Cavalier Corner

April 2019

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APRIL 2019 29 cavalier profile MEGHAN KELLEY Fourth-Year • Tennis Fourth-year Meghan Kelley has been to the heights of college tennis. She played on Virginia's 2015-16 team that made it to the semifinals of the NCAA Championships, just missing out on a title game appearance in a tight 4-3 loss to Bay- lor. Kelley was doubles partner with current pro and former NCAA champion Danielle Collins, advancing to the round of 16 in the NCAA Doubles Championships. Over three- plus seasons, as of April 10, she has gone 97- 43 in singles matches and 99-51 in doubles. The numbers are amazing, but for a Cavalier women's tennis team looking to go deep in the NCAA Tournament in 2019, what Virginia head coach Sara O'Leary has found even more amazing is Kelley's ability to lead. "That was coming from all of our other players, which really stood out to me," O'Leary said. "[Meghan] has been so coachable in that way. I've seen her grow in many ways and she's not afraid, if she has a weakness, to work on it. "She's not afraid to talk about it. She wants to do whatever she can that's best for this team." "My main type of leadership would be leading by example," Kelley explained. "I hope others follow in my footsteps. I work on that. With the coaches, they work with me a lot on empathy and better understanding other people." The Maine native also realizes that sometimes "tough love" is required. "I think I'm able to deliver tougher messages because I have good relation- ships with the players. I love building on that and there's a mutual trust there," she said. "There are definitely people on the team where if I were to give them a long speech, it would go in one ear and out the other. "In crunch time and matches, there is only so much time and we've gotten to a really good place as a team where we all respect each other and want the best for each other, so those harder messages are taken well." Whether it's a long lecture, a gentle reminder or a sterner admonishment, O'Leary said the players respect Kelley and respond to her leadership because they know she cares about their individual success and the team's success. "What I love about Meghan is that she just cares so much about what's best for the team," O'Leary said of her fourth-year co-captain. "She's extremely unselfish. "She's built great relationships with every player on this team and everyone respects her and listens to her." — Greg Waters Photo by Matt Riley/courtesy UVA

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