When graduate student Andie Weise and senior Tiera Jarmond started their season this past fall, they knew they would have big shoes to fill.
The veteran-laden Marquette women’s tennis team from the previous season was no more. With the roster featuring four first-years, the duo was more than ready to the rise to the occasion this year — on and off the court.
“Tiera and I both knew going into this year that we were both going to have to step up,” Weise said. “Our lineup last year was all upperclassmen except for Emma Davis, so we kind of knew with all of them gone were going to have to step up.”
On the court, the pair is playing as doubles partners for the first time at the No. 1 spot, going 11-5 so far. Although this is a new partnership, Jarmond said it has been an easy transition because of their friendship.
“Last year, my partner was very different playing style wise than Andie, so it’s been a nice change,” Jarmond said. “We get along really well, which makes it easy. We’re not super in each other’s face like mad at each other. We play pretty lighthearted, and if we’re laughing and smiling, things are going well.”
Director of tennis Jud Shaufler said Weise and Jarmond were not just given the No. 1 spot — they have earned it.
“They earn that position by being our strongest two performers to this point,” Shaufler said. “It started back in the fall where they had some good results. At that point, it didn’t make a lot of sense to not have them as our number one doubles team…
“They’ve got good chemistry, they enjoy playing with each other, they’ve got certain strengths that are compatible with each other… They’ve seized the opportunity from the very first tournament in the fall when we went up to Minnesota.”
During the Gopher Invite Tournament in September, the duo notched three doubles wins including a 6-4 victory over Minnesota.
As for singles play, Weise and Jarmond are both playing higher in the singles lineup, switching off between the No. 1 and No. 2 spots. Weise — who played at the No. 4 and No. 5 positions in singles last season — said she prefers playing where she is now.
“I just feel better in those matches,” Weise said. “It’s definitely been a change, but I’m happy for it.”
The Mequon, Wisconsin native was named Big East Singles Players of the Week Jan. 27, earning victories at No. 2 and No. 1, respectively, with her latter performance clinching Marquette’s first win of the season that week.
“She’s played the role well,” Jarmond said. “She has a good style for playing higher in the lineup, which is something that’s important and doesn’t really matter what year you are… She’s aggressive with how she plays, so it’s been working for her… It takes off a lot of pressure for the people lower in the lineup to do well.”
Jarmond — who transferred from Missouri State in 2023 — played at the No. 6 position in singles prior to this year, and currently leads the team in singles wins with 12.
“She always has great energy and just is super competitive,” Weise said. “She is very analytical, so you know she’s going to be in that match one way or the other, which really helps me and the whole team. Everybody’s point throughout the lineup matters just the same, but the type of player you’re getting from one to six is so different… Adjusting to that and just being able to change and step up has been really big and really needed this season.”
Shaufler said that Jarmond and Weise’s contrasting approaches to leadership help bring out the best of both worlds in the rest of the team.
“Andie, by nature, has a quiet approach and I like to use the word stoic,” Shaufler said. “She’s got a little bit of a quiet, stoic look about her and the way she takes care of her business. That filters down to everybody that she has certain expectations as to how people do things. That’s all based on experience because after being in the program for five years, she has seen some different leadership styles…
“Tiera on the other hand has a little bit more emotion to her, more external emotion. She’s going to get fired up a little bit more out there… At the end of the day, if you have that energy that Tiera brings and that stoic approach that Andie brings, you’re really bringing the best of both leadership styles to the top of your team, and you hope that filters down to everybody beneath you.”
Heading into the last half of the season, Shaufler said he has high expectations for the pair, but he is confident that they will be up for the challenge.
“They have to stick to the task of performing at a high level for them in the high position that they’re playing, but at the same time, breed a little bit of that sense of goodwill and leadership that’s going to filter down to everyone else,” Shaufler said. “In some regards, they have their hands full…
“They have to do it on the court and they have to set a tone off the court for the rest of them and do a good job there. That’s not easy at all, so their plate is full, but in a good way.”
This story was written by Kaylynn Wright. She can be reached at kaylynn.wright@marquette.edu or on Twitter/X @KaylynnWrightMU.