The SNHU women’s tennis team won the NE10 championship against Franklin Pierce on October 23, with a final score of 4-3. It is the first NE10 championship for the women since the 2011-2012 season.
Team captain Magdalena [Maggie] Hubickova (’23) sees the championship win as a full circle moment after working towards it for such a long time.
“Winning the NE10 was such an amazing experience,” said Hubickova. “I was working towards this since my freshman year, and I am a senior now. It was even better than I expected. Everyone on the team [contributed].”
The entire team contributed to the championship, and it took full effort for the entire season to get there.
“As a team, we really came together and showed how strong we are; not only at the NE10 championship, but through the whole season,” said Hubickova. “The whole season was amazing. We didn’t lose a match and it was incredible.”
Head Coach Greg Coache, who took over coaching duties in 2007, observed qualities in his team that he considers special, though he still feels nostalgic from years past.
“They couldn’t have performed better, this was a magical year in many ways,” said Coache. “It brought back memories from 2012 when we won an NE10 and were undefeated as well. They were very good last year, but we fell a couple [of] games short in the semifinals. It was stunning to me that [that] happened with such a strong team. This year, we are just as strong, and they really did come through.”
Hubickova’s tenure at SNHU has been a journey, but what she values most is the time spent here. Coache’s impact on her has helped her succeed during her time here at SNHU.
“I can’t believe it happened this quickly. This is my first normal year [after COVID-19], since the first part of my freshman year, and the experience has been just amazing. I think I grew as a tennis player, but also as a person here at SNHU,” said Hubickova. “[Coache] is amazing with how positive and supportive he is. I think now that we are a little bit older, we don’t need that much [help] with technique, but it is now more mental toughness and he’s really there for us.”
As captain, Hubickova has taken on important roles both on and off the court, and Coache enjoyed watching her flourish here at SNHU.
“When we made her captain, she really embraced that position more than anyone I’ve seen in the past,” said Coache. “She really embraced that [role] and instantly went to organizational stuff. She is always talking to the girls and is very motivating. Maggie was Player of the Year, so we already know how good she is. On the other hand, she always has very tough matches. There’s been a couple where they could have gone either way and [she] just fell short. What is great about her is that she didn’t mope, she just grabbed her bag and went to the next court and started cheering… that is tremendous leadership.”
With the fall season finished, SNHU will begin preparing for the spring season, where they look to add more wins.
“Women’s tennis here at SNHU has a dual season, so [the NE10 championship] is in the fall, but we have regionals and nationals in the spring,” said Hubickova. “We will focus on what we did during [the regular] season which is doubles. Getting that first doubles point is very important to us. We will also focus on mental toughness.”
Having just taken home her second NE10 Player of the Year award, Hubickova said that, while she appreciates this award, she couldn’t have done it without her teammates.
“I am so happy that I got this award. I am working hard every day on the court and to get this award is really nice. However, it is not about me, this award goes to my team. They are the ones that are practicing with me, cheering me on off the court, and without them, I don’t think I win player of the year,” Hubickova said.
The team’s success was never-ending on the court; however, Coache noticed what went into the team’s achievements.
“I love their personalities, I love their team bonding, and they had a really good work ethic, practicing-wise,” said Coache. “The team bonding really pays off, they were a really solid unit, and all-in-all, it was the formula for success this year.”
