North Carolina State University Athletics
Off The Court: Virginia Romero and Carmen Torres
3/19/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
March 19, 2003
Submitted by Media Relations Student Assistant Jon Chase
Welcome to the world of Virginia Romero and Carmen Torres, or simply the life of collegiate student-athletes. The obvious link between these women is the NC State women's tennis team. Inquire a little further and you find they share the same apartment, major in college, playing style, and home country.
Ask the pair a question and there is a good chance you will get the same answer. Watch them play tennis and you'll notice the similarities. And if you see their apartment, it is apparent the two try to keep it clean ... sometimes.
But you can't blame them. Among tennis conditioning, school, study hall and more tennis, finding time for sleep takes rank over a pile of clothes here or there.
Romero and Torres' friendship got off to a slow start on the courts of Madrid, Spain, home to both athletes. It was the championship match of the nine-under bracket and the two seven-year olds were squaring off for the first of many battles. The details of the inaugural meeting are foggy, but Torres recalls both players left upset. Romero won the contest, handing Torres the first loss of her career. Despite the win Romero was also upset because the match had lasted too long, making her late to a social event. From the urging of their mothers, however, the two became friends. Over the next decade they spent time competing against each other and hanging out off the court.
This season the two reunited at NC State. Besides a request for sleep here and there, Torres and Romero have embraced the university from day one. Torres, a transfer from Arkansas Little-Rock, joined NC State first in August. At the urging of Torres, Romero joined the Pack this January.
Being the two lone newcomers to this year's squad and relatively new to the United States, Romero and Torres' transition has been eased by the closeness of the tennis team and the Wolfpack's solid academic support.
After a challenging period at Arkansas Little-Rock, Torres' teammates at NC State have been by her side since her arrival. This semester Torres and company have done the same for Romero. When Torres and Romero begin to miss home, they turn to each other. "There are some days you are homesick, but we pick each other up," said Torres. "There are some days she is sad and I help her, and she does the same."
Coming to the United States offered the duo an opportunity to attend school and play tennis - one they would not have had in Spain. There, college students can spend up to 12 hours a day in school and universities do not field teams that compete against other schools. At NC State, both athletes are majoring in business management and taking advantage of an opportunity many of their childhood friends cannot embrace.
Romero has had some injuries, but tennis coach Hans Olsen has been happy with her adjustments on the court. He is looking for continual improvement, growth and maturity. In singles she has seen action as the one, two, and four seed. In doubles play Romero has managed a 1-1 record.
Coming off a 4-1 record in the fall, and most recently picking up a win in the ACC, Torres' play this spring has been a positive for the Wolfpack. For Olsen, it is the emotion she brings to the team that stands out. "She brings a lot of energy and enthusiasm to both practice and the games," said Olsen. "Anytime she is around, she brings a lift to the team."
Once they have learned the tactics involved with doubles play (doubles play is not common in Spain), Torres and Romero hope to team up on the court. Though it would depend on the opponent, Olsen would consider the idea down the road because of the communication skills the duo has with each other.
Teammates, roommates, business majors, raised in Madrid, Spain, and now . . . doubles partners? The list goes on and on.
