Women's Tennis Welcomes 3 More Student-Athletes

Liberty Women's Tennis Head Coach Jeff Maren has announced the addition of transfer Ashley Bongart, along with freshmen Nasha Ghajar and Grace Hashiguchi, for the 2017-18 academic year.

"Coach Lemmi and I are excited to add these three outstanding girls to our team! They will add tremendous depth to our lineup and provide us with a great work ethic and desire to improve and succeed," Maren stated. "Their personalities fit our program like a glove, and I have no doubt that they will all play an integral role in helping our team climb to the next level."

Bongart (left), Ghajar (center) and Hashiguchi (right) will join the Liberty women's tennis team for the 2017-18 academic year.

Bongart, a native of Bradenton, Fla., joins the Lady Flames following two years of competition at Tennessee. In two years with the Volunteers, she compiled 17 singles victories and 16 doubles wins while being named to the 2017 SEC Academic Honor Roll.

Prior to attending Tennessee, Bongart was a five-star recruit and ranked as high as No. 28 in the country as a junior player. Bongart's father, Eddie Bongart, played for the Liberty men's tennis program from 1990-94.

"I'm excited about playing for Coach Maren and Coach Lemmi. My teammates are all so talented, and I believe we will have a great opportunity to win the Big South Conference," Bongart said. "I'm really blessed to have this opportunity that the Lord has given me to attend and play for Liberty."

Ghajar hails from Buffalo, N.Y. and has also lived overseas, primarily in Saudi Arabia. An incoming freshman, Ghajar has been training for the past few years at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.

"I was taken in by everyone, which signaled it was the right opportunity for me to follow my life's path," Ghajar stated. "It's a beautiful campus that holds kind-hearted people. I consider it an honor to call Liberty my new home, and I am proud to be a Flame!"

Hashiguchi, a native of Rockville, Md., is a four-star recruit who has been ranked as high as No. 129 in the country. She recently reached the quarterfinals of the Elon Invitational on the ITA Summer Circuit.

"Liberty University is everything I was searching for in terms of a strong, God-centered school which strives for excellence in every aspect of a student-athlete's life," Hashiguchi stated. "There is so much support offered to student-athletes at Liberty, and I am very excited to be joining the women's tennis team family, where I know I will further grow and mature and have the opportunity to work with Coach Maren, Coach Lemmi and all the other team members."