Collegiate Tennis Destined for Liza Fieldsend
10/7/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
RALEIGH, N.C.- With her brother playing collegiate tennis, her mother a former collegiate tennis player and her dad with a career in the tennis industry, it was only natural that NC State's Liza Fieldsend would choose none other than tennis as the sport she wanted to pursue.
"We're just a big tennis family; I started hitting when I was two or three but I didn't start playing in tournaments until I was eight. That's when I got more serious about tennis," Fieldsend said.
Her mother, the former Debbie Huitt, played tennis at LSU from 1983-84, after transferring from Oklahoma State where she played from 1980-82. Her brother, Beau, 21, currently plays tennis at Florida Tech, while her father, Jeremy, works at the John Newcombe Tennis Academy in her hometown, New Braunfels, Texas.
With Division I tennis as her ultimate goal as a youngster, Fieldsend not only climbed her way to the top, but managed to stay atop of the statewide and national polls. She was ranked at No. 42 on the Babolat National Recruiting list and was listed as the third best prospect in the state of Texas.
"I worked hard to get there, but when you start doing better there is a lot more pressure. Sometimes I would go into tournaments and I would just be so nervous; I knew my opponents were good players but I always felt like I was supposed to beat them," Fieldsend said.
"It would get a little stressful but it's what came with the hard work."
When deciding where she was going to go to college, in addition to NC State Fieldsend also took New Mexico, Nebraska and Boise State's tennis programs into consideration. The team chemistry she felt at NC State is what made her final decision though.
"They were all great schools but the deciding factor for me was the team at NC State. I thought I clicked well with them on my visit, which was important to me because I knew I'd be spending a lot of time with them," Fieldsend said.
"My teammates really are my best friends now so I couldn't be happier with my decision."
After her first season with the Wolfpack, the program underwent a change in the coaching staff. A change such as this can bring about several uncertainties for players, but so far Fieldsend is enjoying the new chapter of NC State women's tennis.
"I was worried the coach would come in and not like the way I played or that he wouldn't want to play me, but it has turned really well," Fieldsend said. "I am playing the way I want to play under his coaching."
Along with a new coaching staff tends to come many changes in all aspects of a program. Fieldsend, a sophomore, has invited the new mentality head coach Simon Earnshaw is instilling in his team.
"There is more of a focus on winning now- our old coach was more so focused on the process," Fieldsend said.
"Simon focuses on the process too, but there is a bit more pressure with him. I like it though; pressure is good for you and I am excited to see where the program goes."
Along with this new chapter of NC State women's tennis, Fieldsend keeps the team's ultimate goal, as well has her individual goal, at the forefront for the 2015 season.
"As a team, we would really like to make the NCAA tournament since we didn't make it last year. Individually I want to have a better record in the ACC and get some more wins," Fieldsend said
A player that was predominantly in the No. 4 spot last season, Fieldsend played in the squad's first tournament of the year, the Georgia Tech Invitational, in the No. 2 singles spot.
"I knew over the summer I would have to step up because we are a bit of a younger team this year than we were last year, so I trained really hard all summer and played in a lot of matches," Fieldsend said.
"I think the hard work has paid off, but I have to keep working because the ACC is a tough conference so there won't be any easy matches ahead of me," Fieldsend added. "I just have to keep improving everyday."