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Only a freshman! Taylor phenom Rylee Michna crowned Class 4A girls state tennis champion

rick cantu, austin american-statesman
·4 min read
Taylor freshman Rylee Michna, wearing her mother's beloved Boston Red Sox cap that she has worn all season, was Central Texas' lone gold medalist at last week's UIL state tennis tournament in San Antonio. Michna won the Class 4A girls singles title.
Taylor freshman Rylee Michna, wearing her mother's beloved Boston Red Sox cap that she has worn all season, was Central Texas' lone gold medalist at last week's UIL state tennis tournament in San Antonio. Michna won the Class 4A girls singles title.

Taylor High School coach Kevin Williams never doubted that Rylee Michna had the ability to become a state tennis champion.

But this quickly?

Michna, a 5-foot-7 freshman, was one of the brightest stars at last week's UIL state tennis championships in San Antonio. She hardly broke a sweat in three easy matches, claiming the Class 4A girls singles title with a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Ella Hester of Canyon Randall.

Michna opened the tournament with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Boerne's Chloe O'Connor and defeated Lindale's Bailee Lane 6-0, 6-0 in the semifinals.

"I always knew Rylee had the potential, but she's only a freshman and you're always wondering about freshman nerves and immaturity," Williams said. "But once we got later in the season, I knew she was something special. She didn't even lose a game in the district and regional tournaments."

Michna was among a handful of Central Texas players who earned medals in San Antonio. She was the only one, though, who walked away with gold. She finished the year 30-1, her only loss coming against Liberty Hill's India Young in a third-set tiebreak during a tournament in Waco.

Taylor's Rylee Michna poses with her brother Brayden and parents Monee and Buddy after winning the Class 4A state singles title. She's a freshman; Brayden Michna will play at Texas A&M this fall.
Taylor's Rylee Michna poses with her brother Brayden and parents Monee and Buddy after winning the Class 4A state singles title. She's a freshman; Brayden Michna will play at Texas A&M this fall.

Michna said she did not know what to expect when she went to the state tournament because she had no clue about the level of competition. Her goal before the season was just to reach state. Along the way, she has shown remarkable humility for someone who has accomplished so much already.

"There are always things you can achieve and you can't take one thing and feel settled with it," Michna said. "Yes, there are great achievements out there and there are amazing things to do, but I don't think everything you do needs to blown out of proportion. You just need to stay within yourself and not let your head go way too far. If you're happy with yourself, that's all the matters."

Monee Michna described her daughter as humble yet driven and excels at almost everything she does. Rylee was an excellent softball player before she devoted all her time to tennis at age 11, her mother said. She also ranks No. 2 academically in a class of 276 students. Her brother Brayden, who is home-schooled, has signed a scholarship to play at Texas A&M next year.

"Being around the sport with her brother has helped a lot," Monee Michna said. "She's had the benefit of being the second one through the system. We used to joke and laugh because we'd tell (Brayden) he was the guinea pig. ... Especially when it came to keeping things in perspective and not trying to let the moment be too big. Being in that environment helped her a lot."

Rylee also gives Brayden a lot of credit for her success, saying he always offers encouragement and tips. She admits to being a perfectionist, which sometimes is hard to manage: "If I'm not the best, I'm not OK at all."

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Westwood doubles partners Anwi Duduka, left, and Dana Kardonik, right, pose with Warriors tennis coach Travis Dalrymple after winning silver at this year's UIL state tennis tournament.
Westwood doubles partners Anwi Duduka, left, and Dana Kardonik, right, pose with Warriors tennis coach Travis Dalrymple after winning silver at this year's UIL state tennis tournament.

Monee Michna, who also coaches her daughter, added that Rylee is "just built different." Immediately returning home after winning state, she went home, took out her iPad and spent hours doing school assignments she had missed while at the tournament.

Rylee also is a little superstitious. She "stole" her mother's Red Sox cap at the beginning of tennis season and would not give it up until it was over. The cap was "sweat-stained and rank" when she gave it back to her after winning state.

Rylee said she is fascinated by Boston's architecture and would like to live there some day. She also is considering going to college there.

More: Dripping Springs softball leaves mark in first year in Class 6A

In other tournament news, the Westwood girls doubles team of sophomore Anwi Duduka and junior Dana Kardonik earned a Class 6A silver medal at state. Westwood's Marko Mesarovic, one of the favorites to win gold in 6A boys singles, played with an ankle injury and settled for a bronze.

Westlake junior Chloe Zeng earned a bronze medal in 6A girls singles.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Taylor tennis star Rylee Michna earns Class 4A state singles title