Principia College
- Located in Elsah, IL
- Founded in 1912
- Mascot: Panther
- Faith based - rooted in Christian Science
- 20 Majors Offered
- 96% career placement rate
- Ranked #2 for Best Value of Liberal Arts Colleges List in US News and World Report 2025
- Average percent of students who apply for and receive financial aid: 95%
OUR CAMPUS
The campus is situated on top of limestone bluffs overlooking the "mighty" Mississippi River. The campus is filled with handsome buildings inside and out. Our campus sits on 2,600 acres and is surrounded by farms and natural landscapes. We are also only 20 minutes from Alton, IL and 45 minutes away from St. Louis, MO, making city life accessible.
ACADEMICS
Principia College offers a one-of-a-kind Liberal Arts education that is both valuable and affordable. With an average class size of 11 and stellar academic support services, student-athletes can excel on and off the tennis court!
Principia’s academic unit strives to create a collaborative and inclusive academic community where everyone feels a sense of belonging and sees each other as infinitely capable and divinely whole. Our rigorous globally-focused curriculum and character-based approach honors diverse perspectives and develops creative problem solvers who use their academic skills to benefit their communities and the world.
Principia also boasts a phenomenal study-broad program that has taken students to over 26 different countries since 2012. A Principia abroad often tops the list of best experiences students have here, along with playing tennis, of course!
Principia Women's Tennis History
Principia College Women’s Tennis has been a competitive sport in some form since 1910 with a rich history that includes a NCAA Division III National Championship in 1983.
Principia started as a two year community college, and the women's sports programs (including tennis) competed with the Principia Upper School women. The women's tennis program continued through the 1920's despite intercollegiate competition for women being forbidden in the Saint Louis area.
The first graduating class from the current Elsah campus played interscholastic competitions in tennis. During World War II, competition stopped and didn't return for women until the mid-1950's.
Along with their National Championship in 1983, the team came in third at the NCAA Division III National Championships in 1985.
Principia College Women's Tennis won the SLIAC Conference Championship 21 times since SLIAC's beginning in 1989. In the last decade, the Principia women have gone on to participate in the Regional NCAA National Championships six times. Principia joined the UMAC conference in 2023 and won the conference championship in 2024.
Principia College Women's Tennis
The Principia Women's Tennis team has been the source of some of team members' most important friendships, life lessons, and memories. We are a sisterhood that cares for each other on and off the tennis courts. Lifelong friendships are developed on the tennis courts. We strive to support each other with our culture of Awareness, Courage and Trust. We ACT and honor excellence in all we do.
Awareness
We pay attention to our work at hand and to performing and practicing with purpose and intention. We are aware and contributing to a climate of progress and persistence. We are alert.
Courage
We are bold and courageous in our actions and our work. We are strong and whole hearted in our practices and play. We strive for our best each day.
Trust
We are united as a team and support our teammates in a sisterhood of love, encouragement, and high expectations. We hold each other accountable and trust in our teammates, coach, and ourselves.
Excellence
We strive for excellence in all we do. We work hard!
Community and Service
Service is an important part of our commitment to the community and to the team. This Year we hosted the St Louis Crop Walk for Principia College on our cross country course.
Organizations we recently supported:
- Alton Boys and Girls Club
- Towns of Atlon / Godfrey
- Local area churches
- Crop Hunger Walk
- Tennis Clinics for the youth in our area
International Talent
Twenty percent of Principia's student body comes from abroad. Our campus and athletic programs greatly benefit from the diverse abilities, perspectives, and experiences that our international players bring to the school.
Take Your Game to the Next Level
Whether you want to continue to play after college, or just be a top-level college player, our program has the facilities, knowledge, and resources to help Improve your game and your UTR.
Paige Cooley
- SLIAC All-Decade Team 2010-2019
- 3 x SLIAC Player of the Year
- SLIAC Newcomer of the Year
- 2 x Central Regional Ranking
- NCAA Regional Team Competitor
Carlie Sanderude
- SLIAC Hall of Fame Class of 2022
- SLIAC All-Decade Team 2010-2019
- Two-time SLIAC Player of the Year
- SLIAC Newcomer of the Year
- Captain
- Lead the team to SLIAC Championship 3 x
- NCAA Team Regional Competitor 3 years
Caitlin Carney
- SLIAC All-Decade Team 2010-2019
- Captain
- SLIAC Player of Week
- SLIAC First Team Singles and Doubles
COACHING STAFF
Appointed Head Coach of women's tennis in 2010, Shannon Carney coaches both the short fall season and the spring season. She also teaches the tennis physical education course each semester. In addition, Carney serves on several College committees and helps recruit student-athletes. She has also worked in Student Life as a Residential Counselor. A member of the United States Tennis Professional Association for 35 years, she holds an Elite Professional ranking and competes at the local and national levels. A Professional Tennis Registry member with a rank of Professional in Adult Development.
"I was led to teaching and coaching because of my love for learning. I wanted to share this with my students. I think of those "Ah-ha" moments when things come together as God glorified, Mind expressed." - Coach Shannon Carney
Coach Shannon Carney has contributed to the field. Under Carney's leadership, Principia's women tennis players have achieved notable distinctions: SLIAC/UMAC Conference record of 78-13, and 8 SLIAC/UMAC Players of the Year.
She has been awarded: SLIAC/UMAC Coach of the Year 2013, 2014, 2016, 2023, and 2024 / NCAA Division 1 All-American for Women's Tennis, UCLA, 1979 / Coaches Award for Outstanding Athlete, UCLA, 1979 / Dwight Davis Open Women's Singles Champion 2012, 2013. 2017, 2018 / USTA National Women's Indoor Singles Champion 2018. She was on the United States Alice Marble Cup Senior Team competing internationally for the USA in 2020 and 2021.
She is a member and affiliated with: Intercollegiate Tennis Association, United States Tennis Professional Association, Professional Tennis Registry, United States Tennis Association Alliance of Women Coaches, International Tennis Performance Association, and SLIAC Women's Tennis Committee member, 2013–2015 and 2018-2019.
Check out an interview to get to know Coach Shannon Carney better. Conducted by Winning Mindset.
OUR COMPETITION
Principia women's tennis plays in the NCAA DIII. We are one of ten teams that compete in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC).
The other schools that make up our conference are Greenville University (IL), Webster University (MO), Westminster College (MO), University of Wisconsin-Superior (WI), Bethany Lutheran College (MN), Crown College (MN), Martin Luther College (MN), University of Northwestern (MN), and University of Minnesota Morris (MN).
STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING
Principia College has excellent strength and conditioning facilities including three weight rooms, an indoor 200-meter track, and a full-size swimming pool.
Hexberg Tennis Center
Principia College has four indoor tennis courts that are open from 6 AM to 11 PM. The indoor center has ball machines and backboards.
In Hexberg, we also have free weights, med balls, yoga mats, exercise ball, strength and conditioning benches, rowing machine, bike, and slide boards. The tennis center and outdoor courts also have a Bluetooth enabled sound system so you can rock out to your music while you train.
Thank you for visiting our program!
Connect with us on Instagram! @principiawomentennis
Fill out our Recruit Questionnaire!
Schedule a visit to Principia College campus!
Interested in becoming a Panther?
Call or text Coach Carney +1 818.388.3353