Things are much different now for Megan Hulick.

The Grove City College senior tennis player finds herself in a precarious perch as the Wolverines No. 1 player in both singles and doubles this season.

It's a position that comes with high demands at Grove City, a perennial power in the Presidents' Athletic Conference.

"It's different," the Butler High School graduate said. "There's really not that much more pressure. I know I'll have harder matches."

Hulick also has some big shoes to fill.

Last year's No. 1 was Allison Atwood, who was a four-time all-conference first team selection.

Hulick practiced with Atwood at great length last season.

"I definitely learned a lot from her," Hulick said. "I know I'm not going to be as good as Allison."

Hulick has been good enough so far this season. She is 2-1 in singles matches as Grove City has started the season 3-0.

The Wolverines have won 17 straight PAC championships.

To Hulick, that's the greater pressure.

"It's definitely a motivational thing," Hulick said. "It makes us better. In the PAC, we're expected to win overall."

When she went to Grove City after being Butler's No. 1 singles player, earning that spot for the Wolverines was never a clear-cut goal.

As a sophomore playing in the No. 4 singles spot, she won a PAC championship. She followed that up with a conference doubles championship as well.

Last year as a junior and as the team's No. 2 player, Hulick finished third in singles and second in doubles at the PAC championships.

That road will be a tough one this year.

"Coming into PACs at the end of the year, you already know who you are going to be playing," Hulick said. "There are a lot of good No. 1 players in the conference."

Hulick prefers doubles play to singles play because it better fits her style.

Not an aggressive player, Hulick likes to stay at the baseline and winning long volleys.

"I think I'm better at doubles," Hulick said. "I'm better on ground strokes and have really long volleys."

Hulick is the opposite of her predecessor. Atwood was an aggressive player who charged the net relentlessly, forcing her opponents into mistakes.

In working with Atwood, Hulick tried to take some of that approach.

"I got more aggressive playing against Allison," Hulick said. "I had to. The longer you stay at the baseline and volley, the more mistakes you can make."