Notre Dame Academy girls tennis player Ellie Zimmermann played her way to NDA’s first ever Division II Girls Individual State Title.

Zimmermann’s win did not come as a surprise for most. As a freshman, Zimmermann was appointed a co-captain along with the one singles spot on the team. Her record of 31-1 going into the Individual State Meet seemed to make her a favorite to win the whole tournament.

Although Zimmermann is a freshman, she is no rookie, and seems to be as mentally mature as the rest of the girls.

The pressure to win doesn’t seem to faze her. “I talked to my coach, Tate, a lot about how to handle pressure and tried to focus on my play instead of the result,” Zimmerman said.

This plan seemed to bode well for the athlete on the tournament weekend as she walked away with the gold. “I felt really excited and relieved and proud of the way I played,” Zimmermann said.

But the question on everyone’s mind seems to be the same.  Can Zimmermann repeat this feat all four years of high school?

It’s not only Zimmermann’s determination to win matches but her desire to work at her game that make her a likely candidate to complete this challenge.

In the off-season Zimmermann works even harder on her game. “I take lessons, travel to tournaments and play practice matches,” Zimmermann said.

This coming off-season will be no different for the athlete. “I plan to keep up what I have been doing,  such as my training schedule and mentality,” Zimmerman said.

All of Zimmermann’s hard work has not gone unnoticed. Her coaches especially seem to be impressed by her work ethic.

“I think the old cliché is how you practice is how you play in a big game. She’s the hardest player in practice I have ever seen. She hates to miss a point even in practice,” Coach Steve Burns said.

Head coach Shane Lagerman seems to think that Zimmermann possesses all the traits to maintain her dominance in the state tournament. “I think Ellie has a great chance to earn several consecutive state singles titles. Her determination and her zest for the game, along with tremendous talent, make her a tournament favorite for years to come,” Lagerman said.

With such high expectations, the pressure and attention can at times be distracting. Although Zimmerman seems to be handling the pressure on her own, it’s her family that helps her look beyond all of the attention and focus on what really matters. Tennis.

“My parents did a good job of not showing me some of the articles and not telling me some of the things people were saying until after I was done playing,” Zimmermann said.

Whether Zimmermann can repeat her state victory in years to come or not, it is clear to the Notre Dame community that what she has done this year is something amazing.