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NOVI — Novi senior Alicen Liu is a cornerstone of Novi High School tennis, and she made history in her senior year.
Following an 18-2 record this season competing in singles one for Novi and leading the team to its third straight regional title, Liu was named the recipient of the Michigan High School Tennis Coaches Association’s Tiger Teusink Miss Tennis Award for the 2023 season. The award is given to one senior statewide who competes in No. 1 singles, after each division has nominated a player.
Liu is the first girls Novi tennis player to earn the award.
Between a dream concert and a dream award, Liu had one of the best 24 hours that a high schooler could have when she got the news.
“It was actually the morning after I attended the Taylor Swift concert, which was amazing, by the way,” Liu said. “I was super tired in the morning when I got a call from coach (Dan) Lowes that certainly woke me up. He told me I earned the Miss Tennis Award and explained to me what it was, and I was just super excited and grateful to have received it.”
Liu was 58-10 in her three-year career at Novi, where she anchored the singles one spot all three seasons.
A regional champion in singles this year, Liu plans to continue her tennis career at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she plans to study economics.
“The thing that drew me to MIT most was the fact that I would be able to not only study at such an academically prestigious school, I would also be able to continue playing tennis,” Liu said. “Balance has always been a big thing for me, and MIT allowed me to continue pursuing that.”
Liu’s graduation will leave a void for Novi to fill next season, especially in the leadership department. As a leader, Lowes said, Liu left a strong foundation for the younger players to follow next season.
“A lot of the underclassmen looked up to her, and she led by her play on the court,” Lowes said.
