Augustana College Athletics

The first player ever to win three College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin number one singles championships, Sarah Ainsworth finished her career in 1998 as Augustana’s all-time leader in both singles (74) and doubles victories (83). 18 years later, as she joins the Tribe of Vikings Hall of Fame, she is still one of just four three-time CCIW first singles champions, ranks third on the Viking career singles wins list and still holds the school mark for doubles victories.
 
During Ainsworth’s four seasons, she was instrumental in helping Coach Larry Flaherty’s Vikings go 63-12 in dual meets, including a perfect 28-0 versus CCIW programs. She was a member of the only four Augustana squads ever to win a CCIW championship prior to 2015. Her 157 overall wins are second-most in school history and her overall winning percentage of .813 (157-36) is the highest ever for a Viking with 100 or more victories. Her career doubles winning percentage (.847) is second-best in school history as well.
 
A three-time all-conference performer and sectional champion at Moline High School, Ainsworth also earned team MVP honors three straight years. She reached the round of 32 at state in singles as a senior and was twice a top-16 finisher in doubles, earning third team All-State honors. She was a prize recruit for Flaherty as he entered his second season as Viking head coach in 1993.
 
Slotted at number three singles as a freshman, Ainsworth won her first seven collegiate matches before suffering a loss by default. She bounced back to win her final 15 in a row to finish with a 22-1 record and her .957 winning percentage still stands as a school single-season record. She claimed the first of four conference singles titles with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Wheaton’s Heather Cowan at number three. She also posted an 18-2 doubles record and took second in the CCIW at number two with classmate Jill Moline.
 
With stalwarts Brigette Morrow and Shari McChesney gone in 1994-95, Ainsworth moved to the number one spot in both singles and doubles as a sophomore. She won the CCIW number one singles championship, defeating Amy O’Connor of Wheaton 7-5, 6-1 to finish the year with a 13-6 singles mark. She went 18-5 in doubles, playing mostly with freshman Kerry Flaherty.
 
After a year away from school, Ainsworth returned in 1996 and didn’t miss a beat. She not only added another conference title at number one singles, but won her first CCIW doubles crown with Flaherty at number one. She finished the year with marks of 16-8 in singles and 21-4 in doubles.
 
The 1997-98 season looked to be a rebuilding one for the Vikings. Half of the roster consisted of freshmen and Ainsworth owned three of the team’s five varsity letters entering the season. However, with the senior leading the way, all that squad did was go 18-0 in dual meet play and capture another conference championship, Augustana’s fourth during Ainsworth’s four years.
 
Despite falling 6-0 to Wheaton’s Katie Vaughn in the opening set of their CCIW title match, Ainsworth rebounded to win the next two 6-1 and 6-2 to claim her fourth singles championship and her third at number one. She also captured her second straight league crown at first doubles, teaming with freshman Larisa Rumin. She finished the year with a 23-6 singles record and a mark of 26-4 in doubles.
 
Following her graduation from Augustana in 1998, Sarah spent 16 years as a corporate secretary and treasurer at Dimock, Gould & Co. in Moline, Illinois. She and her husband, Jerry Fulscher, live in Moline with daughter Lauren and son Conner. She calls her time at Augustana “some of the best years of my life,” adding “the friendships I made are some of my most cherished to this day. Tennis-wise, it was a perfect fit. I was able to excel in a great program, be a part of a wonderful team and make so many great memories.”