The Michigan women's tennis team has pulled off one of the most remarkable turnarounds of the college tennis season, going from rock bottom to hosting NCAA Tournament action this weekend.
Earlier this year, things looked bleak for the Wolverines. Coming off the program's first-ever Final Four appearance and loaded with returning talent, Michigan plummeted to No. 76 in the national rankings after dropping four straight matches to ranked opponents. It was a stunning fall for a team with championship aspirations.
But sometimes, a detour can lead to the right destination. When No. 12 Oklahoma State had to cancel a scheduled match due to injuries, head coach Ronni Bernstein—now in her 19th season—quickly arranged a road trip to Xavier in late February. That unplanned journey to Cincinnati proved to be the turning point.
"We were struggling. The first month of the season was rough," Bernstein admitted. "We scheduled tough early, and we just had kids that didn't have confidence. A couple of them were close matches and we just weren't pulling it out." The veteran coach suspects the weight of expectations from the previous year's success may have been a factor.
That Oklahoma State cancellation? "A blessing in disguise," Bernstein calls it now.
The results speak for themselves. Michigan (19-6, 12-1 Big Ten) has roared all the way back to No. 12 in the national rankings, capturing both the Big Ten regular-season and tournament titles along the way. The Wolverines capped their conference run with a statement 4-2 victory over No. 5 Ohio State—their first win over the Buckeyes this season—to claim the tournament championship in Columbus last Sunday.
Now, the Wolverines are preparing to host NCAA Tournament first- and second-round matches this weekend at the Varsity Tennis Center. It marks the 12th time since 2010—and the fourth straight season—that Michigan has earned the right to host the opening weekend.
The action begins Saturday with Michigan taking on Illinois State (18-6), while Toledo (13-8) faces No. 17 Florida (16-7). The winners will meet in Sunday's second round for a spot in the NCAA Super Regionals.
For a team that hit rock bottom just months ago, hosting postseason tennis is the sweetest kind of redemption—and proof that in college sports, the path to a championship is rarely a straight line.