Roster:
Alexandra Nuzhdin – Junior
Logan Erickson – Junior
Jordan Brewer – Senior
Edo Roth – Junior
Ben Low – Sophomore
Lauren Hayashi – Sophomore
Teams defeated this season: Fordham, Stonybrook, University of Rochester, Colgate, Binghamton, Rutgers, Hobart and William Smith, University of Virginia, Villanova, University of Delaware, Yale
Q: How did you first hear about the Tennis On Campus program? What made you decide to actively take part and also become a leader on your campus? How do you feel about TOC and being a captain?
I first heard about Tennis On Campus when I played Sectionals my freshman year. I’ve been playing tennis since I was 10 years old and when I decided to choose academics over tennis, I knew that I still wanted to play tennis, even if it wasn’t on a varsity level. That’s why I decided to join the club team. I enjoyed the team and the competition so much that I decided to participate in the board during my sophomore year and was elected as president for this year. I love TOC because it gives me a chance to keep up with my favorite sport and being a captain lets me pursue the best interests of the team.
Q: How did you enjoy your National Championships experience last year?
Nationals last year was such a great time! The competition was fierce and the weather was great. I enjoyed getting to meet more teams and to see some of the teams we had already played. One of the best parts of the tournament was that I got to see some of my old tennis friends from when I used to play in USTA tournaments.
Q: What does it mean to be back? Was it a more difficult road to return to Nationals?
We are very excited to be back because we worked really hard last semester to make it back. It wasn’t necessarily more difficult to receive a bid, but we had some challenges with funding. But we are doing this.
Q: In what ways has your team improved this year?
Our team has improved because most people aren’t graduating, so we have a lot of incentive to well this year and make it again next year. Additionally, most of our players already have previous tournament experience, so we have a very good team of players.
Q: What do you tell new players about Nationals, or players that are traveling for the first time to compete for your school?
I usually tell them how fun and entertaining it is to go to competitions! We get to bond as a team and meet players from all over the country who all have a bond through the sport.
Q: Who was your toughest opponent at past Nationals and how did they challenge you to become better?
I believe we played against Texas A&M last year. They had a very strong girls’ doubles team that our team wasn’t expecting when we made our roster for that match. They challenged us to become better and to reevaluate our strengths.
Q: Does your team actively use social media to stay connected? If so, what social media platforms are your favorites? Does your team use social media in any special way that you feel sets you apart from other teams?
Not particularly, I believe we have a twitter account. Since we rarely practice as a full team and have over 100 members in the extended club, it is hard to have a social media account to follow us.
Q: Do you have many seniors on your team? Do you think they know about opportunities after graduation like “Sets in the City” or young adult social leagues? Do you think anyone on your team would be interested in starting one?
We only have one person who is graduating this year, and she is a grad student already. But I believe she is definitely interested in participating in different adult leagues and has already played in a corporate league.
Share with us some of the ways you help out in the local and global communities in the name of tennis.
I volunteer at my old tennis center from high school and help out with their annual benefit as well as some of the summer camps.
Share with us a funny story about the 2015 team or team member(s).
Because Sectionals this year was in the Bronx (a subway ride from Columbia), one of our members had overslept by a lot and was still able to get to the competition in time! This was the second time he overslept for a tournament, but the first time we had to leave him to make it in time.
If a local newspaper was to write a story about your team what is the one thing you’d want to make sure they included?
While we are very studious, we all come together to play tennis and have a great time being able to participate in something that extends to many universities and brings together lots of people.
