Sports
Women’s tennis coach Jakusz named WIAC Coach of the Year
The Pointer
ggott172@uwsp.edu
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point women’s tennis head coach Karlyn Jakusz, after leading the program to its first appearance in the spring Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament, was named the WIAC Coach of the Year by a vote of coaches in the conference.
Jakusz acknowledged that the award reflected the play on the court this season.
“The girls are the ones who played well; I just got the perk,” Jakusz said. “It’s a pretty big deal.Most of the time the coach of the year award goes to the conference winner, so this is a big boost to our program.”
Jakusz also hopes that the program can use this year’s success as a springboard for the future.
“It means quite a bit actually because it shows that other schools and coaches in our conference think we’re making progress and it’s good to be recognized for that,” Jakusz said. “We hope to stay in recognition now; it’s always good to get your name out there more.”
In terms of the biggest difference between this year and previous years, Jakusz believed it began with senior leadership.
“I think practices were more competitive this year with four seniors on the team who have been with us since the beginning [of their college careers],” Jakusz said. “In previous years it seemed like close matches would not go our way and we would crumble. This year we didn’t; we had a belief that we can win, and we won a lot of close matches.”
The National Collegiate Athletic Association holds its Division III Championship in the spring, and the Pointers will compete for an automatic bid to that tournament in the WIAC tournament, which will be held in late April.
The postseason tournament gives Jakusz something to look forward to and prepare for.
“In previous years, our play in spring was basically practices, but this year we are actually playing for something,” Jakusz said.
A week before the WIAC tournament gets underway, the team will spend spring break competing in Orlando, Fla., which Jakusz feels will give the team a good test heading into the conference tournament.
“We will finally get to play some out-of-state schools and see what competition is like in other parts of the country,” Jakusz said.
With bigger challenges on the horizon, Jakusz is proud of the Coach of the Year honor because it serves as a testament to the players who made it possible, and the women’s tennis program as a whole.
“It’s a sign the program is going in the right direction, and all the credit goes to the players, they’re the ones who have to play well for an award like this to be won.”
