Instead of traveling to Glendale just to practice, the Marquette club tennis team is ready to serve up a significantly improved set-up.
A 15-minute drive has become a short walk for the club tennis players with the opening of the newly renovated Wellness + Helfaer Recreation Center on campus.
It means the club no longer needs to trek to the Northshore Elite Sports Club, where it practiced for two years starting in spring 2023, giving the team more court time, additional practices and heightened expectations.
“I think it will totally be to our advantage,” said senior Claire Converse, who also serves as the team’s president. “People are already getting excited.”
One thing they’re especially excited about is the high player retention rate now that they’re back on campus.
With an estimated 50-60 returners, Converse said the team is excited to make a statement with their experienced senior class and promising new talent who have been competing at a high level.
“We are thinking tryouts might be more competitive this year,” Converse said.
Those tryouts are for the club’s national team, which competes against other universities in hopes of qualifying for nationals. It’s something the club has unsuccessfully tried to do before, getting close but falling just short in years past.
Now, with their experience and the new practice environment, they’re aiming to break that pattern.
“We’ve known that’s the strategy for a couple of years,” said Converse. “Now we have good retention with our seniors… our class has been really strong.”
But the team cares about more than just wins and losses — there’s a community aspect to joining as well, something Converse has emphasized the new rec center will help accomplish this year.
“People found their roommates and best friends,” Converse said. “People have come out of their shell.”
In what is normally an individual sport, Converse said she appreciates how the club makes tennis team-oriented, allowing players to cheer for their teammates during matches, as everyone is watching on the court.
“All the grades go together,” said Sophia Esquivel, a senior in the College of Health Sciences.
Having that support system from other club members helped Esquivel improve in her four years on the team.
“My doubles game has gotten way better,” she said.
Converse wants to keep building the club by having as many people as possible attend tryouts Sept. 8-10 at the rec center.
“It is truly a great blend of (a) competitive and recreational (environment),” Converse said.
This story was written by Ben Ward. He can be reached at benjamin.ward@marquette.edu.