Colorado Teens Win Two State Titles in One Year

Two Colorado high school seniors just showed that winning isn't about the sport—it's about the partnership.

Trinity Salberg and Madi Smith have been best friends since preschool in Eaton, Colorado. This year, they turned that lifelong bond into back-to-back state championships in two different sports.

In November 2025, the pair helped lead their Eaton volleyball team to the Class 3A state title, the program's 11th in history. Salberg set up plays as the team's setter with 518 assists, while Smith crushed them as outside hitter with 399 kills.

Six months later on May 9, 2026, they did it again. This time on the tennis courts at Memorial Park in Colorado Springs, where they dominated the Class 3A doubles tournament.

The championship match wasn't even close. Smith and Salberg defeated their opponents 6-1, 6-2 to claim the No. 1 doubles title.

But the semifinals tested everything they'd learned. Facing Vail Christian's team in a third-set tiebreaker, the pressure could have crushed them.

Instead, they leaned on their championship experience from volleyball season. "We decided to not really even think about anything in that third set and just play," Salberg said.

The victory was years in the making. As freshmen, Smith wasn't even sure she wanted to play tennis until Salberg convinced her.

They lost in the first round at state that year. They made semifinals as juniors but fell short of the finals.

This year, they dropped only one match all season and lost just one set during the entire state tournament.

Why This Inspires

Their coach Mike Brisendine says their volleyball skills translate perfectly to tennis. They read angles, create openings, and anticipate each other's moves without speaking.

But the real secret? "Their chemistry is just so good," Brisendine said. "I don't even have to coach them."

The duo made one thing clear to their coach from day one: under no circumstances could he separate them or assign different partners. Brisendine never had a reason to.

Both athletes will continue playing volleyball in college—Smith at the University of North Texas and Salberg at McPherson College in Kansas. Their tennis partnership ends here, but they're leaving on top.

"To win a state title in our last time competing together was just surreal," Smith said.