TEMPLE WOMEN'S TENNIS NEWSLETTER

Can you just bring us up to date on your life today?

"I live in Charleston, South Carolina with my husband and two kids, and I'm a psychologist."

I'm curious how your experiences at Temple have kind of shaped your life, both personally and professionally?

"Yeah. I was a psychology major at Temple, so that got me interested in the field I work in now. I even did an internship after my sophomore year at Penn State Medical Center in their pediatric feeding clinic. I thought the work they were doing was amazing, and that led me to decide to pursue my doctorate. Now I specialize in eating disorders. It definitely shaped my career path, having that educational experience.

As for tennis, I took a long break after college, but I reconnected with the sport when we moved to Charleston. Now I try to play a couple of times a week, and I recently started taking lessons again for the first time in my adult life. I think when you play at a really high level at a young age, you can get a little burned out. After some time away, I’ve really fallen back in love with it. "

"Do you see any parallel between tennis and psychology? Do you think being an athlete helped you in your profession?

"I think all the discipline you learn as a student-athlete helps prepare you for the workforce. You develop strong study habits and learn how to persevere when things don’t go your way. Being on a team is also helpful. In college tennis, you’re surrounded by different personalities, and you have to learn how to communicate and work together. Those skills definitely helped when I began working on multidisciplinary teams as a professional."

Do you have specific favorite on-court memories, or specific favorite off-the-court memories that come to mind when you think about Temple?

"My freshman year, in the spring of 2003, we won the Atlantic 10 Championship and competed in the NCAA Tournament. That was a really big deal for our program and very memorable.

Another favorite memory was when we made it to the NCAA tournament, we were able to use the basketball conference room for the selection show. Coach Chaney, the basketball coach at the time, congratulated us and wished us luck! I then told him how much I had enjoyed watching him coach over the years with my dad (who also played tennis at Temple) and as we continued to talk, I discovered that he had a strong love for tennis and music. I sang and played guitar and he invited me to come to his office to try to teach him guitar, which often just ended up being me singing and playing guitar. He loved Frank Sinatra songs so I learned one and recorded it for him! I would visit Coach Chaney regularly until I graduated and was invited to sing the national anthem at the final home game that he coached at the Liacouras Center. That was certainly a special memory! He even sent me a graduation gift in the mail! I still have a Coach Chaney bobble head on my desk. He was always full of words of wisdom and I am grateful that I got to know and spend time with him. "

Have you been able to stay in touch with any of your former teammates or coaches? I know there's been a coaching change and for you, you're a more recent graduate, but just to the current crop of players, any advice for them on how to maintain those relationships when graduating.

"I’m definitely connected with some former teammates through social media. One of the cool things is that I now have places to visit all over the world. It’s special knowing you’ll always have someone to connect with in different places.

I played with a teammate from India named Sharanya Pattabi. A few years after college, she got married in India, and I was able to travel there with several other teammates for her wedding. Staying in touch has allowed us to visit places we might never have gone otherwise. Those connections are really special."

Do you still follow professional tennis today? Do you have any favorite players?

"Yes! There’s a huge women’s professional tournament here in Charleston called the Credit One Charleston Open, and it’s coming up in a few weeks. All the top women players will be there, so I’ll attend a few sessions.

My favorite player is Ons Jabeur. She’s currently pregnant, so she’s not playing right now, but she’s Tunisian and really fun to watch. She’s very crafty—uses a lot of slice and comes to the net.

After I graduated, I went to graduate school in New York City and lived close to Flushing Meadows, so I went to the US Open often. My daughter is now playing tennis, and I think I’m going to take her to the US Open this year."

Do you have any favorite off-court memories from Temple?

"We traveled to some great places as a team. One spring break, we went to California, and it happened to be during the Indian Wells tournament in Palm Springs. We were able to attend and watch professional matches, which was really special. Overall, I’d say some of my favorite memories were the places we got to visit while traveling as a team."

Any lessons that you would relay to current players? I mean, you've talked about it a little bit, but anything specific that you want to tell to players today that are currently playing at Temple?

"I think sometimes we take our college years for granted. We focus on the short term—just getting through the day—and it can feel like a grind. But it’s such a unique and limited experience. Try to appreciate it while you’re in it.

You’ll blink, and suddenly 20 years will have passed. It’s a short chapter in your life, and you’re probably in the best physical shape you’ll ever be. That’s something we don’t always realize at the time. So make the absolute most of it."