Women's Tennis | 12/16/2024 9:58:00 AM

When we are friends, we win. This is the motto of the Minnesota Crookston tennis team, and one Kavya Singh, a senior from Agra, India is proud to represent. Singh prides herself on the team atmosphere the Golden Eagles have, and is elated to bring the energy to the court each and every match, and practice. 

Singh is 7,000 miles from home, but she knew in order to chase her dream of playing tennis and getting an elite degree the United States presented the best option for her. "I wanted to continue tennis, but in India you either go tennis, or go for academics," Singh remarked. "I didn't want to take that kind of risk, so I wanted to find a way around it. Then my coach introduced me to different opportunities. I had never left home, and I was super dependent on my parents. My love of tennis was too much, so I decided it was time. My parents were really supportive of my decision."

Singh started her collegiate journey at West Liberty University right on the border of West Virginia, and Pennsylvania, but she was looking for something different on the tennis court. She found what she was looking for in the U of M Crookston.

"I wanted to take a transfer from West Liberty because of the tennis program. I was taking tennis super seriously," Singh remarked. "I know I am not going to go pro, but I still wanted to take my four years to play tennis. I searched and found the program at U of M Crookston. Coach Lunak had reached out, as well. They were trying to build on the team. Coach was being honest about what they have been, and what they were trying to do. He offered me a scholarship, and I accepted."

The Golden Eagles were in the process of adding international talent when Singh arrived. Madeleine Schneider, a native of Gartringen, Germany, had helped lead Coach Lunak's efforts to bring in strong international tennis players, who also wanted to pursue the University of Minnesota degree. The Golden Eagles now have six student-athletes from other countries, including India, Spain, and Turkey. But when she arrived it was Singh, Schneider, and Ashley Chomyn from Winnipeg, Manitoba.

"I was looking toward Maddi (in that first year)," said Singh. "It was a totally different experience and amazing in all of the terms, but now our team is so diverse. Since then, we have been doing better and better."

Singh has been on the ground floor of the rise of Golden Eagle tennis over her time in the maroon and gold. The transfer from West Liberty University arrived for the 2023 season after Minnesota Crookston had gone 2-12 in the previous season. In her first season, the Golden Eagle posted a 7-10 mark, and last season U of M Crookston went 10-5. Singh and Minnesota Crookston posted their best season in program history, and made the NSIC Tournament for the first time. 

"Last year was very surprising," Singh stated. "It was so driving that by the end of the season, we wanted to finish very strong. After another week or two, we were ready for another season. It was amazing, the first time making it to the NSIC Tournament. We were so close in our quarterfinal match. It was a switch of the program, and everyone was so driven. Maddi played such a huge role in the change of the program. She was such an inspiration for all of us. It was also great getting our three players from Spain last year. They did so well. The first year, I was dealing with injuries. I still wanted to give it my all. Last year, I had even more reason to give everything I have."

While Singh is proud of how far the tennis team has come, they aren't done in her eyes. The Golden Eagles graduated Schneider, who was an All-NSIC First Team honoree, the NSIC Willis R. Kelly Scholar-Athlete of the Year award winner, and a NCAA Woman of the Year Top 30 honoree, but Singh is excited for the future.

"Maddi was a very crucial part of our team," Singh remarked. "I think as a team we don't view anything as a change. It was just the force that was driving us, and nothing can stop us. We just need to give it our all on the court, and we will accomplish what we set out to accomplish. We have a saying on our team that I am personally proud of, when we are friends, we win. We are so closely tied to each other, and that helps us to bring each other up. It isn't every day that everyone is having the best day on the court, but we still want to celebrate each other whether we had a great day or not. We just want to keep the motive of when we are friends, we do win. It just has such a positive impact on the team environment, and climate."

Singh wants to see the Golden Eagles finish at least third in the NSIC this season. "For this year, we are aiming for third place in the NSIC," Singh said. "We just want to go for it. Augustana is really good, but I think we can do it. Last year we were so close, and it was our first time. Personally, for myself, last year was a very successful season for me but this season I am looking for even more. Academically, I just want to maintain my GPA. I got All-Academic last year, and I want to keep that up."

When Singh was asked about the legacy she wants to leave at U of M Crookston she remarked,  "I would say just creating that energy on the team, when we are friends we do win. I want us to enjoy every match and all of the practices we are in with the driving force of energy."