BRAINERD – Three players return from the 2023 Warrior girls tennis team that reached the state tournament as Section 8-2A champions.

It is the job of new head coach Garrett Goeden to find replacements to keep the Warriors competitive in 2024.

Goeden, a 2019 graduate of Brainerd College, coached the boys tennis team in the spring, which finished 11-8 and 8-3 in the Central Lakes Conference. He was hired as the girls coach in June, replacing Warrior Hall of Fame member Lisa Salo.

“My beliefs as a coach, my philosophies and my culture are the same for the boys and girls programs,” Goeden said. “These girls are extremely motivated and work extremely hard when they first start training. We push them hard. We have taken conditioning, weight lifting and strength training very seriously and will continue to do so.”

Although only three of ten players from the national team are returning, Goeden believes that the experience of the national championship will also benefit last year’s junior players.

“All of those players were still part of the team whether they were in the junior team or in the top 10,” Goeden said. “They saw things happen. They saw it doesn’t just happen overnight. It has to be earned. It’s not given. I really believe that a lot of players who weren’t in the top 10 pushed the players who were in the top 10 and made them better.”

Senior team captain Ericah Folden is the highlight of the returning national team players. She played No. 1 doubles last season with graduate Claire Erdal.

Folden and Erdal were not only the best doubles pair on the team, they also won the state championship as singles players last season.

“Ericah is a great tennis player,” Goeden said. “She can play singles or doubles. Her leadership skills have been phenomenal all summer and early in the season. She works very hard and has been on the team since eighth grade. She has been on many different varsity teams and has played many sports as well. I know Ericah will do a great job. She will trust that no matter where we put her, at the end of the day she will be there to help the team win. She has spent a lot of time this summer working on her singles game, so she will be prepared when her name is called in the singles lineup. I am really excited for her and think she will have a great season.”

Junior Kam Kraemer is another returning player with college experience, playing No. 3 singles as a sophomore last season.

Goeden did not want to comment on the lineup, but said that Kraemer had made an impressive impression in the first week of training.

“Kam has grown tremendously,” Goeden said. “I worked with her over the summer when she was in ninth grade and it’s great to see her development from then to now. She played a lot of singles last year and I know she can play any position we throw at her. I think she’s going to make a big jump from last year to this year. She hits a stronger ball and her footwork is really good, which is obviously crucial in tennis. She’s going to be able to play at a high level no matter where she’s at.”

The last returning player from the state lineup is senior team captain Brooke Mulholland, who played as the No. 4 singles player last season.

Goeden called Mulholland one of the hardest workers in training.

“She’s worked so hard,” Goeden said. “She’s extremely calm and she leads by example and always does the right thing. Whether it’s in the weight room, on the court or wherever she’s involved, she always gives 100%. She’s always doing her best and pushing people to do their best. She’s such a respectful kid. I’m really excited to have Brooke in that leadership role and I think she brings a lot of dynamics to the team. She played singles quite a bit last year.”

The Warriors’ third senior captain is Reese Glynn.

“Reese has been outstanding,” Goeden said. “She has a lot of leadership roles in the school and is involved in her community and her school. She has a great and powerful voice.”

The junior class gives the Warriors more depth. Samantha Sesin, Leah Soukop, Rebekah Soukop, Ava Haskell and Jessica Cole are expected to compete for spots, Goeden said.

“Samantha Sesin has been rock solid in practice so far,” Goeden said. “She’s a new student who moved here from Pequot Lakes and a very solid tennis player. Rebekah and Leah Soukop are looking to take on a bigger role this year. They both played No. 1 junior doubles last year and didn’t lose a single match when they played together. They’re both super coachable. Jessica Cole has done a great job early in practice, works very hard and is very athletic. She just understands tennis and has a great court feel and covers the court well. Ava Haskell is another junior who is a really strong, aggressive athlete. She’s a hockey player and just has that aggressiveness out there.”

Freshman Taryn Mithun is a young player who will play on the varsity team.

“She was on the team last year and played a lot in the junior division,” said Goeden. “She is a really solid player. She is left-handed and really impressed the coaches in the first few days.”

