NIU women’s tennis saw a massive turnaround this season, improving its record by nine wins from a year prior.

Led by senior Sara McLaughlin, the team finished 11-12. The team’s upward trajectory closely matches that of McLaughlin’s career.

McLaughlin, who was the team’s captain for the past three seasons, started her Huskie career at sixth singles. To be able to advance all the way to the first singles spot by her senior year was a major accomplishment for McLaughlin, but she admits it took a lot of training and adjusting from coach Ryun Ferrell to get to where she finished her career.

“He really helped me developed how I play,” McLaughlin said. “He helped me learn the difference in how a six player and a one player needs to think. As a six player, I was able to do what my high school coaches always told me which was just to grind it out. At one, coach taught me about how it’s all strategy and needing to think before every shot. It becomes much more mental at one than it is at six.”

Ferrell has seen McLaughlin grow as a player and as a person over the years. Coming in as a girl in a woman’s game, Ferrell watched as McLaughlin’s competitive edge gave her the opportunity to thrive in all areas of life.

“When you’re a freshman, you are just kind of young and stupid,” Ferrell said. “But now she has her eyes on the bigger picture and really understands how things go. She’s able to make things happen in the right direction. She’s been a hard worker and she’s everything you’d want from a player both on and off the court.”

McLaughlin said her career ended at a perfect time. While a lot of college athletes suffer a burnout along the way, McLaughlin still enjoyed every second of playing the game and being surrounded by the team.

“It’s a little sad to be done, but I think I was ready,” McLaughlin said. “It was a good point to stop because it was still fun but I’m still going to miss it. It was definitely the right time for it to be over.”

Now that her playing career is over, McLaughlin could opt to close the door on her NIU tennis experience. Instead, her career goals and positive relationship with Ferrell will are giving her the chance to enhance her credentials while staying close to the program. McLaughlin’s loyalty and dedication to NIU will help her get her foot in the door to future job opportunities.

McLaughlin plans on returning to NIU for graduate school, at which point she will become Ferrell’s assistant coach. Once she gets her master’s, Ferrell will help McLaughlin land a bigger position before working her way into administration. From that point, McLaughlin wants to work her way to becoming an athletic director.

“She has her eyes on the big prize and I don’t see any way that won’t happen,” Ferrell said. “She’s going to make it happen and I can’t wait to see her get there. I think she’ll be good and she really gets it. She just needs the experience now to work her way up the ladder.”