The Women's Tennis Team at Western New England University has concluded their fall season in the first round of postseason play as they fell to high-ranked Gordon College on October 10.
This year’s squad, composed of three freshmen, four sophomores, two juniors, and a lone senior, went through a hard-fought season with poise and pride. Each player battled throughout the entirety of every match, and never let their competitors decrease their confidence or come in the way of their game. Specifically, one golden bear accounted for an especially successful and action-filled season: junior Morgan Schrader.
Schrader, who grew up in Burnt Hills, New York, single-handedly achieved a record of 7-1 in singles play this fall. Not only did she host the most singles wins on the team, but in many matches, she hosted the only win for the Golden Bears. The Western New England University Golden Bears Athletics website posts game recaps after every match, and many of them contained a similar line: “Schrader was the lone Golden Bear to post a win in singles play... Schrader accounted for Western New England's lone win of the match… Western New England's lone win came courtesy of Schrader…” (Popolizio, Director of Athletic Communications).
However, Schrader’s success has not been a product of sheer luck.
Being introduced to the game of tennis via lessons at a local tennis club at age 7, Schrader has been playing the sport competitively since the beginning of her teenage years. Since then, it has been a large part of her life. “Tennis was just one sport that I’ve always stuck with. My mom and sister also play, so there was always some friendly competition,” she recalls.
As soon as Schrader began preseason as a first year student in 2016, she was a force to be reckoned with. “When Morgan came to Western New England, she had all of the skills to play at the top of our line-up and be one of the top players in the conference.” says Men’s and Women’s Tennis Coach Jennifer Kollins. Kollins has been a head coach at Western New England University for 19 years, and her experience and expertise in the game allowed her to spot Schrader’s talent and hard work from the get-go.
Less than a month into her first fall season, in September of 2016, Schrader was named the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Rookie of the Week and also was the Western New England Student Athlete of the Week a few weeks later. Concluding her freshman year, she went undefeated in singles play and received the Coach’s Award.
In her second fall season as a Golden Bear, she held similar credentials with different accolades. She retained a record of 7-3 for singles, which led her to be named to the All-CCC Third Team and named MVP of the season. Schrader also received Student-Athlete honors given by the International Tennis Association due to her high grade point average while pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering.
Schrader’s accomplishments in this past season as a junior have not just been consistent with those of previous years, however. “Morgan has not only worked to improve her strokes to become more consistent and add more offensive weapons, but she has put the time in in the weight room to get stronger and faster making her one of the most fierce competitors in the conference holding a 24-5 singles record over the past 3 years,” says Kollins. She was named the Western New England University Athlete of the Week in the last week of September, and has been named to the 2018 All-CCC Second Team and the CCC All-Conference Team.
In addition, on October 14th, Schrader along with sophomore Maylene LaPress took home the trophy in their bracket as they represented the Golden Bears in New England Women’s Intercollegiate Championships, facing some of the top teams from around New England.
To Morgan Schrader, being a student-athlete isn’t only about the game of tennis. She also spends a lot of time with her teammates and coaches. She is thankful to have been able to have the opportunity to connect with a variety of different people. “I know I can always count on my teammates and coaches to have my back and be there for me whether it’s on the court, in the classroom, or just to brighten my day,” she states.
For those who aren’t relatively familiar with tennis, they may be unaware of the skill and perseverance that go into the game not only physically but mentally, “[Schrader] Does not just possess the physical skills of a great athlete but her mental game is one of the strongest in the league,” states Kollins.
For Schrader, that is her favorite part of the game. “I like the ability to be able to outsmart opponents. I also like that it is a lifelong sport, so even when I’m older I can still play,” she claims.
Athletics at Western New England University are largely emphasized throughout campus, and it is for a good reason. Athletes like Morgan Schrader of the Women’s Tennis Team are what make athletics impossible to not talk about. Her intelligence, determination, and success are examples of just a few qualities of what it takes to be a Golden Bear.