Other girls who will participate include sophomore Piper Grillo, senior Lily Knoepke, senior Nola Doty and sophomore Abby Isaacson.

“All of these girls are very solid,” Goeden said. “From 8th grade to 16th grade, there are a lot of players that are very close to us. We’re really looking for players that are going to do the extras right and really play their best. That’s how you stand out when you have a really competitive team.”

The Warriors are five-time defending Central Lakes Conference champions heading into 2024. Goeden believes the St. Cloud Crush will be the biggest threat in the conference. The Warriors host the Crush on Thursday, August 29th at 2 p.m.

“I know the crush will be very strong,” said Goeden. “Alexandria also seems very solid.”

Brainerd opens the season at home against Minneapolis Southwest on Monday, August 19th at 6:00 p.m.

Goeden said the goal is to play great tennis and hopefully defend his title as Section 8-2A champion.

“Bemidji is always strong. St. Cloud is always strong. Annandale is always strong. Becker has been very strong. There are a lot of teams in the section that are in contention,” Goeden said. “Once the season starts and we start seeing results, the teams will emerge as favorites. Our goal as a team and as a program is to build a tradition of excellence, and we want to win games. We are hungry for another section championship and would love to get two wins in a row.”

CONRAD ENGSTROM can be reached at 218-855-5861 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/the_rad34.

Warriors squad
Seniors: Ericah Folden, Brooke Mulholland, Lily Knoepke, Reese Glynn, Nola Doty, Kaya Anderson, Sophie Schamber, Josie Rust, Audrey Breen
Juniors: Kam Kraemer, Samantha Sesin, Leah Soukop, Rebekah Soukop, Jessica Cole, Ava Haskell, Isabell Bednark, Maureen Paulus, Taylor Manecke, Callista Anderson, Ava Capelle, Dana Skaaland, Stella Lundberg, Ann-Marie Cady, Annie Foss, Fern French, Savannah Mendel, Ana Kotsmith, Isabella Simota, Aya Tanaka
Sophomores: Abby Isaacson, Piper Grillo, Annie Stimac, Hailey Borg, Conner Holcomb-Smith, Zoe Howard, Kaylee Ranweiler, Jaida Schmolke
Freshmen: Taryn Mithun, Violet Anderson, Elli Salo, Mason Mendel, April Hyatt

Warriors Schedule
Monday, August 19: Host Minneapolis Southwest, 6 p.m.
Tuesday, August 20: Host Foley, Grand Rapids, 9 a.m.
Thursday, August 22: at Delano Quad, 8 a.m.
August 27: Host Alexandria, 4:30 p.m.
August 29: Host St. Cloud Crush, 2 p.m.
September 5: in Sauk Rapids, 4:30 p.m.
Sept. 7: Host of the Mighty Moose Tournament, 9 a.m.
September 10: at Fergus Falls, 4:30 p.m.
September 12: Host Detroit Lakes, 4:30 p.m.
September 16: in Moorhead, 4:30 p.m.
Sept. 17: Host Sartell, 4:30 p.m.
Sept. 19: Host Willmar, 4:30 p.m.
September 21: Host Duluth East, Monticello, St. Michael-Albertville, 9 a.m.
Sept. 23: at St. Cloud Crush, 4:30 p.m.
Sept. 24: Host Rocori, 4:30 p.m.
Sept. 26: in Bemidji, 2 p.m.
Oct. 3-5: Tournament of the North Subdivision of Section 8-2A, TBA
October 11-12: Section 8-2A Tournament, TBA
22–25 October: State Tournament Class 2A, TBA

Warriors girls tennis
Head Coach: Garrett Goeden, 1st season
2023 finish: 8-0 in CLC, 20-6 overall, Section 8-2A champions
Assistant Coaches: Ellen Fussy, Kayla Huether, Jacob Mitchell
Captains: Ericah Folden, Brooke Mulholland, Reese Glynn
State Returnees: Ericah Folden, Kam Kraemer, Brooke Mulholland