Sports Feature: Tennis by: Lauren Sincerney

The tennis teams at Hardin-Simmons University have kicked off with a strong start to the season.

The women’s team will play their next game on April 11 at 11 a.m. at home against Southwestern University. The men’s team will play again on April 11 at 3 p.m. at home against Southwestern University.

“We are really excited about the team's energy this year and looking forward to competing hard this season.” Jonnah Smith, a kinesiology and sports recreation masters program student from Wink, said. 

The team’s matches are scheduled every weekend up until the first week of May, which is when the conference tournament will begin. They play on most Fridays and Saturdays and a full schedule can be found online at hsuathletics.com. 

“The teams will play at conference and regional teams as well as teams across the nation,” Shane Williford, head tennis coach, said. “Our women’s program is going to Oregon and our men’s program is going to Virginia this spring.” 

“The tennis team so far has played against a few challenging teams,” Smith said. “CAL-U, Trinity University and Oklahoma Wesleyan were all great matches to prepare us for the upcoming season. My favorite part about the tennis team at HSU is the family atmosphere. There is no better place to be yourself and still be able to have a team-family dynamic than here at Hardin-Simmons. Coach Williford also plays a very large role in how well this team performs each year, there is no one better.” 

The tennis teams are working hard to make this year’s season the best one yet. The teammates have worked hard and have grown together to overcome the many challenges in the sport. All the members of the teams have grown really close over the course of the year. 

“I am looking forward to playing this season with the team we have,” Smith said. “I love being an HSU Cowgirl and representing student athletes at a higher level. Hardin-Simmons has such a great impact on the community, and I believe this team will leave the jerseys better than where we found them.”

“I always tell people about how bonded we are,” Brandon Curiel, a junior fitness recreation and sports management major from San Antonio, said. “We are like brothers. We do everything together, we trust each other, and work well as a team.” 

The tennis team always welcomes people to come and watch their matches. They play on most weekends up until May when their conference starts. 

“We love seeing people out in the crowd,” Curiel said. “Come watch HSU Tennis.”