.png&type=webp)
Bowling Green State University Athletics
Photo by: Keegan Bezenah, BGSU Athletics
Five Future Falcons Sign With Bowling Green Tennis
November 18, 2022 | Women's Tennis
Fonseca to join program in January 2023, remaining four joining in August 2023
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Bowling Green Falcons tennis program has announced the signing of five student-athletes, one of which will join the team in January to compete in the Spring 2023 season. Leticia Fonseca, a native of Caxias do Sul, Brazil, is slated to join the Falcons for the spring portion of the season. Isabella Baker, Nicole Casas, Brynn Chaffee, and Tia Clemens round of the rest of the class. The quartet will begin competing for the Orange and Brown in the 2023-24 campaign.
Leticia Fonseca | Caxias do Sul, Brazil | Santa Cataria and Irmao Getulio School
Leticia Fonseca hails from Caxias do Sul, Brazil, and brings an impressive collection of national accolades to the program. She is a six-time national champion in singles and seven-time regional champion in singles. Fonseca has been a finalist for national singles on eight occasions and ranked as high as No. 2 in the region in 2022. She is a 10-time national champion in doubles and ranked No. 14 nationally in 2021.
Â
Fonseca is the daughter of Fabiano Casagrande Fonseca and Silvana Heloisa Ioris. She is set to graduate from Santa Cataria and Irmao Getulio School in December. She has competed for several club teams, including Recreio da Juventude, Recreio Cruzeiro, TOBE, and Lapidando Tenistas. Fonseca plans to major in Exercise Science when she attends BGSU.
Â
Isabella Baker | Halifax, Nova Scotia | Citadel HS
Isabella Baker is a native of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and will join the Falcons after outstanding performances in Canada. She is a two-time Nova Scotia Open Singles Champion, as well as a two-time selection for Tennis Nova Scotia Female Athlete of the Year. Baker has been positioned as high as No. 1 in the Atlantic Canada Junior Girls ranking and is a 10-time Canadian Junior Nationals qualifier. She has won nine Atlantic Canadian Junior titles. She recently received the Tennis Canada Sportsmanship Award at Junior Nationals.
Â
Baker is the daughter of Piers Baker and Katherine Gleason. Her great uncle, Howard "Moe" Ankney, was a quarterback for BGSU in 1962 and 1963, and was the Falcon football head coach from 1986-1990. Her cousin, Joe Barry, played football at USC and Michigan, and currently serves as the defensive coordinator for the NFL's Green Bay Packers. Baker plans to major in Graphic Design and Business.
Â
Nicole Casas | Miami, Florida | International Studies Charter HS
Nicole Casas will join Bowling Green after a successful career at International Studies Charter HS, located in Miami, Florida. She has been ranked in the Florida Top 20 and is a three-time Miami District qualifier. In her three seasons with ISCHS, she was selected Team MVP three times. She played in the team's No. 1 singles spot in all three seasons and was selected ISCHS Athlete of the Year twice.
Â
Casas is the daughter of Hector Casas and Anisley Paula. She has a younger sister, Lucy. She is currently undecided on a major.
Â
Brynn Chaffee | Sylvania, Ohio | Sylvania Northview HS
Brynn Chaffee will remain in Northwest Ohio for her collegiate career, bringing her successes at Sylvania Northview to Bowling Green. She is a four-time All-NLL first team selection and three-time All-District selection. In 2022, she placed in the top eight at the doubles state tournament, earning second-team All-Ohio. Chaffee helped the team to four consecutive top-three finishes in the conference, including the league title as a sophomore. Her junior year saw the program finish as runner-up in the league and the district.
Â
Chaffee was a team captain for three seasons and is a member of the National Honor Society. She also received the Golden Racquet Award. She is the daughter of Scott and Jodi Chaffee, and has an older sister, Paige. Chaffee has several relatives with experience, including her uncle, Brent, who played tennis at Ferris State. Her grandpa, Paul, was a swimmer at Western Michigan, and her sister, Paige, currently swims for Toledo. Chaffee plans to major in Psychology when she is at BGSU.
Â
Tia Clemens | Cleveland, Ohio | Saint Joseph Academy
Tia Clemens, also a native of Ohio, rounds out the Falcon signing class, bringing several accomplishments from her time at Saint Joseph Academy. In 2021, she qualified for the state singles tournament. In 2019, she was selected MVP of the NCL Blue Division. She has earned Saint Joseph's Team MVP award twice. In the last two seasons, she has a combined record of 28-7. In this time, Saint Joseph's has totaled a 32-7 record.
