The list of Division I athletes from the Ohio Valley has been on the rise in recent years.

It’s been a list that varies in sports, too.

It’s a list that’s not exclusively for athletes who played their high school sports here either.

Olivia Myers calls Belmont home, plays Division I tennis at Western Michigan and doesn’t own one letter for an area high school.

But, to become a successful Division I tennis player, which Myers was this season, leaving the area was the best path for her.

And now, with a full collegiate season under her belt, Myers has already started thinking about what’s next. That’s exactly the mentality of most Division I athletes.

“Every day, I strive for more and more,” Myers said.

Myers, who played her prep tennis for the Pennsylvania Tennis Academy, was the sixth-ranked recruit from Ohio and 62nd-ranked senior, nationally.

As impressive as that resume is, there are no guarantees that the adjustment from high school to college will always go smoothly. And that goes for athletes who take a similar path that Myers took, too.

“There are several pieces of advice that I would give to young athletes who are considering a similar path as a collegiate student-athlete. First is playing at a high level doesn’t come easy and requires a lot of hardwork and dedication. Second, finding a good coach and trainer are crucial to success and you have to be willing to sacrifice certain things to achieve what you want,” Myers said.

Even though she met all those requirements, there were still growing pains for Myers and some of the major adjustments for Myers weren’t on the tennis court.

Obviously, she’s been playing against top-notch competition her entire life, so that part wasn’t much different.

The structure of her day, however, was nothing like she’d experienced in many years.

“It was weird being in a classroom setting and the overall school environment,” Myers said. “With online school, your day is pretty flexible and you don’t really have a set schedule.”

After successfully working through those changes and the minor adjustments to practices and workouts, Myers was well on her way.

“Once I learned to manage my time better, it became much easier,” Myers revealed.

On the court, Myers has always felt at home and wearing the Brown and Gold of the Broncos was no different. She finished the season with a 19-10 record in singles play and 15-10 mark in doubles.

“I am very happy with how my first season went,” Myers said.

While every match is different, Myers will always remember the first one during the fall season. But, for her, it has nothing to do with whether she won or lost or how many aces or double faults she may have had.

“It was really exciting,” Myers said. “I was anxious because I wanted to perform as best as I could in front my new teammates and coaches. From that time on, I realized how amazing it is to be on a team and play for something greater than just yourself. Everytime on the court just gets better and better.”

During the course of the fall season, Myers was recognized as Mid-American Conference Player of the Week multiple times and just recently was named all-MAC after the spring season concluded.

Those sorts of goals will always be there for Myers, but her ability to help play a role in the team’s success is her major driving force.

“My (individual) goals for the upcoming season are to continue playing at the top of the lineup and contributing the team’s success,” Myers said. “My biggest hope, however, is to win the conference tourament as a team and compete in the NCAA Tournament, which I am very confident we will do.”

Though she’s the ultimate team player, Myers admits to being more than a little surprised when she learned she’d become the firt Bronco to earn the all-MAC honor since 2011.

“I was speechless,” Myers said. “To receive the award and to have that as a freshman is truly an honor and it’s something that I will remember forever.”

Myers will wrap the academic term and return to the Ohio Valley for the summer, but she’ll be getting back to work. Her coach is Budi Susanto and her trainer is Justin Green.

“I am thankful for the opportunities that Budi and Justin have provided me with, and I am looking forward to working and training with them this summer.”