The University of Georgia holds one of the top-ranked positions in women’s Division I tennis. The program has no shortage of talented athletes and is made up of a strong roster, ranging from athletes all over the world. 

With a diverse background, Georgia athletes have been able to share unique insights, to learn from one another, to make positive impacts on the program.

International and local teammates have made Georgia tennis into what it is now: a national powerhouse. 

So, how did these players get here? Let’s take a look at the past and present recruitment process of global and local players.

Former Georgia women’s tennis coach Jeff Wallace said that before the internet, recruiters and coaches would attend and keep up with results from national indoors in November, during Thanksgiving, for top U.S. junior players.

The USTA National Hard Court Championships in California also played a big role in recruitment. Tournaments such as the Eddie Herr and the Orange Bowl were top opportunities for foreign players to showcase their talents. Along with these tournaments, players would send in VHS tapes of games and practices for the coaches.

Once the internet hit the market, coaches were able to keep up with results and videos online, which made the process easier to locate players. “For the most part, you know, seeing them play is what you want to do and get to know them,” Wallace said. 

Wallace described how the recruitment process has gained more foreign players due to tennis losing popularity in the U.S. Young girls began to find interest in training for other sports in the late 1990s as colleges like Georgia added women’s teams such as softball and soccer. 

With fewer Americans focused on tennis and 352 Division I teams offering scholarships, there would not be enough locals to fill all of the spots, and this gave opportunities for more international players to join collegiate teams in America.

Georgia women’s tennis is known to make lifelong friendships. Wallace said, “So, I think it’s really cool the world became a lot smaller as far as that goes. And I think it’s been pretty special, really.”

Georgia women’s tennis SID-Armando Yanez emphasized that current head coach Drake Bernstein’s recruits are based on tournaments where players from all over the world compete. This stemmed from Wallace’s international recruiting style.

Georgia freshman tennis player Hayden Mulberry’s experience differed from that of an international recruit and mentioned that she began playing academy tennis when she was 10 years old. 

While high school tennis was more for a fun experience, tournaments are what counted for her college recruitment in the United States. “It’s more how you do in tournaments, your rankings and all that stuff,” Mulberry said.

International player and Georgia senior Guillermina Grant mentioned she trained in a smaller environment in Uruguay, mostly with boys. Grant was noticed by UGA after competing in the Eddie Herr tournament, the Orange Bowl and under-18 international tournaments.

Wallace said, “And so our pool of players became less, which all opened up the door for other international players,” and with the new additions to the team, he emphasized, “you know what, we can get the really good foreign players to go with our really good American players and make even a better team, right?”

Grant mentioned that playing in America surrounded her in a big team environment. The dynamics were different, with foreign countries being more focused on individual accomplishments rather than playing as a team in the U.S.

“You play for each other,” Grant said, “You do it for something better than yourself, like for something bigger than yourself. I love it. I really do. And it’s like, you know people from all around the world, which is really cool. But, yeah, I think the differences in learning about different people with different backgrounds is pretty awesome,” Mulberry said.

Yanez shared a story from the NCAA National Championships last year in Stillwater, Oklahoma, about a no-phone policy during meals to encourage undivided attention. 

“It was pretty cool to see everyone get off their phones, put them away, and just talk to each other,” Yanez said. 

He even participated himself during dinners, saying, “Get to know each other more, bond with each other. You’ve been in it together throughout the entire season. It was just pretty cool.”

Mulberry advises future recruits to not rush a commitment decision and to trust the process of recruitment. “I feel like everything happens for a reason, and you’ll end up where you’re supposed to be,” she said.