HAMILTON – Rising seniors Addie Eklund and Eliza Podlas were named as captains for the 2024-25 Colgate women's tennis team, head coach Bobby Pennington announced earlier this week. In the past three years, the duo has racked up a combined 45-34 singles record to go along with a stellar 31-23 doubles mark.

"Both Addie and Eliza are very deserving of this title and honor," Pennington said. "Addie has been a tremendous role model on the courts and in the classroom, playing anywhere between one and four singles and consistently winning no matter what spot. Eliza has an amazing story as she went from being a former camper of mine to walking on the team, being a part of our best doubles pair, and working her way into the singles lineup this year. They both are very deserving and we will look to send them out on top."

Eklund and Podlas are set to be the only two seniors on next year's roster that returns everyone from the program's sixth-straight winning season this Spring. 

"I am eager to take on the role of captain where I can be a part of our program's continuous progress and push this team to grow even further," Eklund said. "It is an honor to be given this opportunity to lead a group of girls with so much potential."

Eklund, a two-time Patriot League All-Academic selection, carried a team-best 12-7 record in singles play this season including a 4-1 mark in conference competition. It was her third-straight 12-win season in singles action, and she owns the most career wins on the team heading into her final year of collegiate tennis.  

Off the tennis courts, Eklund excels in the classroom having been honored with the Colgate Dean's Award for Academic Excellence for two straight years while also landing on the Patriot League Honor Roll both seasons. 

After joining the team midway through the 2023 season, Podlas became a major contributor in the 2024 lineup with a 7-11 singles record in the tail end of the lineup. She did the majority of her damage on the third doubles court where a 13-7 record with first-year Avery Isaac served as the best on the squad. 

"Being named captain of such a special group of girls is an incredible honor," Podlas said. "I'm excited to be able to lead this team to new heights this upcoming year. In my time here, we've just kept getting better and better so I'm excited for next season."

Podlas spends her time away from tennis as an intern at the Thorn Avenue Animal Hospital and a horse groomer at Strawberry Banks Farm.