University of Minnesota Athletics
2018-19 Women's Tennis Roster
Merzbacher, Caitlyn
Caitlyn Merzbacher
- Class:
- Senior
- High School:
- Edina HS
- Hometown:
- Eden Prairie, Minn.
Bio
2019 SPRING SEASON
Was named co-team captain along with Annemarie Emme • Saw singles action across the No. 4, 5, and 6 positions with most success coming from the No. 5 and 6 slots • Played consistently out of the top doubles pairing with partner, Cammy Frei • Went undefeated in singles with Cammy Frei between Jan. 26 and Feb. 16 • Had four straight singles victories in the midway point of the season including B1G wins against Maryland and Indiana • Won both of her Senior Day matches against Iowa and Green Bay by scores of 7-5, 7-5 and 6-0, 6-0 respectively • Leaves as a three-time Academic All-Big Ten Honoree • Finishes her collegiate career by cracking Minnesota’s all-time list for singles wins in a season (28) and doubles wins in a career (67) • Additionally was named as a 2018-19 B1G Sportsmanship Award winner.
2018 FALL SEASON
Played in doubles with Tiffany Huber at the ITA Central Regional Tournament where they advanced to the quarterfinals as a tandem • Finished with a 3-1 doubles record as a pair with one of their wins coming over the regional 8-seed team of Deming/Toran Ribes of Kansas • Had a dominating 6-3, 6-1 over Tennessee’s Kylie Duckworth at the Notre Dame Invite.
2017 SPRING SEASON
Went 7-2 in singles matches and 11-12 in doubles • Played 20 matches in the No. 1 spot with Safdar going 9-11 and went 2-0 in the No. 3 spot with Kreinis • Played both in the No. 5 and No. 6 slots in singles matches going 3-1 and 4-1 • Did not drop a single game in a match against South Dakota State winning 6-0, 6-0 • Defeated Maria Pandya of South Dakota while not dropping a single game 6-0, 6-0 • In the No. 6 position, picked up a win 6-0, 6-1 over Indiana • Won first four doubles matches of the spring season • Swept the Memphis pair of Cao/Wind 6-0 • Left a match unfinished against No. 80 team of Van Heuvelen/Douglas while up 5-4.
2016 FALL SEASON
Went 1-2 in singles play and 3-4 in doubles • picked up two doubles wins with Mehvish Safdar at the Gopher Invitational • won a singles and doubles match at the Kitty Harrison Invite.
2016 SPRING SEASON
Went 1-1 in singles play and 12-13 in doubles during the spring season • Played 19 doubles matches with Mehvish Safdar at the No. 3 spot going 10-9 in dual match play • Topped NDSU's Courtney Brackin in two sets in first singles dual match of career.
2015 FALL SEASON
Completed the fall season 7-5 in singles play and 10-2 in doubles play • At the Gopher Invite started her doubles career a perfect 5-0 while going 4-1 in singles including a third place finish in the “B” Flight • Kept her strong doubles performance going into the ITA Central Region Championships advancing to the round of 16 with Jessika Mozia. She also picked up a pair of singles consolation victories • Went 1-2 in singles competition and 2-1 in doubles competition at the Big Green Invitational.
PRIOR TO MINNESOTA
Captain of Edina High school tennis team • Part of four high school state championships, two with Ohio and two with Edina High School in Minnesota • Singles state champion in Minnesota 2013 and 2014 • Was named All-Conference all four seasons in high school • Named All-American senior season • Voted team MVP in 2013 and most dedicated both 2013 and 2014 • National open doubles champion • Went to Europe for one month over the summer as part of the USTA playing in an organization called Tennis: Europe.
PERSONAL
Set to graduate in the Spring of 2019 with a degree in Marketing • Winner of the Minnesota Academic All State Award • Was named to the honor roll all four years of high school • Lists favorite sports thrill as being part of Edina’s 18th straight team state championship • Enjoys playing hockey and doing crafts with friends • Daughter of Chuck and Cherie Merzbacher • Father Chuck is the former Gophers head women’s tennis coach and played tennis at Minnesota from 1983-1987, leaving as the all-time leader in career singles victories • Brother Chad played golf at the University of Tennessee.
