Tiger Top Spin: From First Serve to New Era, Mizzou Tennis Looks to Add to Its History

Before Robin Goodman arrived in Columbia with a vision of turning Mizzou tennis into a nationally relevant program, the Tigers had already spent decades building a history filled with successful teams, international players and memorable individual accomplishments.

Now, as Missouri enters the 2026 season, a new chapter is beginning.

Mizzou women’s tennis first took the court as a varsity program during the 1975-76 season under coach Dru Duggins. The Tigers went 6-7 that season and competed in the Missouri Valley Tournament. The program steadily developed, after two years under Duggins, Dru Ann Hancock followed and stayed in Columbia for three seasons to help develop a foundation.

In the 1978-79 with Hancock, the Tigers went 24-8, finished tied for first in the Big Eight at 6-0 and advanced to the AIAW National Tournament. It remains one of the earliest standout seasons in program history.

After the 1981-82 season, Mizzou tennis temporarily disappeared. The program did not field a team from 1982-86 before returning for the 1986-87 season under coach John Miles.

Since then, the Tigers have remained a fixture in collegiate tennis, moving through several coaching eras and conference changes. Coaches like Ben Loeb, Jim LaRue, Jason Hill, Blake Starkey, Sasha Schmid and Colt Gaston all helped guide the program through the Big Eight, Big 12 and eventually the Southeastern Conference.

The program’s history has also been shaped by players from around the world.

Portugal’s Bea Machado Santos became one of the most accomplished Tigers of the SEC era. In 2016, she became the first Mizzou player since Urska Juric in 2003 to qualify for the NCAA Singles Tournament. Santos reached as high as No. 53 nationally, defeated multiple ranked SEC opponents and earned second-team All-SEC honors. She also received the ITA/Arthur Ashe Leadership and Sportsmanship Award for the Central Region.

Cierra Gaytan-Leach provided another memorable chapter. After transferring from Texas, she became Mizzou’s first All-SEC selection since 2005 when she earned second-team honors in 2014. She played primarily at No. 1 singles and recorded four wins over ranked opponents during her senior season.

Then came Bronte Murgett.

The Great Britain native transferred to Mizzou after two seasons at New Mexico and quickly became one of the program’s top players. Murgett reached as high as No. 45 in singles and No. 31 in doubles and became the third Tiger in program history to qualify for the NCAA Singles Tournament in 2021.

Now, Murgett is back, only this time on the other side of the net.

After spending a season as an assistant coach at Virginia Tech, Murgett returned to Columbia in May as an assistant on Goodman’s new staff. She joins associate head coach Manny Raga as Goodman begins his tenure as the program’s 13th head coach.

Goodman enters Columbia with more than a decade of Division I coaching experience. He spent five seasons as Pacific’s head men’s coach, served as an assistant at New Mexico and Baylor and most recently was the associate head coach at Tennessee. At Pacific, he helped elevate the program nationally, including a No. 49 ranking during his final season.

His goal for Mizzou is straightforward: build a program that is competitive nationally, respected in the SEC and known for how hard it competes.

The early moves suggest Goodman is already putting that vision into action. Mizzou added international talent, including Colombian signee Mariana Higuita Barraza, who arrived with professional experience and a WTA doubles ranking, while also bringing in England’s Millie Skelton from SMU.

From the first team in 1975 to the international rosters of today, Mizzou tennis has never been defined by one era, one coach or one player.

It has been defined by the ability to keep moving forward.

After a program hiatus, conference changes, coaching transitions and generations of Tigers, Missouri enters 2026 with a chance to write another chapter.

This time, Goodman and his staff are hoping that chapter becomes the beginning of something bigger.

Tiger Top Spin will be back next Monday, and Columns and Courts will be back Wednesday.