Skip to navigation Skip to content Skip to footer
Cleveland State University

The Official Home of the Cleveland State University Vikings

Payne, Lenoan & Avram Set To Return For 2020-21 Campaign

Payne, Lenoan & Avram Set To Return For 2020-21 Campaign
Posted: Jun 23, 2020

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Following last week's announcement of the Cleveland State Athletics Victory Lap Program, women's tennis head coach Frank Polito has announced that the senior trio of Kateryna Avram, Blanche Lenoan and Siân Payne will be returning for the 2020-21 campaign to finish their Cleveland State careers. 

"It's great to have Kate, Blanche and Siân back on the roster for next year," Polito said. "Last season obviously didn't end the way we wanted it to, but I'm happy that they got the opportunity to finish out their careers – and excited that they all wanted to take advantage of the chance to come back for one more season. We definitely have some unfinished business for the upcoming season, and Kate, Blanche and Siân will be a major part of us achieving success on the court."

As part of the Victory Lap Program Avram, Lenoan and Payne will be able to compete during the 2020-21 season through a waiver approved in March by the NCAA Division I Council. 

During the shortened 2019-20 season Avram, Lenoan and Payne helped the Vikings to an 8-5 record, including a perfect 4-0 start to the spring campaign. This senior class recorded 35 singles wins during the year, while Avram and Lenoan teamed up to post a 10-1 record during doubles play.

Avram, Lenoan and Payne were also an instrumental part of the Cleveland State lineup during the 2019 spring campaign when the Vikings captured a share of the Horizon League Regular Season title, while the trio later helped CSU advance to the championship match of the #HLWTEN tournament for the first time since 2014.

Avram and Lenoan, who graduated last month with degrees in business and civil engineering, respectively, will be pursuing graduate degree opportunities during the 2020-21 academic year, while Payne will be finishing up her undergraduate degrees in political science and international relations.  

Donations to assist in funding Cleveland State's 'Victory Lap' program are encouraged and can be made at www.csuvictorylap.com. Questions regarding donation opportunities can be sent to Brandon Longmeier, Assistant Athletics Director for the Viking Fund, at b.longmeier@csuohio.edu.