Providence, R.I.--Before Rhode Island College women's tennis won five consecutive Little East Conference (LEC) championships from 2017 through 2021, the Anchorwomen established their championship tradition with six conference titles between 1994 and 2005.

Those early teams built the foundation for a program that claimed its record-setting 12th LEC championship in 2025. Under head coaches Richard "Dick" Ernst and Kelly (Lange) Chartier, RIC combined individual championship performances, strong doubles play and sustained regular-season success to become one of the conference's leading programs.

BUILDING A CHAMPIONSHIP FOUNDATION
Ernst guided Rhode Island College to its first LEC women's tennis championship in 1994 and a second consecutive title in 1995. The Anchorwomen finished those seasons with overall records of 7-5 and 10-3, respectively.

The 1995 team's depth was reflected in the conference's individual honors. Pam Prendergast, Tanya Howard, Joan Murphy and Gina DeLuca earned First Team All-LEC recognition at Nos. 2 through 5 singles. RIC also claimed first-team honors at No. 1 doubles with Laurie Horta and Howard and at No. 2 doubles with Prendergast and Murphy. The Anchorwomen occupied four of the six first-team singles positions and two of the three first-team doubles positions.

RIC returned to the championship spot in 1999 and again in 2001, giving Ernst four women's conference titles. He compiled a 90-54-2 record leading the women's program and also guided the RIC men to four consecutive LEC championships from 1992 through 1995. His eight combined conference titles helped earn him induction into the Rhode Island College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2018.

A STRONG FINISH TO THE ERNST ERA
The Anchorwomen's late-1990s resurgence carried into the following decade. RIC went 10-2-1 in 1998, 13-2 in 1999, 11-2 in 2000 and 12-3 in 2001, combining for a 46-9-1 record across those four seasons.

Cynthia Murray posted a 17-1 singles record during the 1999 championship season, while Lisa Vinacco went 16-3, Carminda Rocha finished 15-3 and Erica DiNuccio recorded a 13-2 mark. Murray and Vinacco each added 13 doubles victories.

RIC's success extended throughout the lineup. Murray, Rocha and DiNuccio received First Team All-LEC recognition at Nos. 2, 4 and 5 singles, respectively, while Murray and Vinacco earned first-team honors at No. 1 doubles.

Rocha became a central figure in the program's early championship history. As a freshman in 1999, she captured the conference's No. 4 singles championship while helping RIC win the team title. She followed with individual championships at No. 4 singles and No. 2 doubles in 2000.

During the 2001 championship season, Rocha went 15-2 in singles and 13-4 in doubles, leading the Anchorwomen in singles victories and points. She won the LEC title at No. 2 singles as RIC secured its fourth team championship.

Samantha Hedden and Meghan Mooney added individual championships at Nos. 4 and 5 singles in 2001. Mooney also teamed with Donna Vongratsavay to win the No. 2 doubles championship, giving RIC titles in four of the tournament's nine flights.

FROM CHAMPIONSHIP PLAYER TO CHAMPIONSHIP COACH
Chartier provided a direct connection between RIC's first championship teams and its next period of success. A member of the 1994 and 1995 title-winning squads, she later returned to lead the program as head coach.

RIC went 9-5 in her first season in 2002 before winning its fifth LEC championship in 2003 with an 11-4 record. Chartier ultimately compiled a 67-15 coaching record, a .817 winning percentage, across six seasons.

Rocha helped bridge the coaching eras, finishing her senior season in 2003 with a 12-1 singles record and another championship at No. 2 singles. She concluded her career with records of 54-10-1 in singles and 45-16 in doubles, contributing to three LEC championship teams.

The 2003 champions earned all-conference recognition at every singles position. Rocha, Caitlin Morin and Kristin Mandsager received first-team honors at Nos. 2, 5 and 6, while Liz Barrette, Mooney and Tara Marchant earned second-team recognition at Nos. 1, 3 and 4.

REGULAR-SEASON DOMINANCE
Chartier's teams won five consecutive LEC regular-season championships from 2003 through 2007. The Anchorwomen finished 13-0 in 2004, followed by an 11-1 season in 2005 that included a perfect 7-0 conference record and the program's sixth LEC tournament championship.

RIC continued its success in 2006, finishing 13-1 overall and 7-0 in conference play. The Anchorwomen then shared the 2007 regular-season title with UMass Dartmouth and Bridgewater State after going 10-4 overall and 6-1 in the LEC.

Individual performances reinforced that consistency. Audrey Davis went 14-0 in singles in 2004. During the 2005 championship season, Megan Hall and Meg Funk each finished 13-1 in singles, while Hall and Barrette each recorded 15-2 doubles marks. Julie Bannon followed with a 17-0 singles record and a 17-2 doubles record in 2006.

The 2005 team also earned First Team All-LEC recognition in four singles positions and all three doubles flights, demonstrating the lineup depth that had become a hallmark of RIC's championship teams.

CARRYING THE TRADITION FORWARD
The foundation established by those early teams carried into another championship era under head coach Adam Spring. Rhode Island College won five consecutive LEC tournament titles from 2017 through 2021, raising its championship total to 11.

Jenna Lisi helped lead the latter portion of that run, earning four consecutive LEC Player of the Year awards and finishing her collegiate career with a 45-1 singles record and a 49-4 doubles mark.

After conference runner-up finishes in 2022, 2023 and 2024, the Anchorwomen reclaimed the title in 2025 with a 4-2 victory over UMass Boston. The championship gave RIC its LEC-record 12th crown, adding to a history that began more than three decades earlier.

A LASTING CHAMPIONSHIP TRADITION
Rhode Island College's women's tennis history was built through generations of championship contributors. The first titles in 1994 and 1995 established the program's place in the conference, the 1999 and 2001 teams strengthened that standing, and Chartier's squads extended the tradition with two more tournament championships and five consecutive regular-season titles.

As the Little East celebrates its 40th anniversary, those early teams remain an essential part of the Anchorwomen's story. Their individual accomplishments and collective success established the standard that later RIC teams continued to pursue.

LEC 40 FOR 40 SERIES
The Little East Conference is celebrating its 40th anniversary during the 2026-27 academic year with its "LEC 40 for 40 Series," which features 40 installments highlighting the people, programs and moments that have contributed to the conference's storied history and success.