Jensen set to make Morningside history at ITA Cup

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Line Jensen has already made history for Morningside University, and this week, she's set to make even more at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Cup.

On Sept. 22, Jensen became the first Mustang to win the ITA Regional Championships, and automatically qualified for the national ITA Cup, which begins Thursday in Rome, Georgia. She was one of eight players across the U.S. to earn an automatic bid.

"It's a huge stepping stone and a big accomplishment for both her and our program," said Morningside head tennis coach Alex Struck. "There are thousands of players trying to get to the final 16, and for Line to be one of them in the NAIA, competing for a national championship, is a huge testament to the work she's put in."

Jensen has won all 13 matches since Sept. 8, and during the 2023 ITA season, she went 25-4.

Struck recalled how Jensen felt after losing in last fall's ITA regional semifinal. She played a tight three-set match but didn't pull through. Afterward, Struck saw a look in her eyes that showed she never wanted to feel that way again.

He recognized the determination in the freshman who wanted to compete at the highest level. Since that loss, Struck noticed a change in her strategy, demeanor, and court intelligence.

"The determination she's shown really came through. She came back as a completely different player," Struck said. "Before, she'd go for too much too early. Now, she's patient, she constructs points, stays in rallies longer, and makes fewer unforced errors."

Last weekend at the ITA Regionals in Salina, Kansas, Jensen won her Round of 64 and Round of 16 matches easily, but she had to win a tiebreaker to take the first set in the Round of 32.

In the quarterfinals, Jensen won 6-3, 6-2. In the semifinals, the sophomore defeated Doane's Maria Christina Purizaca Sota 6-4, 6-0. That victory was especially sweet for Jensen, as Purizaca Sota had beaten her in the GPAC Championship match last spring.

Jensen earned the automatic bid by winning the final in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3, over Hanna Lindeboom of William Woods University.

"Not only did she flip the result, but she wanted to win in straight sets," Struck said of Jensen's mentality. "It's a complete turnaround from last year, and I'm so proud of her."

The ITA Cup kicks off Thursday and runs through Sunday at the Rome Tennis Center, home to the largest hard court facility in the U.S.

Should Jensen win a match, she'll be the first Great Plains Athletic Conference player to do so at the ITA Cup.

"We're looking forward to the trip to Georgia," Struck said. "We're excited to see her represent Morningside, and we're ready to make more school history."

Jensen wasn't the only Mustang to make history in Salina. Mark Trenkle became the first male player to reach the semifinals in singles play.

"He's improved his game every single year," Struck said. "He's already a legend. He's got another year here, and he's a big reason for our success. I can't speak highly enough of him."

Brooke Marshall, who teamed up with Jensen, became part of the first Morningside duo to reach the doubles semifinals.

Morningside was one of three programs to have all six men's and women's singles players, along with three men's and women's doubles teams, qualify for regionals.

"It's been exciting to see all the hard work pay off. This is a very deserving group," Struck said. "We focus on the journey, and if we take care of what we can control, the results will come. The experiences we share, traveling and competing, are what make it all worthwhile."