MC Tennis kicks off season with high expectations
On Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, Maryville College played their home opener against Hanover College. With momentum shifts, comebacks and a clinching match to push MC over the edge, both the men’s and women’s teams delivered an emotional win. This game showcased what it means to be a student-athlete at Maryville College, as well as what it means to be a tennis player
“I pulled out a win [against Hanover] that I’m really proud of,” Maggie Hackney (‘29) said.
Hackney pushed Maryville over the edge when the score was deadlocked at 3-3, coming back to win the match as an underdog, something that’s been common for the Scots. Last season, both men’s and women’s tennis had their best records in school history, with the women’s team going 10-6 and the men’s team ending at 9-9. The team hopes to continue this trajectory of success and make history this season.
“I think we have a very good chance at making a push for the conference [title] with the talent we have,” Field Myatt (‘27) said. “Most of the team has been playing really well, we just have to keep that momentum going.”
Maryville has been reaching new heights in the level of competition played as well. Even with both teams currently having records of two wins and three losses, the box score isn’t representative of how competitive those matches are.
“I don’t think people really understand how competitive tennis can be,” Jonathan Crane (‘26) said. “For example, a 0-7 loss can be extremely competitive, but it won’t look like it at face value. You don’t see the details of each match.”
The inverse can also happen. Maryville has played teams this year that they would have struggled to beat last year, handling them with ease. This goes to show the competitive increase on both sides.
Goals for the men’s and women’s teams vary this year. While the men’s team looks to push for a conference championship, with the help of key seniors Jackson Meyer, James Smith and Jonathan Crane, the women’s team looks to build for the future, with key additions Clara Plass (‘29), McKena Spencer (‘29) and Maggie Hackney.
“Overall, I think the word to describe this season is ‘progress’,” Spencer said. “I think the women’s team is doing a great job considering half of us are freshmen and we’re new [to collegiate athletics].”
“I came in pretty nervous about the level of play, team culture, matches and practice,” Hackney said. “These have definitely lived up to my expectations of what college tennis is like and how competitive and intense it can really be.”
The competition puts emphasis on team camaraderie and how well one can support another. This support could take place in a match or in practice, but what is essential is that both teams are there to help one another, and everyone knows they have significant impact on those around them.
“It’s not just one person who makes a team,” Myatt said. “We have our different roles that we play to make our team what it is.”
“Each individual person plays an important role on the team, [and everyone]works hard – individually and collectively – to ensure we [are] the best team we can be,” Spencer said. “Without even one of the girls, our team wouldn’t be anywhere near what it is now, and I am so proud of our team [and this season] thus far.”
Being the best means perfecting a training regimen and catering to each player’s preferences. Each player has a different game style, and being able to play against multiple kinds of players helps everyone hone their skills
“Here we practice four times a week for around three hours, and we do conditioning and strength training,” Spencer said. “It’s much stricter here [at Maryville] than in high school.”
Other players have experiences at different levels.
“I transferred [to Maryville] from a Division II school called Frostburg State. The training there was super tough, it took a lot of time out of your day,” Myatt said. “During the season, you’d wake up at 4:45 a.m. two to three days a week to work out, and then you’d be practicing two or three hours later in the day. It took a huge toll on my body and my grades because I didn’t feel like I had enough time to do [assignments].”
“At Maryville, I like the amount of time we practice, which is around two hours per day,” Myatt added. “It gives me more time to get my work done during the day and time to wind down at the end of the day.”
All of the training, team bonding, and goal setting helps each team improve their skills, as well as look to beating top competitors.
“I’d love to beat Belhaven after the battles we had with them last year,” Myatt said. “We were close to beating them on multiple occasions, but the top three teams everyone is going after in our conference are Asbury, Covenant and Piedmont.”
Training, team building, in-match experience and commitment will help increase program success, and Maryville aims to continue making history in the years to come.
MC men’s tennis team walks through a dynamic warmup.
Photo Courtesy of Eli Cauthorn.