Emma Wieland, from Mascoutah High School, is a junior here at Greenville University. She is an English Education major and a part of the women’s tennis team.
After high school, Wieland originally planned to attend Carroll University located in Wisconsin, but as soon she visited Greenville University, she felt a calling to change her plans to attend Greenville instead. Playing tennis is something Wieland knew she wanted to do coming into college because it is a sport that she loves and has a passion for. Wieland will never be able to replace tennis because of all of the relationships and fun memories that she has created throughout her years playing.
Coach Brett Brannon, the head coach for the women’s tennis team, is someone who definitely has had an impact in Wieland’s life, as she stated, “Coach Brannon has been a very positive influence in my life and I’m very grateful to have him as a mentor.
Greenville University is a place where Wieland has created many long-lasting memories and relationships throughout her three years attending. One of her best memories happened the week she had a tennis tournament during spring break, because of all the unforgettable moments she and her teammates created with each other. Going on trips to tennis tournaments are times when Wieland and her teammates have the opportunity to bond and get to know each other more. These road trips to compete against other teams are big deal for Wieland because of the chemistry her and teammates get to build.
When Wieland first began playing tennis at Greenville University, she had a few things that she needed to improve, but the biggest was her confidence. Building confidence was one thing that Wieland had to overcome, and it was not easy for her to do. She had to become consistent in her training and coming into practice every day knowing that it’s going to take a lot of hard work and dedication. Wieland gives a lot of credibility to her coaches and teammates from the support they provided to help in building her confidence and making her the player she is today. A coach that Wieland definitely doesn’t want to leave out of the picture is Coach Lexi Baysinger. As she stated, “Coach Lexi pushes us hard, and we don’t thank her enough for it. Her contribution to our team has resulted in our success, and she is always pushing us to be our best selves.”
One of Wieland’s biggest accomplishments was receiving the NCAA Newcomer of the Year. For Wieland, it was an honor to get the award because of her brother receiving the award in the previous years. Putting in the hard work and getting all of the support from her coaches and teammates were the main factors in receiving the award. An accomplishment like this does not satisfy Wieland enough, but instead she embraced it and became even more humble to be the best player she can be. Coming into a new season, Wieland hopes to keep getting better and maintain a positive attitude.
Media by Gavin Jordan.
