Cavalier Corner is the publication just for UVa sports fans!
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IT STARTS WITH YOU THE PATH TO SUCCESS Academics Preparation Competition Service Graduation Lifelong Success ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ "It definitely prepared me really well," she said. "I think my teammates had a lot to do with that. The way we played soccer at Virginia and the coaching staff also helped me prepare for this environment. "At Virginia, having such tal- ented players around me helped immensely, star ting with my first year all the way through my fourth year. It just helps you on the soccer field, and pushes you to be better. I enjoyed having all the players there push me like that." "I'm a firm believer that play- ing a lot of points and matches is great preparation for playing actual matches against other schools," agreed third-year tennis star Julia Elbaba, who won the USTA/ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Singles Championship in November. "Even though some people find pressure in play- ing teammates, I think it helps because you have to execute game plans and face pressure like you'll see in actual matches. We have great players on the team, so it's definitely great practice. "Being in that team environment motivates me every single day. I'm from New York, and I used to train at a club that didn't have many great players who were my age. It's a lot more motivating to work hard every day by being around your peers and your friends that have similar goals." The rigorous academic curriculum at Virginia allows student-athletes to take the lessons they have learned on the court and apply them in a real-world situation. Just like the Cavaliers benefit from talented teammates on the practice field, there is no shortage of resources for them in the classroom. The key for Elbaba is setting high academic goals, just like she does on the tennis court. "It has been difficult," Elbaba admitted, "but I just treat it the same way I treat my tennis. I take it one day at a time and take a few deep breaths when I get stressed out. I know I'm not go- ing to do perfect in everything, but having the mentality that I try to give my best every time really helps. "I didn't make the honor roll my first two semesters, but since then I have. That was my moti- vating factor — to make honor roll — and now it's trying to stay up there every time. "Just being in the UVa environment where the stu- dents are extremely smart and the athletes are obvi- ously amazing in each sport is a great place to be. Everyone is elite in their own areas, and I feel privileged to be part of this institution. It definitely pushes me every day because I want to be as good as everyone around me." — Ryan Tice Julia Elbaba noted that the envi- ronment at Virginia has motivated her to excel on both the tennis court and in the classroom.