Compile a list of late bloomers and Beth Wolensky's name might be at the top.

Unable to crack the singles lineup on the Butler High School girls tennis team until her senior year, Wolensky has been one of the most consistent singles players in Chatham College's tennis history.

"She always has solid years for me," Chatham coach Danni Piccolo said.

A 2002 Butler graduate, Wolensky played doubles as a junior for the Golden Tornado. She became the team's No. 1 singles player and team MVP her senior year.

At Chatham, Wolensky was named first team All-Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference in the fall of her sophomore year. She was named first team All-Atlantic Women's Collegiate Conference in the spring of her sophomore and junior years.

Wolensky was named Most Outstanding Player in the AWCC this past spring. She will be a senior at Chatham this fall.

"I'm proud of the level of play I've been able to reach," Wolensky said. "I've worked hard to improve over the past five years."

Wolensky played No. 1 singles and doubles for the Cougars in the spring, putting together a 5-2 record in both. She sported a 4-2 record in singles and doubles at the AMCC Tournament last fall.

"Her record doesn't indicate the strength with which she plays," Piccolo said. "Beth has a very strong serve and the mental toughness to go along with it.

"She was our team captain last year and she'll be our team captain this year."

Chatham has finished second in the AWCC tournament the past two seasons, finishing behind six-time defending champion Hood College both times.

Wolensky hopes to change that.

"Our team has a lot of good players and I think we're ready to break through and win that league," she said. "We're capable of winning both leagues. I'd love to see that happen."

If it does, she will have to play a big part in it.

"No question there," Piccolo said. "Beth's our leader. She won our team MVP award last year through a vote of the players."

Wolensky never started for the varsity girls basketball team at Butler, but she was a starting forward for the Chatham squad last winter. Her 9.9 points per game average was second on the team.

The Cougars managed only a 1-21 record on the court, however.

"I wasn't planning on playing basketball when I first came here," Wolensky said. "I got talked into it. I enjoy it, but tennis is definitely my sport."

She's still working on getting better. Megan Hulick, a former high school teammate of Wolensky's, was named MVP of the Grove City College women's tennis team last spring.

Hulick and Wolensky are among local players who practice together during the off-season.

"I feel like we've made each other better," Wolensky said. "I have a good net game, but I want to strengthen my backcourt game."

Wolensky always has been strong in the classroom. She's carrying a 3.7 grade point average as a chemistry major with a minor in mathematics.

She plans to attend graduate school after graduating from Chatham.

"I want to do industry and research lab work," Wolensky said.

In the meantime, she's focusing on a big senior year.

"She can be a first-team conference player and player of the year again," Piccolo said. "Beth will be pushed this year by a top freshman recruit we got from Fredericksburg (Md.), but I know she's gotten better."

"Tennis is a nice balance for my studies," Wolensky said. "I know I'll be playing this sport for the rest of my life."