July 5, 2009

FRESNO, Calif.- Fresno State Athletics has had many memorable moments during its history. Each day during the month of July, Gobulldogs.com will highlight a great moment from Fresno State Athletics history.

July 5: Melanie Gloria is a four-time WAC Player of the Year and Two-Time All-American

Fresno State head coach Simon Thibodeau knew the horizon of Fresno State women's tennis was about to go to another level in 2005 when he brought in his prized-recruit Melanie Gloria, a French-Canadian freshman from Montreal, Quebec.

Things were already going pretty well for the Bulldogs, who were the defending four-time WAC Champions and made their second trip in program history to the NCAA Sweet 16 just two years before, but even better times were in store for them.

Not only did Gloria see significant court time as a true-freshman in 2005-06, she compiled a 20-6 overall record, playing primarily at the No. 1 and 2 position, defeated every WAC opponent she faced, took home her first WAC Player of the Year award, made her first appearance at the NCAA Singles Tournament and led her team to a WAC Championship and to the Sweet 16.

The next three years were more of the same for Gloria, as she tore through the record books.

Unfortunately for her opponents, Gloria didn't suffer a sophomore-jinx and she built upon her already impressive resume. At one point during the season, she won 22-straight matches, en route to a career high 38 wins that season. She was named the WAC Player of the Year again, the Bulldogs won their sixth-straight WAC title and made a return appearance to the Sweet 16 and Gloria earned All-American singles honors for the first time in her career.

As a junior she established herself as a dominant doubles player as well. She joined forces with Tinesta Rowe to form one of the most dominant doubles teams in college tennis. The pair went 36-9 on the year and advanced to the NCAA Doubles Championship Match to face UCLA's Tracy Lin and Riza Zalameda. Although the Bruins emerge victorious, Rowe and Gloria made a name for themselves and Fresno State on the biggest stage in college tennis.

Her success as a doubles player didn't detract from her prowess in singles. She received her third-straight WAC Player of the Year, became a two-time All-American and the Bulldogs won the WAC championship again and made their third-straight Sweet 16 appearance.

In her final year of collegiate competition she added another honor to her already impressive collection, as she was named the 2009 ITA Northwest Region Senior Player of the Year.

She led Fresno State to its eighth-straight WAC Championship as she was named the WAC Player of the Year for the fourth time. The Bulldogs advanced to the Sweet 16 for the fourth time, she made her second appearance at the NCAA Doubles Tournament and received her fourth invite to the NCAA Singles Tournament.

After all was said and done, she owned four WAC Player of the Year Awards, climbed to No. 2 on the school's career wins list with 123, earned All-American status in singles and doubles, became only the second two-time All-American singles player in school history, led the Bulldogs to four-straight Sweet 16s for the first time ever and helped establish Fresno State a top-tier program in the country.

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