Giana Mucci saw the big change that would lead to her dream season.
As a junior, the Calabasas High girls tennis star won the Marmonte League singles title and was named league Most Valuable Player.
But the Coyotes lost their second straight CIF-Southern Section final, falling to Westlake in the Division 1 championship match by the same slim 10-8 margin they had lost to Laguna Hills in the 2023 Division 2 final.
“We wanted it really bad,” Mucci said.
So Mucci went to Calabasas head coach Criss Rodriguez and volunteered to shift to doubles.
“It was so lonely on a singles court,” Mucci explained. “I could never show my true potential. (Playing doubles), I could really capitalize on my talent. I really got to show my true talent as a leader.”
She couldn’t have been more right.
Mucci went undefeated this fall with both partners — Emma Penev and Alena Koltsova — leading Calabasas to the Marmonte League championship and its first CIF-SS title in 21 years.
“It meant so much,” Mucci said, “especially being a senior this year and ending on such an amazing win.”
Two weeks after winning the team title, Mucci and Koltsova rolled to the CIF-SS individual doubles championship, beating the top seeds in a heart-stopping, three-set final.
“I’ll never forget this season,” said Mucci, who has been named The Star’s 2025 Girls Tennis Player of the Year. “I couldn’t ask for anything better.”
The doubles title came 36 years after Mucci’s mother, Natasha Mucci, née Pospich, won the CIF-SS doubles title as a Calabasas High junior with partner Stacey Jellen.
“To play with the best of the best was an honor,” Mucci said. “To win it made it 100 times better.”
The Coyotes (18-1) handled Harvard-Westlake 12-6 to win the Division 2 championship on Nov. 19 at the University of Redlands.
“Gianna is a rock,” Rodriguez said. “She just has the personality of a leader. She’s the glue to the team. She always kept the team together.”
Mucci was serving when she and Penev delivered the clinching point.
It was also her forehand winner down the line that clinched the CIF-SS doubles title against top-seeded Grace Kersenbrock and Emily Gao of Santa Margarita Catholic, 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, on Dec. 4 at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.
“It was really special to get those two points,” Mucci said, “knowing how much it meant.”
Mucci was undefeated as a senior, going 22-0 during the league campaign and postseason combined.
“She’s a clutch player,” Rodriguez said. “We will not be the same without her next year. She’s the most talented player overall and best team player I’ve ever had in my program. I feel very honored to have coached her for four years.”
She was voted co-Marmonte League MVP, sharing with Agoura’s top singles player Veorah Feddanich.
“I couldn’t ask for a better team, better coaches or a better season,” Mucci said. “It was just amazing.”
Mucci teamed up with fellow senior Penev for league play.
“I’ve known Emma since we were playing junior team tennis at 10 years old,” Mucci said. “Being seniors, we played out every single match. Knowing this was our last ride at Calabasas, we were always there 100%.”
Sophomore Koltsova, the Coyotes’ No. 1 singles player, joined Mucci for the CIF-SS individuals.
“Her game in singles matched up beautifully with my play in doubles,” Mucci said. “It was very easy to create chemistry with both my partners.”
Fourth-seeded Calabasas (18-1) defeated Temecula Valley, Tesoro, Chadwick and top-seeded Irvine-Woodbridge along the way to the program’s 10th sectional final.
Seeded ninth at CIF-SS individuals, Mucci-Koltsova beat Ava Levitanus and Julianna Johnson of JSerra Catholic 6-1, 6-1, Malia Fernandez and Ava Panah of Mira Costa 1-6, 6-1, 10-8, and Ava Min and Cassie Blakely of Palos Verdes 7-5, 6-3 to reach the final.
“With doubles, there’s nothing to get bored of,” Mucci said. “You can try 100 new things and see what works.”
Mucci’s parents met playing tennis. Although she played other sports growing up, there was only one sport for her as she grew.
“I was just born into the sport,” Mucci said. “I knew tennis was going to be my thing.”
Now she waits to see whether she’ll have an opportunity to keep playing in college.
“I’ve been talking to a few schools, but I’m not really sure where it’s going to take me,” Mucci said. “I would love to play in college. I’m definitely going to stay in sports, if I don’t go play for a school.”
The Star’s All-County Girls Tennis Second Team
Melody Tu, Oak Park
Grace Hu, Oak Park
Amilya Chapovsky, Oak Park
Keira Ayivi, Oak Park
Sania Goregaoker, Westlake
Chloe Wang, Westlake
Katherine Blackwood, Oaks Christian
Makena Morgan, Oaks Christian
Elise Rankin, Oaks Christian
Hannah Huang, Oaks Christian
Sophia Loizu, Calabasas
Reilly Ricasata, Camarillo
Amber Koh, Camarillo
Malia Nguyen, Oxnard
Alisa Tran, Agoura
Yulissa Mao, Newbury Park
Cookie Young, Moorpark
Chloe Kalison, Villanova Prep