The Nicholls State University women’s tennis team secured its first Southland Conference regular season championship in 20 years last Sunday at the Colonel Tennis Complex.

The 6-1 victory over Southeastern Louisiana University on Senior Day marked the first regular season championship for Nicholls in any sport since the 2005 season.

“We knew what was on the line,” sophomore Stephanie Barnett said. “Having a lot of people out there watching and cheering helped us a lot, and it was amazing.”

The Colonels locked up the No. 1 seed in the Conference Tournament being held this weekend in Texas at the Beaumont Municipal Tennis Center, after posting a near perfect 10-1 conference record. The Colonels earned the top seed by way of tiebreaker defeating Stephen F. Austin 4-3. The Lumberjacks also finished the season with a 10-1 record in conference play.

“It was an emotional game because first place was there for us,” junior Isla Brock said. “It was enjoyable and exciting to play in front of so many people.”

Brock said the Colonels enjoyed the support of a larger than average crowd because each point the Colonels scored was followed with an echoing roar that could be heard on each court.

“It was a surprise and helped us a lot, honestly,” Barnett said.

The team has always relied on each other for support on and off the court with all but one member was born outside of the United States. Senior Marie Aubert mentioned a sense of family that is strong among the team with each member leaning on the other for guidance through competing and assimilating to living in a new country.

“I’ve never been a part of a team that has been this close,” Barnett said. “We’re helping each other through life in general on and off the court.”

The duo of Barnett and Brock are a big contributor to the team’s overall success, posting a combined 22-0 record in singles matches. Aubert has also excelled this year, posting a 9-2 mark in singles action.

“Saturday was a big release for everyone,” Aubert said. “The last match is always the hardest to get.”

The Colonels have been building to this point since Aubert’s arrival on campus four years ago. The team missed the conference tournament in 2012 and 2013 and after making the tournament in 2014, the Colonels were bounced out in the first round.

“I think we wanted it more than the other teams,” Aubert said. “We fought more as a team for each other and we feel it. I think other teams can feel it too.”

The Colonels will take on Southeasterm Louisiana University to open tournament play, but a rematch with Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi looms large in the second round. The only blemish to the Colonels 10-1 conference record was a 3-4 loss to the Islanders in March. The Colonels are 2-2 in matches decided by one game this season.

“Every year we have gotten better,” Barnett said. “This year we feel we have what it takes to win the tournament.”