In the first seven years that the Big Sky Conference sponsored women’s tennis, Weber State won six championships.
The seven years of dominance puts the Weber State tennis team 21st on the Big Sky’s list of “25 Greatest Women’s Moments.”
It all started in 1988, the first year for women’s tennis in the Big Sky. Weber State went undefeated in the round-robin tournament, going 5-0. For the next three years the Wildcats would repeat that record in the championship tournament.
“The feelings that we had the years that we won the Big Sky Championship, I don’t think we realized at the time it was going to be a historical event,” said Nicky Wangsgard, a two-time Big Sky MVP for the Wildcats. "Thanks to this honor, I’ve just realized it is a historical event.”
In 1993, the championship was set up in a bracket format, forgoing the round-robin tournament. In ’93, Weber State beat Boise State 5-3 in the championship match. In ’94 the Wildcats and Broncos met again, with the Wildcats prevailing 5-2. In the 1995 Big Sky championship, WSU was the runner-up, after losing to Boise State 5-1 in the championship match.
While Wangsgard was at Weber State, she also played basketball.
“To be able to go from losing a basketball game to winning our tennis matches consistently on every road trip, it was just an unbelievable up after a lot of those downs,’’ she said. “I really treasured those years because it was hard. Playing two sports was a challenge. But I always experienced success with that team and Keith Cox”
Cox was the head coach of the women’s team for 24 seasons and directed them to all 10 of the programs’ titles. He was also the head coach of the men’s team for 29 seasons and guided the men to 11 Big Sky championships. He was named the Big Sky Coach of the Year eight times on the women’s side, and 11 times on the men’s side. Cox passed away in January 2010.
While Cox was the director of tennis, he had Wendy Compton, a former Big Sky MVP and WSU standout, to help him balance both teams. Compton worked more with the women, and Cox worked more with the men.
“They collaborated really well with that and made sure everybody’s needs were met,” said Wangsgard. “Especially for me, sometimes I had to practice at alternate times because of my schedule. Wendy was the first person to step up and work with me, to make sure I had enough practice time.”
“I just really wish I could thank Keith again,” Wangsgard added. “He really accommodated my schedule. I wanted to go to practice every night but occasionally he would say, ‘you know, go ahead and take tonight off.’ He was really good about that with me.”
Comradery was a big reason for the Wildcats’ success.
“It was just a special team, Wangsgard said. “Even though I played two sports, my teammates were probably my biggest fans. They’d come to all my basketball games. They’d have signs and they’d be cheering for me. Then the next day we’d be on the tennis court having fun, practicing together.”
Some of her greatest memories didn’t come from her time on the court, but off the court, with her teammates.
“I remember my teammates were from all over the world, not just all over the country. There were some from Italy, some from Britain,” Wangsgard said. “They were just the goofiest girls I think I’ve ever met. I remember them, singing songs so loudly and shaking the van so profusely that we were almost on two wheels at times because of how much fun they were having singing these American songs.”
Wangsgard recalled that her diverse teammates had a unique perspective that was really contagious to the team, “They made us realize, ‘wow you’re right, we are lucky. Let’s have fun with this opportunity that we have.’”
Prior to the Big Sky sponsoring women’s sports, many league institutions were a part of the women’s Mountain West Conference. WSU won the last three Mountain West championships, then carried its success into the Big Sky.
Wangsgard is a professor at Southern Utah in Cedar City. Since her college days ended, she’s been cycling professionally all over the world.
“I’ve been competitive since I was 10, and I just barely, within the past year, slowed down,” she said, after retiring from cycling.