In the 2018-19 season, following a win against Central College on April 28, the Wartburg Women’s Tennis team made program history by earning their 18th win of the season. For the next seven years, the record of most wins in a season would remain at 18, being tied only once during the 2024-25 season. That was, until last Friday, April 10.
Just two weeks short of the anniversary of the record-breaking 18th win in 2019, the Wartburg Women’s Tennis team would prepare for a home meet against Edgewood College. Heading into the meet, the Knights sat at a 18-9 record and Edgewood held a 14-8 record.
Though the team had high hopes of breaking the program record just before heading into finals week, the win was not a guarantee. Historically, Wartburg had only faced Edgewood six times since 2008, all of which were loses.
Head Coach for both the women’s and men’s tennis teams, Christopher Gustas, shares that the buildup to the meet was conflicting. Despite a 0-6 history with Edgewood, Gustas shares that when comparing the two teams this season, he knew his athletes had a chance at beating the Eagles.
“It wasn’t any kind of guarantee,” Gustas says. “This was one of them that could go either way.”
Following a 6-1 victory, a near sweep against the Eagles, the Knights would secure their 19th win of the 2025-26 season, breaking the program record.
Beginning the meet off with doubles, all three teams would defeat the Eagles, earning Wartburg the first point of the day.
A sweep in doubles only gives the team one point in the meet. To break the record, three of the six singles matches would also have to win. Going head-to-head with a team they had never defeated, Gustas shares that his hope to break the record grew after the first game of singles matches.
“I looked around, and all six singles courts had won their first game,” Gustas says. “When you see it on all six, that almost never happens unless you’re way better than the team.”
Moving into singles matches, five of the six athletes would defeat their Edgewood opponent. Following the third win in singles, the Knights would secure the meet, earning their 19th win of the 2025-26 season.
For Gustas, breaking the record came as a surprise, despite the team tying the record during the 2024-25 season.
“I didn’t really see this team and say, ‘this is the team that will break records.’ They’ve overachieved in terms of what we would have expected,” Gustas shares.
Senior Reese Williams, the winner of the No. 2 singles match, earned the ‘Clinch Chain,’ a tradition on the team for the athlete who secures the fourth point of the match to guarantee the Knights a victory. In finalizing the win for her team, Williams shares that her win, in both doubles and singles, was a surreal feeling for her senior season.
“It means a lot to be able to know that I was part of something like that. Especially my senior year, with all my injuries in the time that I’ve been here,” Williams says. “Being the one, as a senior, to clinch the meet to break the record, that’s a feeling I’ll never forget.”
The ‘Clinch Chain’ tradition started during the fall season by Gustas. Since four points are needed to win a meet, the athlete whose single match earns the fourth point of the day clinches the meet.
“It’s just kind of something fun for us to look forward to,” Williams says. “We all really enjoy it and have fun with it.”
Gustas notes that Williams played an obviously crucial part in the meet, going against one of the best athletes on Edgewood’s team.
“She was strong,” he says. “She just kicked that girl’s butt, and that player is good, but Reese is good too.”
Gustas shares that when the seniors from the 2024-25 season graduated, it left the team with a lot of players who had less experience playing at the college level. However, this record-breaking win would not have been possible without the athletes who stepped up.
“A lot of that [success] has come from players that were not in the lineup, or not as high in the lineup last year, stepping in,” Gustas says.
With a newly broken record on their mind, the team continued on with the meet to win the remaining singles matches.
“All of us were so excited. It didn’t matter how the rest of the day went for us, how the rest of the weekend, how the rest of the season went, it was just, that was our time to be happy, and we took advantage of that,” Williams says.
Gustas adds that from the coach’s view, he was proud to see his team not only break the record but have the immediate desire to celebrate with one another.
“Winning makes everything more fun,” he says. “They really love their team right now; it’s cool to have a team achievement that they can celebrate together.”
Williams shares that her ability to show up for the team in moments with high stakes is a testament to the unwavering support from all of her teammates.
“I am genuinely so proud of this team. This has been a great year for us and I love these girls with my whole heart, they’re my best friends,” she says. “I wouldn’t be where I am without them supporting me.”
Williams shares that breaking the record is only motivation for the team to push through the end of the season. As they conclude regular season play and head into the American Rivers Conference tournament, she says this time of year is one of the best for the team.
“I’m excited, this is usually a really good time for us,” Williams says. “We have a lot of the excitement going into it.”
As the season continues, the Knights will end their regular season schedule on Sunday, April 19 in a home doubleheader against Cornell College at 9 a.m. and University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point at 3 p.m.
Following the conclusion of the 2025-26 regular season, the Knights have an automatic placement in the American Rivers Conference tournament, as well as a home advantage. In round one of tournament play, Wartburg will host Loras College on Tuesday, April 21 at 4 p.m..
For more information on the Wartburg Women’s Tennis team and their record-breaking season, visit their website.
