Women’s tennis is preparing for a busy year leading up to Hillsdale College’s transition to the Great Midwest Athletic Conference.
The GLIAC fall season leaves little time to break before the spring GMAC season begins. The Chargers, however, returned to campus Aug. 22 ready to play and stronger together, coach Nikki Walbright said.
“Everybody came back in really great shape,” Walbright said. “Everybody seemed to have done really great workouts and played a lot of tennis this summer. Everyone came in really prepared.”
Senior Jada Bissett said this gives the team depth and the ability to mix players in different positions. Walbright said this is advantageous, since matches begin so soon.
“Every match places the same importance, whether it’s the first or the last one,” Walbright said.
Switching to the GMAC is more conducive to how tennis is performed at the collegiate level, since most colleges compete in the spring, Walbright said. The transition from the GLIAC, however, leaves little times between seasons.
“There’s no grace period,” Walbright said.
But athletes said they already feel at home together.
The women spent the week day in and day out with each other. Living in the same hallway in McIntyre Residence, they ate meals together, practiced five to six hours together, lifted together, and hung out together.
“Since moving in together and practicing together, it feels like I’ve known these girls for years,” freshman Kamryn Matthews said. “It really helps because you’re thrown right into it, but the girls are really encouraging. I’m excited to be a part of something bigger than myself.”
Matthews, along with freshman Katie Bell, may be newcomers, but they are strengthening the team by pushing the upperclassmen who become mentors to them, Walbright said.
“I’ve been really proud of them with how seamless it’s been with their transition onto the team,” Walbright said. “There was no divide on the team at all. They’ve worked really hard and pushed the girls.”
And pushing themselves and each other is just what the athletes said they are going to do in the back-to-back seasons.
“I’m looking forward to leaving the GLIAC with a bang,” Bissett said. “Leaving it all out there, just making sure our rivals — Grand Valley State University, Wayne State University — remember us.”