Was named co-team captain along with Annemarie Emme • Saw singles action across the No. 4, 5, and 6 positions with most success coming from the No. 5 and 6 slots • Played consistently out of the top doubles pairing with partner, Cammy Frei • Went undefeated in singles with Cammy Frei between Jan. 26 and Feb. 16 • Had four straight singles victories in the midway point of the season including B1G wins against Maryland and Indiana • Won both of her Senior Day matches against Iowa and Green Bay by scores of 7-5, 7-5 and 6-0, 6-0 respectively • Leaves as a three-time Academic All-Big Ten Honoree • Finishes her collegiate career by cracking Minnesota’s all-time list for singles wins in a season (28) and doubles wins in a career (67) • Additionally was named as a 2018-19 B1G Sportsmanship Award winner.
2018 FALL SEASON
Played in doubles with Tiffany Huber at the ITA Central Regional Tournament where they advanced to the quarterfinals as a tandem • Finished with a 3-1 doubles record as a pair with one of their wins coming over the regional 8-seed team of Deming/Toran Ribes of Kansas • Had a dominating 6-3, 6-1 over Tennessee’s Kylie Duckworth at the Notre Dame Invite.
2017 SPRING SEASON
Went 7-2 in singles matches and 11-12 in doubles • Played 20 matches in the No. 1 spot with Safdar going 9-11 and went 2-0 in the No. 3 spot with Kreinis • Played both in the No. 5 and No. 6 slots in singles matches going 3-1 and 4-1 • Did not drop a single game in a match against South Dakota State winning 6-0, 6-0 • Defeated Maria Pandya of South Dakota while not dropping a single game 6-0, 6-0 • In the No. 6 position, picked up a win 6-0, 6-1 over Indiana • Won first four doubles matches of the spring season • Swept the Memphis pair of Cao/Wind 6-0 • Left a match unfinished against No. 80 team of Van Heuvelen/Douglas while up 5-4.
2016 FALL SEASON
Went 1-2 in singles play and 3-4 in doubles • picked up two doubles wins with Mehvish Safdar at the Gopher Invitational • won a singles and doubles match at the Kitty Harrison Invite.
2016 SPRING SEASON
Went 1-1 in singles play and 12-13 in doubles during the spring season • Played 19 doubles matches with Mehvish Safdar at the No. 3 spot going 10-9 in dual match play • Topped NDSU's Courtney Brackin in two sets in first singles dual match of career.
2015 FALL SEASON
Completed the fall season 7-5 in singles play and 10-2 in doubles play • At the Gopher Invite started her doubles career a perfect 5-0 while going 4-1 in singles including a third place finish in the “B” Flight • Kept her strong doubles performance going into the ITA Central Region Championships advancing to the round of 16 with Jessika Mozia. She also picked up a pair of singles consolation victories • Went 1-2 in singles competition and 2-1 in doubles competition at the Big Green Invitational.
PRIOR TO MINNESOTA
Captain of Edina High school tennis team • Part of four high school state championships, two with Ohio and two with Edina High School in Minnesota • Singles state champion in Minnesota 2013 and 2014 • Was named All-Conference all four seasons in high school • Named All-American senior season • Voted team MVP in 2013 and most dedicated both 2013 and 2014 • National open doubles champion • Went to Europe for one month over the summer as part of the USTA playing in an organization called Tennis: Europe.
PERSONAL
Set to graduate in the Spring of 2019 with a degree in Marketing • Winner of the Minnesota Academic All State Award • Was named to the honor roll all four years of high school • Lists favorite sports thrill as being part of Edina’s 18th straight team state championship • Enjoys playing hockey and doing crafts with friends • Daughter of Chuck and Cherie Merzbacher • Father Chuck is the former Gophers head women’s tennis coach and played tennis at Minnesota from 1983-1987, leaving as the all-time leader in career singles victories • Brother Chad played golf at the University of Tennessee.
| Caitlyn Merzbacher's Career Statistics | ||||||||||||
| Season | Singles | Doubles | ||||||||||
| 2015-16 | 8-6 | 22-15 | ||||||||||
| 2016-17 | 11-4 | 16-16 | ||||||||||
| 2017-18 | 28-5 | 17-10 | ||||||||||
| 2018-19 | 14-15 | 11-13 | ||||||||||
| Career Totals | 61-30 | 66-54 | ||||||||||
Cinematic: Gophers-Maryland
Tuesday, April 01
Mic'd Up: Coach Anastasia Pennington
Tuesday, March 18
Mic'd Up: Anali Kocevar
Wednesday, March 05
Aiva Schmitz Wins Third Set Tiebreaker
Wednesday, March 05
