Roster:
Robin Young – Senior
Ruri Kobayakawa – Junior
Kesh Mullen – Freshman
Jeffrey Chen – Sophomore
Tim Duong – Freshman
Brandon Villadiego – Junior
Greg Sumen – Freshman
Teams defeated this season: UCSD, Pepperdine, CSUN, LMU, UCI.
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 the Tennis on Campus program my freshman year. I wanted to continue to be involved with tennis in college but wasn’t quite at the Division I level and wanted something more competitive than intramural tennis so club tennis was the perfect fit for me. I immediately fell in love with Tennis on Campus and wanted to be involved. I love being a captain for the UCSB team because I am so proud to represent my school and proud of all the hard work my team puts in.
Q: How did you enjoy your National Championships experience last year?
I really enjoyed going to North Carolina last year. It was an awesome experience playing against teams from all over the country and it was so cool that we had the opportunity to travel.
Q: What does it mean to be back? Was it a more difficult road to return to Nationals?
I would say that it was a more difficult road to return to Nationals this year. This will be my fourth year going to Nationals so I am so appreciative that I have gotten the opportunity to return each year. It was more difficult this year because half of our team was new and lost 3 valuable players that were a huge part of our success last year.
Q: In what ways has your team improved this year?
This year our team has put more emphasis on our practices. We practice more often and take them more seriously. Overall, UCSB club tennis has improved with its leadership.
Q: What do you tell new players about Nationals, or players that are traveling for the first time to compete for your school?
Before we made it to Nationals I told them about how awesome it is. Competing at Nationals is one of the best experiences that I have had in my collegiate years. I told them that it’s such an amazing opportunity to represent UCSB. Also, it’s so cool to be able to meet players from all over the country to not only compete against them but also socialize with them and make new friends.
Q: Who was your toughest opponent at past Nationals and how did they challenge you to become better?
Our toughest opponent at last year’s Nationals was North Carolina. We had a super close match with them in the first round of the Gold Bracket and barely lost to them. They ended up getting third place in Nationals last year. We were proud that we almost beat a team that placed really well. During that match, we were really challenged and really had to fight for every point. There was not one match that was easy and each and every one of our players gave it their all.
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?
We mainly use Facebook to stay connected.
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?
I am the only senior on the team this year. I have heard about all of the USTA opportunities for after graduation and am very interested in continuing to be involved with Tennis on Campus. I am actually applying to graduate schools right now and hope to play on my grad school’s TOC team next year.
Share with us some of the ways you help out in the local and global communities in the name of tennis.
Many of our players work as tennis coaches in the Santa Barbara area during the school year and over the summer.
Share with us a funny story about the 2015 team or team member(s).
The morning before the second day of the UC Irvine tournament we had bagels. One of our players is an exchange student from Italy and apparently there are no bagels in Italy because Antonio had never heard of one. It took us five minutes trying to explain what a bagel is, and at least 10 to explain what cream cheese is. I’m not sure if any of what we said made sense to him but he ended up liking it when he finally ate it.
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?
I would want them to include that we are one of the most spirited clubs at tournaments. We’re always very loud and make sure to cheer each other on.
