freed-Hardeman at the on campus tennis complex.
Like other programs around the nation, Bethel's season was cut short in March due to COVID 19. While in Mobile, Alabama and preparing for their first conference match of the season Coach Derrick Hubble received the call the season had been postponed, then later cancelled.
Coach Hubble expressed his thoughts about his senior. "Our team gave great effort all season and a big part of that was the leadership of Marcela. She was an extraordinarily strong player for us as she played number one for our program all four years of her collegiate career. She has been a great leader and is well respected by her fellow teammates."
Hubble added, "Today was going to be a tough day for me personally. The past two season I have grown to love and care about Marcela as a person and athlete. She was great on and off the court with helping me as I grew as the head tennis coach. She will always be one of the greats in my eyes as she moves to pursue a MBA at Cumberland University."
Marcela was named to the SSAC All-Academic team the past two seasons and was named to the Musco Lighting Champions of Character Team last season.
Coach Hubble spoke about the team. "This team never quit. They are fighters and they wanted to win each time they stepped onto the court. I am extremely disappointed the season was cut short and was looking forward to big things out of both squads. The season was a lot of fun with this young group of athletes. I was really looking forward to the success they would bring to the institution. Our young freshman will benefit from this season. Marcela laid the groundwork and now it is up to them to carry on and achieve success for our programs in the years ahead."
