While playing tennis for the Emporia State Hornets, graduate student Karen Santiago, is studying clinical psychology.
Even though Santiago has been playing since she was six, she never expected she would play at the college level. She always just played for fun until she got older when her coach and parents started encouraging her to compete. Santiago has continued to play throughout college simply because she likes it.
When Santiago decided she wanted to play at the next level, she started sending emails out. She chose ESU because they gave her the best offer.
Santiago’s and the rest of the team’s season ended on Saturday April 15. However, she’s not pleased with how her season ended.
“I feel like we have a lot of potential, but I don’t know what’s missing,” Santiago said. “There is some stuff that’s missing, but we are all pretty good. There’s just something missing, maybe the fight spirit.”
Trying to “focus on the good,” head coach Cyrielle Peyroche said both the men and women have seen big improvements this year and are more competitive than people expected.
Alexia Desmet, senior business administration major, has been playing tennis since she was six, but this is her first season with Santiago.
Desmet says she feels like overall she’s not doing too well, but is proud of how she’s playing.
“I am playing in spot one or two, so it’s very tough matches, so I think I am doing pretty good even if the result is not there,” Desmet said.
Desmet said she thinks the team is in a similar place where they are working hard; the results just aren’t on paper.
Peyroche said she can see a “big difference” in Santiago since her freshman year. She said Santiago isn’t as shy anymore, is “a really good double player (when there‘s a team of two against the opposing two)” and is aggressive.
Peyroche added that some of Santiago’s strengths are that she is patient in rallies and she knows when to go for the shot.
Santiago is a “mother figure” and “present” for the team. She is also consistent on the baseline and she’s a good runner, according to Desmet.
Desmet said she wishes more people would come out to support the team, they would love more visitors.
Santiago’s role model was her grandpa who was a “sports guy” and her favorite memory of tennis is the entirety of last season.
Santiago wishes people would be more present during their sports career.
“I feel like there are some people that think, for example, the sophomores and the freshmen, they think it’s still a long time until they are done, so they don’t really enjoy it,” Santiago said. “I think I was kinda the same, and the time went by, I didn’t even feel it. I think like just enjoy the moment. Sometimes we aren’t present.”