Will Cooksey resurges as Michigan cruises past Toledo, moves into second round of NCAA Tournament

In the Michigan men’s tennis team’s opening round match against Toledo, sophomore Will Cooksey stood apart in a number of ways.

He was the only Wolverine to play singles without playing doubles. And, he was the only Michigan player to lose in his first set.

But, he also opened his second set with the largest lead of any Wolverine — shocking his Rocket opponent with a 4-0 lead after falling in the first set, 6-2.

“I didn’t play my best tennis, but I thought I kept a great attitude,” Cooksey said. “And, everyone around me was playing great, so that’s what really matters in the end.”

That great play culminated in Michigan’s win over Toledo, 4-0, after seamlessly carrying its momentum from doubles into its first sets of singles.

Without playing doubles, though, Cooksey found himself in his first appearance for the Wolverines since April 7.

“He obviously came out tight in the first set after having not played in a while,” Michigan coach Adam Steinberg said. “He’s really done well all season, so, when someone goes down and you put a ‘Will Cooksey’ in … we don’t even blink an eye.”

Replacing an ill junior Nino Ehrenschneider, Cooksey filled the Wolverines’ No. 6 singles spot — moving juniors Gavin Young and Jacob Bickersteth ahead in the lineup at No. 4 and No. 5, respectively.

And, while his teammates settled in early, Cooksey’s rust showed after suffering multiple unforced errors and poorly-placed shots that his opponent took advantage of. His failures quickly catapulted into a first set loss that clearly set the match apart on the scoreboard — as every other Wolverine had given up only two games until that point.

While his teammates’ scores tightened in their second sets, Cooksey held resolute in long rallies to establish a 4-0 lead — which he extended the lead to 5-2 when he fell on the short side of 16-shot deuce point rally. After fifth-year senior Patrick Maloney dueled an ace to clinch Michigan’s victory, Cooksey’s match was abandoned at 2-6 and 5-2.

“I was a little nervous to start the match,” Cooksey said. “But, once I started to attack his weaknesses and trust my own game, things got a lot better.”

Not only did his mindset change, but his fate changed too: in the midst of his teammates dominating their Toledo opponents, Cooksey showed that he could quickly acclimate to the postseason environment by flipping his scoreboard from the first set to the second.

It’s a skill that he has built from a growing body of championship experience.

During the ITA National Team Indoor Championship, Cooksey went 3-0 against his opponents from top-25 ranked schools. And since then, he’s held an 8-1 singles record during the dual season.

Cooksey embodies the stability that Steinberg is searching for to round out his lineup.

Beyond the top half of the Wolverines’ singles lineup — which features senior Ondrej Styler and fifth-year seniors Maloney and Andrew Fenty — Steinberg has struggled to pick amongst his team’s remarkable depth to fill the remainder of the lineup.

Prior to its opening round match against Toledo, Michigan seemed to have its choices made heading into the postseason — with Ehrenschneider, Young and Bickersteth serving in the bottom half of the singles lineup. But, a fork in the road brought Cooksey onto the scene.

It brings forth another case that Steinberg will have to consider as he finalizes a pair of doubles and singles lineups ahead of every potentially season-ending match in the NCAA Tournament.

“I was happy with how (Cooksey) responded in his second set,” Steinberg said. “He’s had a great season for us.”

And, with his turnaround showing in a singles match against Toledo, Cooksey exemplified the Wolverines’ depth that poses great hope for their championship aspirations.