TRAVERSE CITY — Traverse City St. Francis singles players Elliana McClellan and Mary-Kate Ansley took the top honors on the 2026 Traverse City Record-Eagle girls tennis Dream Team.
Ansley finally got over the hump after losing in the Division 4 semifinals three years in a row and captured a No. 2 singles state championship during her final high school match.
“I was working on that all of my high school career, and it’s nice to achieve it finally,” Ansley said. “My favorite moment was being at states and the team dinners we had with all my teammates.”
The senior finished the 2026 season with an undefeated record of 26-0 and ended her Gladiator career with 88 total wins.
Ansley was the No. 1-ranked No. 2 singles player and took down her competition one by one during the state championships.
Ansley fed off the energy of the crowd to defeat Hazel Morgan of Ann Arbor Greenhills 6-3, 6-3 to earn the state championship. Ansley had her own Michael Jordan flu game as the senior won the championship with a cold. At regionals, Ansley paved her way to a first-place finish in No. 2 singles flights over Leia Gilliland of Manistee.
Ansley is heading to Hope College in the fall to study and continue her passion for girls tennis.
“I’m excited to meet some new people and to continue to play tennis,” Ansley said. “I hope they continue to succeed and support each other and push each other to do or to be their best,” Ansley said.
St. Francis coach Dane Fosgard complimented Ansley’s willingness to be a great teammate and said she’s extremely humble and doesn’t react much on the court.
“She’s got a ton of upside. She’s always constantly working on her game and has some of the best groundstrokes I’ve ever seen out of a tennis player in high school. (Ansley) will play a very important role in the lineup at Hope College,” Fosgard said. “Ansley is a great person, great teammate, and sets a great example for not only her teammates, but all the other high school girls out there.”
Now a senior, Elliana McClellan capped off an incredible junior season with a semifinal finish at the D4 No. 1 singles state championship contest.
The upcoming senior is preparing for her final high school season with summer tournaments downstate and training all year. Her favorite moment was seeing her team earn a regional championship.
McClellan earned wins in rounds two and three (6-1, 6-0; 6-1, 6-1) before falling in the state semifinals 6-4, 6-4 to eventual champion Sonya Jayaker of Grosse Pointe Liggett.
In regionals, McClellan won her championship match over Hadley Flynn of Harbor Springs 6-0, 6-2.
“It was very, very exciting to be in that position to be able to compete for a championship. Hopefully next year, I’m looking to do better, hopefully take home that state title,” McClellan said. “I hope to continue improving my strokes all around, my serve, all the shots, but also physically getting stronger, getting faster.”
Fosgard says McClellan is more motivated than ever to come back and give a good run for a state championship.
“She’s just got to keep doing what she’s been doing, and she will go all the way. She’s motivated. She’s working hard. She’s doing all the right things.”
Traverse City St. Francis girls tennis won seven out of eight flights to take home the D4 regional championship.
The Gladiators avenged last season’s 2025 regional championship loss to Harbor Springs.
Singles Dream Team
Sloane Barclay, TC West
Abby Corpus, TC St. Francis
Myah Skorupski, TC West
Claire Miller, Harbor Springs
Hadley Flynn, Harbor Springs
Genevieve Rodham, Harbor Springs
Olivia Niemer, TC St. Francis
Marella Mast, TC West
Amaya Graebert, Petoskey
Sara Outman, Cadillac
Brylee Sheldon, Grayling
Leia Gilliland, Manistee
Doubles Dream Team
Macey Parker/Vivie Rubino, TC Central
Alex Johncock/Lily Lauter, TC West
Melina Schmude/Sophie Adams, TC St. Francis
Charlotte Furlong/Xoa Thelen, TC Central
Sophia Nowak/Pearl Reynolds, TC West
Isabella Pickelman/Bella Pedroza, TCSF
Katey Buchanan/Sloan Hayes, Harbor Springs
Heidi Harrell/Hattie Eshelbrennar, Harbor Springs
Hannah Phillips/Mariel Belanger, TC Central
Leilani Sigrah/Maggie Best, Elk Rapids
Coach of the Year: Cassie Kraus, TC West