MH
Megan Humphreys
  • elementary education
  • Class of 2017
  • Pleasant Prairie, WI

Pleasant Prairie Native Humphreys Part of WIAC Women's Tennis Championship Team

2014 Oct 28

Megan Humphreys, a native of Pleasant Prairie and member of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women's tennis team, became a conference champion over the weekend as the Warhawks won their eighth consecutive Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title Sunday at Nielsen Tennis Stadium in Madison, Wis.

Humphreys is majoring in general business at UW-Whitewater.

The Warhawks, who have won nine league titles in the last 11 years and 15 overall, edged UW-La Crosse by one point in the overall championship standings, 20-19.

The two teams tied for first in the weekend's tournament (13 points apiece), but UW-Whitewater entered the weekend with one more point (7-6) in the dual meet standings, which account for one-third of the championship, than the Eagles.

Playing without two-time All-American Megan Humphreys (Kenosha, Wis./Tremper), who was out due to injury, the Warhawks won three of the six individual singles titles and two of the three doubles championships. The team finished in the top four in all other singles and doubles flights.

Head coach Frank Barnes, who was named WIAC Coach of the Year following play, said the coaching staff didn't let the players anywhere near the scoreboard, knowing the standings would be tight.

"I told them to try and treat and prepare just like every other match," Barnes said. "I told them no one was allowed to keep track of tournament points. We knew it was close, and told them we'd need every match. UW-La Crosse played really well.

"It was great to see we weren't fazed by the pressure, especially for being such a young team."

All-America freshmen Alicia Beck (Bismarck, N.D./St. Mary's Central) and Bridgid McGuire(Slinger, Wis./Slinger) clinched the championship for UW-Whitewater with an 8-5 triumph over Bridget Bellissimo and Kimmy Mrozek of UW-La Crosse in the No. 1 doubles championship match.

"Bridgid kept us in the match, and Alicia hit some clutch shots at the end to clinch it," Barnes said.

Beck and freshman Jillian Wallace (Crystal Lake, Ill./Central) won titles in both singles and doubles.

Wallace cruised in straight sets in the No. 5 singles final, downing UW-La Crosse's Kendra Woyahn 6-1, 6-2.

Later in the day, she teamed with sophomore Amy Upthagrove (Muskego, Wis./Muskego) - the only player with prior WIAC Championship experience entering the weekend - to take the second doubles championship. The duo knocked off Bryanne Blanton and Ali Bublitz of UW-La Crosse 8-5 in the final.

Beck competed at the fourth singles position and gutted out a third-set tiebreaker to defeat Madison Rossebo of UW-Eau Claire 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (3).

"Alicia played in the tightest singles match of the day," Barnes said. "She was leading 5-2 in the last set, but let the lead slip away back to 5-5. A normal freshman would crumble (under the pressure), but she stuck to her guns and got a quick lead in the tiebreaker, where she played with a lot of confidence."

Freshman Alexandra Talyansky (Mequon, Wis./Homestead) won the No. 3 singles flight, defeating Blanton 6-2, 6-2 in Sunday's final. Talyansky finished the fall with just one loss.

McGuire and senior Amanda Dick (Kenosha, Wis./St. Joseph Catholic Academy) finished as runners-up at the first and second singles slots, respectively. Barnes said Dick's three-set semifinal victory at No. 2 was crucial to the team's title.

"She won the first set easily, but then got frustrated in the second," Barnes said. "We talked to her and pulled her back emotionally. Had she not won that match, we would have struggled to stay alive (for the championship)."

Barnes earned his sixth WIAC Coach of the Year award in his 12 years at the helm of the program.

"I didn't hit a ball in any of those six years," Barnes said. "I always attribute that award to the players.

"This is probably our most rewarding championship. You always remember the first one, but playing without one of the top players in the conference, this one was the most rewarding."

Beck was the team's representative on the league's All-Sportsmanship Team.

As conference champion, the Warhawks will host the WIAC Final Four AQ Tournament on April 25, 2015. The winner of the dual-format tournament will earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament.

View complete results from the tournament here.