Noah Griffith finished his high school tennis career as a three-time IHSA state qualifier and one of the elite players in the Northern Illinois Big 12 Conference. Griffith made his name in singles play, but after choosing to continue his academics and athletics at Ottawa University Arizona, the former Rochelle Township High School standout has been trying some new things.

Griffith recently completed his freshman year at OUAZ, where he primarily played exhibition matches in both singles and doubles. While his role wasn’t as big as he would’ve liked, Griffith said he’s looking to become a key contributor for the OUAZ team his sophomore year.

“I try and help my team as much as I can, whether that’s in practice or supporting them during matches,” Griffith said. “I always try to be positive and look for where I can improve. I’d like to keep improving and prove myself to be in the lineup next year due to our team losing four seniors. Anything can happen, and I’m blessed to be a part of a great team. I’m excited to see what happens over the next couple of years.”

OUAZ went 14-8 during the 2019 season and 6-4 in conference play. The Spirit won two matches in the Golden State Athletic Conference Championship including an upset over nationally ranked Hope International (No. 17). OUAZ earned three victories and took second place in the NCCAA National Championships, topping No. 18 Campbellsville along the way.

“We had a big team with lots of talent,” Griffith said. “Our team is very diverse with people from all over the world. We had a very successful year. The atmosphere and style of play is very different from high school, and the competition is unbelievable. The energy is always high in our matches, and the weather has been a big difference since we’re able to play year-round.”

Griffith is one of five Spirit freshmen who will seek to step up for the OUAZ program next season. Whether it’s in singles or doubles, Griffith said he aims to continue being aggressive while continuing to improve at the net.

“My net game has improved a lot since high school,” Griffith said. “I want to keep improving on my aggressiveness, my depth and my consistency. My coach stresses those things a lot in order to be successful at the college level.”