Â
Clemens is the daughter of Justin Clemens and Stefanie Meade. She has a younger sister, Kai. Like Chaffee and Baker, Clemens has family connections to collegiate athletics and BGSU. Her uncle, Ronald Thorne, played football at Bowling Green from 1989-91. Her uncle, Matthew, played basketball at Buffalo from 1984-89. Her grandfather, Barry, had an 11-year career in the NBA, playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Chicago Bulls, Portland Trail Blazers, New York Knicks, and Seattle SuperSonics. Clemens plans to major in Psychology at BGSU.
Â
Coach Bonnell's Outlook
"What a great week it's been for Bowling Green tennis. We continue to develop talent from within. We continue to add new talent that will make an immediate impact upon their arrival. It's been really fun, and fulfilling, to announce a new signing every day this week. These individuals are not only great tennis players, but they will be great representatives of what our program, and university, is all about. The future of tennis at BGSU is very bright."
Â
Follow the Falcons
Be sure to follow the Falcons' tennis team throughout the season on social media.
Twitter – @BGAthletics and @BGSUTennis
Instagram – 'bgfalcons' and 'bgsuwtennis'
Facebook – 'BGSU Athletics'
YouTube – 'Falcon Athletics'
Â
Leticia Fonseca | Caxias do Sul, Brazil | Santa Cataria and Irmao Getulio School
Leticia Fonseca hails from Caxias do Sul, Brazil, and brings an impressive collection of national accolades to the program. She is a six-time national champion in singles and seven-time regional champion in singles. Fonseca has been a finalist for national singles on eight occasions and ranked as high as No. 2 in the region in 2022. She is a 10-time national champion in doubles and ranked No. 14 nationally in 2021.
Â
Fonseca is the daughter of Fabiano Casagrande Fonseca and Silvana Heloisa Ioris. She is set to graduate from Santa Cataria and Irmao Getulio School in December. She has competed for several club teams, including Recreio da Juventude, Recreio Cruzeiro, TOBE, and Lapidando Tenistas. Fonseca plans to major in Exercise Science when she attends BGSU.
Â
Leticia's accolades include:
— BGSU Tennis (@BGSUTennis) November 16, 2022
🎾 6x Singles National Champion
🎾 7x Singles Regional Champion
🎾 8x Singles National Finalist
🎾 10x Doubles National Champion
🎾 No. 2 Regional Ranking in 2022
🎾 No. 14 National Ranking in 2021 pic.twitter.com/znqQzeomxI
Isabella Baker | Halifax, Nova Scotia | Citadel HS
Isabella Baker is a native of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and will join the Falcons after outstanding performances in Canada. She is a two-time Nova Scotia Open Singles Champion, as well as a two-time selection for Tennis Nova Scotia Female Athlete of the Year. Baker has been positioned as high as No. 1 in the Atlantic Canada Junior Girls ranking and is a 10-time Canadian Junior Nationals qualifier. She has won nine Atlantic Canadian Junior titles. She recently received the Tennis Canada Sportsmanship Award at Junior Nationals.
Â
Baker is the daughter of Piers Baker and Katherine Gleason. Her great uncle, Howard "Moe" Ankney, was a quarterback for BGSU in 1962 and 1963, and was the Falcon football head coach from 1986-1990. Her cousin, Joe Barry, played football at USC and Michigan, and currently serves as the defensive coordinator for the NFL's Green Bay Packers. Baker plans to major in Graphic Design and Business.
Â
Isabella's accolades include:
— BGSU Tennis (@BGSUTennis) November 18, 2022
🎾 2x Nova Scotia Open Singles Champion
🎾 2x Tennis Nova Scotia Female Athlete of the Year
🎾 Ranked No. 2 in U18 Girls in Atlantic Canada
🎾 10x Canadian Junior Nationals qualifier
🎾 9x Atlantic Canadian Junior champion pic.twitter.com/QEAw7TrlLl
Nicole Casas | Miami, Florida | International Studies Charter HS
Nicole Casas will join Bowling Green after a successful career at International Studies Charter HS, located in Miami, Florida. She has been ranked in the Florida Top 20 and is a three-time Miami District qualifier. In her three seasons with ISCHS, she was selected Team MVP three times. She played in the team's No. 1 singles spot in all three seasons and was selected ISCHS Athlete of the Year twice.
