Worcester State College Women's Tennis

Xhemollari enters her first year as the women's tennis assistant coach, after previously leading the women's tennis program as head coach for the past three years. In three out of the last four seasons, the Lancers have earned Little East Tournament berths. During the 2013 campaign, the Blue and Gold hosted and won their first-ever LEC Tournament contest while making an apperance in the league tournament semifinals. Coach Xhemollari, a 2010 Worcester State graduate, was a four-year starter of the womens tennis team and captain in her senior year. She wrapped up her career as the 15th womens tennis student-athlete to become a member of the 25-point club. Upon her graduation, Coach Xhemollari was also presented with the prestigious Ella May Whitney Award at her commencement to recognize academic achievement and community service to the university. While at WSU, Coach Xhemollari also was a four-time member of the MASCAC All-Academic team and the WSU Student-Athlete Honor Roll while she also served as the womens tennis representative on the Student Athletics Advisory Committee. During the summer while still enrolled as an undergraduate, Xhemollari spent two years as a tennis and reading instructor to inner city youth at Tenacity Inc. As a high school athlete, Coach Xhemollari was a four-year starter, a three-year captain and played at first singles in every match at North High School. In addition to competing on the girls soccer team, she was one of three athletes to be honored with the Senior Athletic Award. Coach Xhemollari was awarded the girls tennis Coaches Award and the North Highs Gatorade High School Player of the Year Award.

Blais begins her first season as head coach of the Worcester State womens tennis team after serving as the interim head coach for the 2015-16 season. In her first season at the helm, Blais squad saw an appearance in the Little East Tournament as she guided her team to a 5-11 overall and 3-5 Little East record. Before taking on the head coaching position, Blais served as the assistant for the Blue and Gold for three seasons prior. As an assistant, she helped guide the Lancers to three appearances in the Little East Tournament playoffs with a semifinals appearance during the 2013 season. Coach Blais was a two-year member of the Lancer women's tennis team. She was a captain in her senior year and joined the 25-point club with a 10-3 mark in singles play in 2010. Before transferring in from Southern New Hampshire, Coach Blais helped the Penmen capture their first-ever berth to the NCAA Division II Tournament in during the 2007-08 season. For posting a 7-2 mark that campaign in pairs play at third-doubles, she was named to the All-Northeast 10 second team. In addition to coaching for Worcester State, Blais has been an assistant pro at Paxton Tennis and Fitness Club for the past two years where she coaches all ages and levels of tennis. She also plays competitively in USTA 8.0 mixed doubles and USTA 4.0 ladies leagues. Coach Blais recently took the reigns as the head coach at Bancroft School in Worcester. She had previously piloted the middle school and junior varsity girls program since 2011.