College tennis is the next step (and sometimes the last step) in a players career after high school, giving them four more years of the sport in a team setting. Players typically compete in the fall and the spring of the school year, and work to maintain their form over the winter and summer off-season traveling to tournaments or getting work in on the courts at their campus.
In this edition of On The Court, I feature UW-Stout's Lauren Couves, a former team state champion at Ames High School. Couves is currently in her senior year under Coach Bryce Supri.
What is your tennis story?
I started competitive tennis at around 9 nine years old after playing Parks and Rec. tennis for a couple of summers prior. I played year-round at Ames Tennis Academy up until my senior year of high school, and I played high school tennis for all my four years at Ames High School. From these experiences, I knew I wanted to play tennis at the collegiate level. I then reached out to a few D3 tennis programs within universities that had Dietetics, my chosen major.
What attracted you to University of Wisconsin-Stout?
I liked UW-Stout because the tennis team and coach were really supportive of me and my academic goals! UW-Stout is a smaller campus, meaning I could easily get to class and benefit from smaller class sizes.
Why college tennis?
My experience playing for a team, not just myself, in high school solidified my desire to continue playing tennis in college. I loved the social aspect of tennis as well as the time management skills it taught me.
Best piece of advice for high school players in their search for a college tennis program?
My best piece of advice for high school players in their search for a college tennis program is to look for a team environment that is fun, encouraging, and in alignment with your tennis goals. In my experience, a great team dynamic can help make college tennis so much better.
What is your major/career interests?
My major is Dietetics, and I would like to become a registered dietitian after earning my undergraduate and graduate degrees through UW-Stout. I am open to working with a variety of populations as a future dietitian, and I hope to practice through a weight-neutral lens.
Tennis achievements
High School
2019 Team State champions
2019 4th place State Singles
Individual state singles qualifier 4x
College
2019 WIAC 3rd place, #2 singles
2021 WIA 4th place, #1 singles
2022 WIAC 5th place, #1 singles
ITA Scholar-Athlete
2021 WIAC All-Sportsmanship team
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