Each year the $2,500 Tim and Tom Gullikson Scholarship is awarded to one male and one female high school tennis player. Congratulations to this year’s winners:
Bill Duo from Portage, Michigan, is a USTA tournament participant who is currently ranked No. 12 in
USTA Boys’ 18 singles, No. 2 in USTA/Midwest Section Boys’ 18 singles, and No. 1 in Western Michigan Tennis Association Boys’ 18 singles. He played varsity tennis at Portage Central High School for two years, and during his sophomore year led the team to the state title while capturing the individual state singles title. Duo was named the Western Michigan Tennis Association Player of the Year four years in a row from 2015-2018. He was also recently named the 2018 USTA/Midwest Section Wallace R. Holzman Sr. Award recipient for the highest standards of tennis accomplishments, character, conduct, sportsmanship and amateurism by an outstanding 16 or 18 and under age division male player.
Off the court, Duo’s commitment to academics has resulted in a 3.94 GPA and ACT score of 31. He is active in his high school’s Ping Pong Club, Chamber Strings, Recycling Club, and Sewing Club. He plans to attend Princeton University in Princeton, NJ, this fall where he will play on the college tennis team while pursuing a major in finance.
Sophia Reed from Wilmington, Ohio, plays varsity tennis at Wilmington High School where she played all four years. Reed also participated in the USTA Jr. Team Tennis program as a junior player which brings together boys and girls ages six to 18 years old to play singles, doubles and mixed doubles against other co-ed teams. She has served as the co-coordinator for the program the last three years in order to keep the local program thriving and introducing more youth to tennis while promoting individual growth, social growth, and life skills.
Off the court, Reed was a multi-sport athlete for three years as she was also a member of the varsity track team. She is active in the National Honor Society, Key Club, Interact Club, as Yearbook editor, and as Theatre Department media director. Reed plans to attend Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, this fall where she will major in publication design.
This scholarship was established in 1998 to recognize Tim and Tom Gullikson and to reward young players with funding to advance their education and tennis interests. Each year, a $2,500 award is presented to one male and one female junior player from the Section.