The Championship Season

As I get ready to drive back to Lincoln to get honored on the field with my teammates and coaches for our Big 10 conference title in 2013, I'd like to share a part of our success story that isn't talked about enough.

I received a lot of attention and accolades that year, and I'm very grateful for that.

But I don't think my teammates and coaches ever received the credit they deserved, and I'd like to change that.

They all played such a substantial role that year, and it's time to highlight it.

Unique chemistry

 

When people ask me about that historic 2012-2013 season, one of the most frequently asked questions I get is: "What made you girls so good that year"?

The answer is pretty simple.

Our team chemistry.

If you watched us play, you saw us having fun.

You saw an entire team wanting each other to win. 

We goofed around.

We laughed.

We fought and practiced like crazy. 

And most importantly, we cared very deeply for one another.

In college tennis, you often compete for lineup spots. If your teammate loses, it might be your chance to step on the court the next time. So, naturally, this can cause some mixed emotions.

But on our team, we never had that. 

Ever.

We all always cheered so loud for one another. Whether girls were playing, in the stands, or back home — there was always this genuine support that really made all the difference. 

And that, without a doubt, is one of the key reasons we had such a fantastic season and claimed the first-ever Big 10 conference title for Nebraska.

The start of the season

 

Heading into the spring season of 2013, we knew we had potential.

While we didn't have the best fall season, we were confident and set some pretty high goals for ourselves.

We knew it would take a full team effort, especially after losing two of our top players from the previous year — Maddie and Jen.

We were definitely considered an underdog heading into the season but we kind of liked that. 

In fact, we didn't have any ranked players or ranked doubles teams at the time. So, I don't think people took us super seriously.

But amongst us, there was this calm and focused energy.

We knew we were ready.

Early on in the season, we got to host the ITA Kick off weekend. 

Three top 25 teams came to Lincoln — Georgia Tech, Tennessee, and Notre Dame.

We took down Notre Dame and Tennessee, qualifying for the National Indoor championships, where we went 2-1.

Beating two top-25 teams really kickstarted our confidence, I believe.

It erased the limits in our minds.

And it certainly made other teams look at us a bit more closely.

We started to find our groove and began conference play as a top 20 team ourselves.

That was a huge moment for our team that year.

The girls

 

Looking back, I kind of feel like I had one of the "easier" jobs on this team.

I always got to play against the top players and never had a ton of pressure.

So, I really think my teammates deserve a lot more recognition for always bringing the energy, focus, and overall attitude. 

Patty, Janine, Steffi, and I had already played together for three years. 

In year four, all of that togetherness really peaked, I believe.

They did such an amazing job shaping our team culture. 

Every time they stepped on the court, they gave 110%. They cheered their hearts out and it made my life, for example, so much easier.

Also, Maggy, a freshman at the time, came into our squad with so much positive energy. She complemented our team so well with her character. 

The same goes for Maike (junior) and Izabella (sophomore). They were just so funny but also so calm and collected — exactly what we all needed to bring out the best in one another.

We all just clicked, you know?

When we played Northwestern, for example, I really believe the character of our team carried us through that one.

I remember it came down to Maggy's court.

The match was tied at 3-3, and she just played her heart out to give us a win over the #7 team in the country.

The way everyone cheered for Maggy, and how she handled that pressure as a freshman was simply amazing.

There were just no egos on our team.

Nothing but a complete team-focused mentality.

That win was huge for us.

I'm still getting goosebumps just thinking about it. 

Clinching the title

 

Heading into the final conference match against Wisconsin, we all had to bring our very best again.

While we had the confidence and knew we could beat anyone in the country, we were also fully aware that we could lose to anyone.

And I believe every single girl did such a great job embodying that mindset. They never 'overlooked' anyone or took someone lightly.

They just went on court, fired-up, and ready to give it their all.

It was really awesome. 

And when we did beat Wisconsin to claim the first conference title in Nebraska history since 1978, well, it was simply incredible.

We had a ton of family and friends there and just really enjoyed the moment with our loved ones.

We went out to dinner together, celebrated a bit, but then it was straight back to business — we had more things to accomplish.

The difference

 

Our camaraderie and chemistry made all the difference in the world that year.

And I just can't give these girls enough credit for everything they've accomplished and done for this team.

Not even just on the court.

Patty, Maike, Janine, Steffi, Izabella — they were all from foreign countries and just worked so hard in the classroom as well, for example.

We earned the Herman award three years in a row — an award that honors the team with the highest accumulative GPA amongst all Nebraska teams.

It's just to show how special they all are.

Patty deserves some extra recognition here, too. We both qualified for the NCAAs post-season and after we lost in doubles, she stuck around in Illinois and rooted for me as if she was playing herself. 

You can't teach that kind of character. 

Last but not least, I need to say a few words about Scott and Hayden, our two coaches.

They did such a great job recruiting the right girls and building the foundation for us to excel. We felt empowered to be ourselves out there and never like we were in any sort of forced environment.

Hayden was brilliant for on-court fun and advice.

Scott did a phenomenal job setting up a team-first atmosphere.

Just a perfect combination to really enable our success that year.

 

Reuniting with my girls

 

And now, we all get to reunite in a few days.

It's been years since we've all seen each other.

In fact, I don't think we've all been together since that 2013 season. 

So, I can't even describe how excited I am to see my girls this weekend.

I have so much love for this program, the university, and my teammates — it'll be a moment I'll cherish for the rest of my life.

See you soon, Nebraska!