Walk-ons Boost Women's Tennis Team
4/3/2018 7:39:00 PM | Women's Tennis
For years, walk-ons (non-scholarship student-athletes who earn a spot on the roster) have played an important role for Sam Houston athletics. This spring, the Bearkat women's tennis team has received a boost from three spirited walk-ons who have added a new dimension to the program.
Freshmen Asni Hill and transfer Wendy French, both from Houston, and senior Clarissa Escamilla from San Antonio have joined with the seven scholarship players to power the Bearkat squad to one of the program's most successful seasons in a decade.
“These three young ladies have been a great addition to our program,” SHSU head coach Rob Hubbard said. “As a coach, I feel it's best to have a squad size of 10 or 11 players. It helps in practice to keep everyone fresh and it's particularly important for depth”
During Hubbard's first season at Sam Houston in 2017, injuries forced the Bearkats to play their final two regular season dual matches with only four players.
“Our walk-ons would have been able to step up and play for us in those matches,” Hubbard said. “But depth isn't the only way the three are contributing this year. They are young women who bring a winning spirit to the program with their hard work, support for their teammates and unselfishness.”
Every player in the Bearkat line-up each match at McAdams Tennis Center knows they are going to get encouragement point-by-point from their teammates cheering them on from the sidelines.
“The girls who are sitting on the sidelines here want to do our best to support the girls on the court,” French said. “Fab (Fabienne Gettwart, the Kats' number one singles player) tells us she hears us all the time. We're really close as a team. This is something different for me because I have always been kind of a single person player. This is fun.”
French joined the Bearkats between semesters, transferring from Texas A&M-Texarkana. She is a 2017 graduate of Texas Connections Academy in Houston where she played number one and two singles.
Each of the players in the top six spots in the line-up is excited about the support they receive from the walk-ons. Freshman Sahaja Yamalapalli, who plays at number two and three singles, gave the girls much of the credit when she fought off five match points for the clincher in a 4-3 team win over Abilene Christian in March.
“My teammates were there cheering me on and pumping me up,” Yamalapalli said. “They had my back. When I was down 15-40 (triple match point), they were right there telling me I could do it. It was incredible.”
The walk-ons all talk of how close all of the girls on the team have become. The trio takes pride in helping the team not only on match day but each afternoon in practice.
“We're like a family,” Hill said “We're always doing work together. We eat after practice together. We're always willing to help each other. If one person is slipping, we're there to help them. It's like we're sisters. We're definitely close.”
Hill started playing tennis at age five and has continued to play the sport up through the junior levels. She is a graduate of Hill Prep Academy in Houston.
“Cheering and supporting everybody is part of my role,” Hill said. “But I also fill a role just by coming to practice and playing hard every day. It's important to give my best and do the small things right.”
Escamilla walked on as a senior this past fall. The graduate of O'Connor High School in San Antonio was one of seven members of the Bearkat tennis team who posted a 4.0 grade point average during the fall semester. She previously played on the Sam Houston tennis club team.
“Being part of this team has been great. I really have liked it,” Escamilla said. “It's been fun getting to know all the girls and being involved with the team. We take pride in being supportive and making sure we keep everyone's spirits up during the matches. It gets pretty vocal when we get into yelling matches with the other teams. That's when we have to step in and be there.”
With important regular season league contests remaining plus the Southland Conference tournament in Beaumont the last weekend in April, the tennis team looks to excel down the stretch.
“I have learned a lot this year as a freshman,” Hill said. “Just being on the team has challenged me to be more disciplined and focused. With this being my first year of college, I've learned a lot from my teammates. The importance of time management and a strong work ethic are definitely things they have taught me.”
French enjoys being part of the team and is setting herself important long-term goals
“Sam Houston is great. It's a bigger campus and there's more to do here,” French said. “My goal definitely is to be in the top six next spring. That's something I want to do especially as a walk-on.”
Escamilla will graduate in May and is looking ahead to a possible internship program and post graduate work.
“This season has been so much fun,” Escamilla said. “Looking back, I have to say that our preseason work at South Padre was exciting. Zip-lining with the girls was really fun. We're excited about finishing strong this year.”
The Bearkats face two important road matches this weekend, traveling to Louisiana to take on Nicholls Saturday and McNeese on Sunday. The team completes its regular season home schedule with home contests against New Orleans and Southeastern Louisiana on April 14 and 15.
