ST. LOUIS - Monroe 2012 alumnus Brooke McBain will be making a trip to the land of the Gateway Arch, but it won't be a sight-seeing trip.
McBain, a sophomore at Edgewood College along with the women's tennis team, is making the journey to St. Louis for the NCAA Division III Tournament that starts on Thursday. The Eagles will play their first-round match against No. 25 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater at Washington University in St. Louis on Thursday.
McBain has played No. 2 doubles all season and is 17-7. She went unbeaten in conference, but she has a new partner in Laura Olsen. McBain has also played at No. 5 singles and is 12-3. McBain already has the third most doubles wins in a single season (22), which she set last year as a freshman.
"It's a little more pressure," McBain said of also playing No. 5 singles. "I like the chance of playing singles. I'm really excited to represent my team and try to get that win."
Edgewood College women's tennis team went unbeaten in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference for the second straight year. This is the second consecutive year that McBain will play in the NCAA Tournament, which features the top 50 teams in Division III. Edgewood College (19-8, 11-0 NACC) dominated the conference by going 33-0 in doubles play.
"It's motivation from last year," McBain said. "We know how good Whitewater is coming in."
Edgewood College qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in the last six years. The Eagles defeated Concordia University 5-0 Saturday, May 3 in the NACC Tournament championship match to punch their ticket to the NCAA Division III Tournament.
The Warhawks (20-5) are an automatic qualifier from the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Edgewood College and Whitewater met in the season opener Aug. 30 and the Warhawks cruised to a 9-0 win. Edgewood College is still seeking their first win in the NCAA Division III Tournament going 0-4 in four other appearances. McBain is well aware the Eagles are considered the underdog.
"Whitewater is a very good team," she said. "The challenge is being mentally and prepared because we know how good they are. We just want to go out there, have fun and compete to the best of our ability. We want to go out there and try to take some games from them."
The winner of the Eagles and Warhawks will play 11th-ranked DePauw University (18-4) in the second round on Friday.
McBain said there was an adjustment period making the jump from high school tennis to the college level.
"The level of play in college is a little more upbeat," she said. "The skill level of the players is a lot better."
However, she was part of a class that included 10 freshmen last year that were getting their start at the same time.
"There were so many new freshmen coming in and we were all at the same level," McBain said. "It's cool to be a part of a program that has been so successful. It means a lot."
McBain, a sophomore at Edgewood College along with the women's tennis team, is making the journey to St. Louis for the NCAA Division III Tournament that starts on Thursday. The Eagles will play their first-round match against No. 25 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater at Washington University in St. Louis on Thursday.
McBain has played No. 2 doubles all season and is 17-7. She went unbeaten in conference, but she has a new partner in Laura Olsen. McBain has also played at No. 5 singles and is 12-3. McBain already has the third most doubles wins in a single season (22), which she set last year as a freshman.
"It's a little more pressure," McBain said of also playing No. 5 singles. "I like the chance of playing singles. I'm really excited to represent my team and try to get that win."
Edgewood College women's tennis team went unbeaten in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference for the second straight year. This is the second consecutive year that McBain will play in the NCAA Tournament, which features the top 50 teams in Division III. Edgewood College (19-8, 11-0 NACC) dominated the conference by going 33-0 in doubles play.
"It's motivation from last year," McBain said. "We know how good Whitewater is coming in."
Edgewood College qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in the last six years. The Eagles defeated Concordia University 5-0 Saturday, May 3 in the NACC Tournament championship match to punch their ticket to the NCAA Division III Tournament.
The Warhawks (20-5) are an automatic qualifier from the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Edgewood College and Whitewater met in the season opener Aug. 30 and the Warhawks cruised to a 9-0 win. Edgewood College is still seeking their first win in the NCAA Division III Tournament going 0-4 in four other appearances. McBain is well aware the Eagles are considered the underdog.
"Whitewater is a very good team," she said. "The challenge is being mentally and prepared because we know how good they are. We just want to go out there, have fun and compete to the best of our ability. We want to go out there and try to take some games from them."
The winner of the Eagles and Warhawks will play 11th-ranked DePauw University (18-4) in the second round on Friday.
McBain said there was an adjustment period making the jump from high school tennis to the college level.
"The level of play in college is a little more upbeat," she said. "The skill level of the players is a lot better."
However, she was part of a class that included 10 freshmen last year that were getting their start at the same time.
"There were so many new freshmen coming in and we were all at the same level," McBain said. "It's cool to be a part of a program that has been so successful. It means a lot."
