The women's tennis team is headed to the Summit League Championships in Des Moines, Iowa. This is only the second time the team has gone into the tournament as second overall in the league under head coach Brett Barnett.
 
Last year the Coyotes didn't qualify to attend the conference championships. Now, not only did they qualify, but they are entering the tournament off a 7-1 run since their only loss in league play at Denver.
 
"Listen, we want another shot at Denver," Barnett said. "In order to do that, we've got to win these league matches, and we need to get in the league tournament and be on the good side of the bracket. We've done that. We're chipping away at everything we wanted to do."
 
Barnett attributes a lot of the Coyotes' success this season to the depth of his roster. He said last year the team was thin due to injuries which ultimately didn't provide the team the outcome they wanted.
 
This year the team added three freshmen which bolstered the already strong returners. They were also able to capitalize on the team mentality instead of feeling as though they were playing as individuals.
 
"We're playing as a team. They're not just playing as individuals," Barnett said. "They don't really care where they're playing in the lineup, they just want everyone to be successful which has been awesome to watch and coach."
 
Bea Havlickova has been one of many Coyotes who has seen success on the court this season. As only a junior, she has already found her way into the Coyote Top 10 charts for career singles and doubles wins.
 
Looking back on her season, Havlickova said she got off to a rough start but was able to overcome it while the team was in Florida for a tournament in the beginning of March.
 
"I would say that Florida was my turning point," Havlickova said. "I started playing very well in Florida and since then have kept that going. I would say the sun probably helped me a lot."
 
Not only has Barnett seen the improvement that Havlickova has made on the court, but he said there was also a big change in her ability to be a vocal leader for the team.
 
"She has grown so much this year and become a lot more open," Barnett said. "She has more of a voice than she's ever had and has done a good job of leading the team by example."
 
As the team looks towards the league championships, Barnett is feeling very optimistic about their performance in the tournament.
 
"It's no secret that the team's been playing extremely well," Barnett said. "We've won a lot of matches lately. We're winning from everywhere lately: the top, the middle, the bottom. I really like the chances this team has going into this trip."
 
The Coyotes will take on North Dakota in the semifinals at noon on April 19. When the Fighting Hawks came to Vermillion on April 12, the Coyotes defeated them 6-1.