A year ago, Franklin women's tennis often struggled to pick up points in the second and third singles positions, going a combined 9-35 in those spots.

If the fall season is any indication, the Grizzlies are now in a much better position.

Bolstered by the addition of a deep and talented freshman class, Franklin comes into the spring well ahead of the pace set by last year's squad, thanks largely to the increased depth that those newcomers have provided.

"A lot of talent with the freshman group," Griz coach Ryan Hammer said. "All five of them are solid, and all five of them got at least one start in the fall. Four of them were starting pretty much every match, so it's definitely brought a lot more depth. ... Anytime you can bring in freshmen and push people down in the lineup, you know you should expect to see a good number more wins coming."

The most noticeable differences in the lineup have come from the additions of freshmen Emma Tranter and Reagan Cox into the second and third singles positions. Tranter finished the fall with a 6-3 record in the No. 2 position, while Cox was a solid 5-5 at No. 3. Both quickly earned the respect of their peers — Tranter won HCAC Player of the Week honors twice during the fall season, with Cox also earning that award once.

With junior Ailyn Hendricks returning in the first spot, Franklin certainly feels secure about the top half of its lineup.

The new additions have also allowed the Grizzlies to fortify the bottom half. Another freshman, Alleigh Leezer, earned five victories in the fall at fourth singles, with fellow newcomer Eleanor Stillabower picking up three wins while playing in the fifth or sixth spots. Veterans Sofie Ballesteros and Emma Sappenfield have improved their records since slotting down in the lineup, with Ballesteros going 3-1 at No. 5 in the fall and Sappenfield 2-0 at No. 6.

Freshman Kelly McClure also made her debut, getting a win at sixth singles.

"It's a really good group, the best group we've had coming in in a long time," Hammer said of the freshman class, noting that it's probably the Grizzlies' best rookie contingent since at least 2016. "They've played 10 college matches at this point, so they're definitely midseason veterans already."

Tranter has also paired well so far with Hendricks at No. 1 doubles, while former high school teammates Sappenfield and Stillabower won five of their six fall matches at No. 2 and Cox and Leezer were 2-0 together in the third spot.

Seeing the newcomers enjoy so much success early on — especially in spots where last year's team struggled — has raised the Grizzlies' hopes for success in conference play this spring.

"That definitely gave the team a lot more confidence," Hammer said. "The motivation and the energy's been a little higher this winter. There's definitely more belief in the squad after getting some matches in and seeing them succeed in the fall."

Franklin, which finished the fall season with a 5-5 record, opens the spring on Wednesday evening at DePauw. The Grizzlies won't make their springtime home debut until March 14 against HCAC rival Hanover.