ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Navy women's tennis head coach Keith Puryear announced the addition of six freshmen for the 2024-25 campaign on Thursday.
 
A group that was rated as the 12th-best mid-major recruiting class by the Tennis Recruiting Network, Puryear and associate head coach Alessandra Pedergnana will welcome newcomers Peyton Amspacher-Philemon, Molly Bellia, Emma Gu, Grace Li, Ji Soo Oh and Vanessa Popescu to the team as the Midshipmen prepare to open the fall slate on Sept. 6 at the Bill & Sandra Moore Invitational.
 
"The Navy Women's Tennis family welcomes this highly-accomplished group to our fold," said Puryear. "With hard work and dedication to developing their games for college tennis, we are excited to see what the future will hold for each in this group here at Navy"
 
Peyton Amspacher-Philemon – 5-5 – Wilmington, N.C./New Hanover
Ranked as a four-star recruit by the Tennis Recruiting Network … Attended the Naval Academy Prep School during the 2023-24 academic year ... A 2023 graduate of New Hanover High School in Wilmington, N.C., playing varsity tennis from freshman through junior years … Named a 2021-22 High School All-American along with current Navy teammate Molly Bellia … Was a North Carolina 3A doubles finalist as a freshman in 2019 and reached the semifinals of the state's 3A singles championship during her sophomore season of 2020 … Also won the NCHSAA 3A East Regional singles tournament as both a freshman and sophomore … Named the Wilmington StarNews All-Area Player of the Year as both a freshman and sophomore, earning First-Team All-Area honors as well … Notched Coastal Preps Player-of-the-Year honors as a freshman and sophomore … Went undefeated in singles play as a freshman and sophomore … Also attended Barth Hawtin Tennis Academy in Kiawah Island, S.C. … Daughter of Elisabeth Amspacher … Family friend of former Navy women's tennis player Audrey Channell (USNA Class of 2017).
 
Molly Bellia – 5-7 – Granger, Ind./Saint Joseph
Ranked as a four-star recruit by the Tennis Recruiting Network … Lettered in tennis for four seasons at Saint Joseph High School, playing at No. 1 singles all four years … Named a 2023-24 High School All-American along with current Navy teammates Emma Gu and Grace Li … Named a 2021-22 High School All-American along with current Navy teammate Peyton Amspacher-Philemon … Won the IHSAA singles title as a freshman in 2021, finishing as state singles runner-up during her sophomore campaign of 2022 and reaching the state singles quarterfinals as a junior in 2023 … Led Saint Joseph to the 2024 team state championship as a senior after finishing as the state runner-up in 2021 and 2023 and falling in the team semifinals in 2022 … Named the Northern Indiana Conference MVP in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 … Earned All-State First Team, All-District First Team and All-Northern Indiana Conference First Team honors in each of her four years at Saint Joseph … Named team captain as a sophomore, junior and senior … Received the 2024 IHSAA Mental Attitude Award for mental attitude, athletic ability, scholarship and leadership … High school tennis teammate of Ashi Amalnathan (South Carolina State) … Played club tennis doubles with current Navy teammate Emma Gu … Also competed on the Saint Joseph cross country team for three seasons, earning All-Northern Indiana Conference Second Team honors as a senior and being named to the Academic All-State Team twice … Plays the piano and cello … Daughter of Anthony and Patricia Bellia … Mother, Patricia, played tennis at Harvard, lettering twice … Sister, Kate, is a senior on the Notre Dame women's tennis team.
 
Emma Gu – 5-6 – West Lafayette, Ind./Harrison
Ranked as a five-star recruit by the Tennis Recruiting Network … Played four years of varsity tennis for William Henry Harrison High School … Named a 2023-24 High School All-American along with current Navy teammates Molly Bellia and Grace Li … Named a 2022-23 High School All-American along with current Navy teammate Grace Li … Was the IHSAA singles runner-up in 2024 after reaching the quarterfinals in 2023 and the semifinals in 2021 … Helped Harrison reach the state team semifinals as a senior in 2024 … Led Harrison to sectional championships in 2021, 2023 and 2024 … Earned All-State First Team and All-District selection for her freshman, junior and senior seasons … Selected to the Academic All-State Team as a senior … Also earned varsity letters in cross country and track & field at Harrison … Played club tennis doubles with current Navy teammate Molly Bellia … Daughter of Peter Gu and Ping Wan … Brother, Aaron, is a member of the Navy men's tennis team and the USNA Class of 2027.
 
Grace Li – 5-7 – West Chester, Pa./Unionville
Ranked as a five-star recruit by the Tennis Recruiting Network … Played three years of varsity tennis for Unionville High School … Named a 2023-24 High School All-American along with current Navy teammates Molly Bellia and Emma Gu … Named a 2022-23 High School All-American along with current Navy teammate Emma Gu … Won back-to-back PIAA3A state singles championships in 2022 and 2023 after finishing as the state singles runner-up during her sophomore season in 2021 … Named the Daily Local News Player of the Year in 2021, 2022 and 2023 … Won three consecutive Ches-Mont American League singles titles … Claimed the 2023 district singles title after taking second place in the district championship in 2022 … Led Unionville to PIAA3A team state runner-up finishes in 2021 and 2023 … Earned Unionville MVP honors for the 2022-23 and 2023-24 school years.
 
Ji Soo Oh – 5-4 – Wesley Chapel, Fla./Saddlebrook Prep
Ranked as a three-star recruit by the Tennis Recruiting Network … Played tennis at Saddlebrook Preparatory School … Won the Most Improved Award in 2021 … Teammate of Air Force's Maya Michalski while at Saddlebrook … Daughter of Myoung Sup Oh and Jung A Kim.
 
Vanessa Popescu – 5-5 – McLean, Va./McLean
Ranked as a four-star recruit by the Tennis Recruiting Network … Earned two varsity tennis letters at McLean High School … Was named to the All-Region First Team for both singles and doubles as a junior in 2023, also earning team MVP honors … Helped McLean win the 2022 Virginia 6D North Region team title … Finished as the 2022 state doubles runner-up alongside Michelle Martinkov … Received the CAP Billy Mitchell Award and CAP NCO of the Year Unit Award while at McLean.