Morgan Waller of Drinkwater, Sask. has been named Player of the Year by the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLAIC), after a standout 2020-21 season with the women’s tennis team at Ferris State University in Michigan.
Waller, a sophomore on scholarship to the division two university, helped lead the FSU team to a conference victory with a combined 25-5 overall singles and doubles record and a 14-1 in regular season play.
She put up a 6-1 mark in conference matches and a perfect 15-0 doubles performance throughout the year, and was one of four FSU Bulldogs given a first teams award from the GLIAC as a top player in the conference.
The FSU Bulldogs finished the season earlier this spring with a perfect 8-0 record in the GLAIC, taking a 13-1 overall to win the GLAIC Championship in both the regular season and tournament for the first time since 2002.
“We all had this drive, and dedication to get there and [win conference], which I think really helped us feel confident in just knowing we could do it,” said Waller.
Ranked 19th in the U.S., FSU recently made the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2015 this past weekend, ultimately falling to the Southwest Baptist Bearcats in the semi-final and breaking a 16-match win streak.
Waller said it was exciting to finish out the season strong with a trophy win. She credited the determination of all the players on the squad to push even harder than last season, where the Bulldogs finished fourth in the regular season and fifth in conference.
“Winning both regular season and conference season was an insane jump [from last year],” said Waller. “We’re a fairly young team this year, but most of our lineup has had a couple years to ease into it and adjust, and I think everybody was outstanding this year.”
In addition to her other accolades, Waller was also named Player of the Week back at the beginning of the conference matches, right after the entire team was off the court for several weeks due to positive COVID results.
The team ended up rescheduling and playing six matches over a span of a week, after being medically cleared.
“Our entire lineup was out and we had to postpone three matches [and] then we kind of had what we described as a minor setback for a major comeback,” said Waller. “So, aside from winning the title which was awesome, knowing that we did it having faced so much adversity and dealt with COVID and having to play so many matches back-to-back, I think that makes the win so much sweeter for us.”
Looking into the future, the FSU women’s team is likely headed to even further heights, as the team will be a mostly veteran squad next year. Waller said that sights are set on another trophy.
“It's motivation, to keep working and use that next year to really keep our confidence and our drive and just remind ourselves that we can compete with everybody in our conference,” said Waller.
As for her own play, Waller said she headed into her sophomore season with more confidence than the year previous, after adjusting to the new locale and having the opportunity to train further for a spring competition.
“I think it was more of a mental change for me, having the confidence in myself to push,” said Waller. “I was just a bit more used to it, adjusted to it, and that really helped me focus more on tennis. I was in a better mindset.”
Waller also added that having GLAIC move the championship from fall to spring had a big impact, as it gave the Bulldogs more time to hit the courts and train.
“We had lots of time to prepare and I feel like having that time to get ready really helped get me to the point where I was at the top of my game and playing well and confident in myself,” said Waller.
Waller started her tennis career at the age of six, taking lessons at the Moose Jaw Tennis Club with coach Joan Buckmaster and later with Drew Buckmaster.
Although the trains at a pro level in Regina now, Waller said she still has a soft spot for the Moose Jaw courts as she continues her rise at the collegiate level.
“The only reason I fell in love with tennis and decided to go [to a high-performance coach] is because I was able to find junior group lessons in Moose Jaw. That’s kind of where it all started for me,” said Waller.
Waller is currently in her second year of play eligibility at FSU, and is one of many athletes who have been extended for an extra year of eligibility in their collegiate sport due to disruptions from the pandemic.