Â
Casas is the daughter of Hector Casas and Anisley Paula. She has a younger sister, Lucy. She is currently undecided on a major.
Â
Nicole's accolades include:
— BGSU Tennis (@BGSUTennis) November 17, 2022
🎾 Ranked in the Florida Top 20
🎾 3x Miami District qualifier
🎾 3x ISCHS Team MVP
🎾 2x ISCHS Athlete of the Year
🎾 Played in the team's #1 spot all three seasons pic.twitter.com/322G3ZALDH
Brynn Chaffee | Sylvania, Ohio | Sylvania Northview HS
Brynn Chaffee will remain in Northwest Ohio for her collegiate career, bringing her successes at Sylvania Northview to Bowling Green. She is a four-time All-NLL first team selection and three-time All-District selection. In 2022, she placed in the top eight at the doubles state tournament, earning second-team All-Ohio. Chaffee helped the team to four consecutive top-three finishes in the conference, including the league title as a sophomore. Her junior year saw the program finish as runner-up in the league and the district.
Â
Chaffee was a team captain for three seasons and is a member of the National Honor Society. She also received the Golden Racquet Award. She is the daughter of Scott and Jodi Chaffee, and has an older sister, Paige. Chaffee has several relatives with experience, including her uncle, Brent, who played tennis at Ferris State. Her grandpa, Paul, was a swimmer at Western Michigan, and her sister, Paige, currently swims for Toledo. Chaffee plans to major in Psychology when she is at BGSU.
Â
Brynn's accolades include:
— BGSU Tennis (@BGSUTennis) November 14, 2022
🎾 4x All-NLL first team selection
🎾 3x All-District first team selection
🎾 2022 All-Ohio second team selection
🎾 Team captain for three seasons pic.twitter.com/La6erGKjf8
Tia Clemens | Cleveland, Ohio | Saint Joseph Academy
Tia Clemens, also a native of Ohio, rounds out the Falcon signing class, bringing several accomplishments from her time at Saint Joseph Academy. In 2021, she qualified for the state singles tournament. In 2019, she was selected MVP of the NCL Blue Division. She has earned Saint Joseph's Team MVP award twice. In the last two seasons, she has a combined record of 28-7. In this time, Saint Joseph's has totaled a 32-7 record.
Â
Clemens is the daughter of Justin Clemens and Stefanie Meade. She has a younger sister, Kai. Like Chaffee and Baker, Clemens has family connections to collegiate athletics and BGSU. Her uncle, Ronald Thorne, played football at Bowling Green from 1989-91. Her uncle, Matthew, played basketball at Buffalo from 1984-89. Her grandfather, Barry, had an 11-year career in the NBA, playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Chicago Bulls, Portland Trail Blazers, New York Knicks, and Seattle SuperSonics. Clemens plans to major in Psychology at BGSU.
Â
Tia's accolades include:
— BGSU Tennis (@BGSUTennis) November 15, 2022
🎾 2021 State Singles Qualifier
🎾 2019 NCL Blue DIvision MVP
🎾 Combined record of 28-7 in the last two seasons
🎾 2x Saint Joseph's Team MVP pic.twitter.com/7FTUvUFjJw
Coach Bonnell's Outlook
"What a great week it's been for Bowling Green tennis. We continue to develop talent from within. We continue to add new talent that will make an immediate impact upon their arrival. It's been really fun, and fulfilling, to announce a new signing every day this week. These individuals are not only great tennis players, but they will be great representatives of what our program, and university, is all about. The future of tennis at BGSU is very bright."
Â
Follow the Falcons
Be sure to follow the Falcons' tennis team throughout the season on social media.
Twitter – @BGAthletics and @BGSUTennis
Instagram – 'bgfalcons' and 'bgsuwtennis'
Facebook – 'BGSU Athletics'
YouTube – 'Falcon Athletics'
Â
BG Tennis : Hannah Neuman Postmatch 2.17
Saturday, February 18
BG Tennis : Coach Bonnell Postmatch 2.17
Saturday, February 18
BG Tennis Highlights vs Findlay 2.13
Sunday, February 13
BG Tennis : Ioanna Tsadari Post-Match 2.13
Sunday, February 13