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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2004
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Kansas freshman tennis player Lauren Hommell practices with her team at the tennis courts outside Robinson Center. Hommell won all three of her singles matches at the team's first tournament of the year, the Hurricane Invitational in Tulsa, Okla.
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Freshman tennis standout propels, encourages team
BY RANUL SHARMA
rsharma@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTSWINTER
There are athletes who attest to giving their all on the playing field or on the court. But there are also athletes who are willing to go further.
Meet Kansas freshman tennis player Lauren Hommel.
A native of Roswell, Ga., Hommell understands the role hard work and team effort play in athletic success.
"It takes a lot of dedication, working out, giving it the extra effort and being supportive of my teammates," Hommell said.
"As a team, we want to make it to the Big 12 Championships," she said. "We want to beat Texas, Oklahoma and Missouri. We want to kill them."
That burning desire to win is something Hommell used effectively back home in Georgia as a three-time all-county selection player and member of the prestigious Super Six All-Region team.
Hommell came to the Kansas tennis team with the goal to help it return to the national prominence of 1996, when Kansas reached round 16 in the NCAA championships.
Hommell, who is one of three freshmen on the team, already possesses the instinctive drive to be a champion.
Hommell said she could see the way the coaches were impacting her game. She said Polito's presence was a constant
Kansas coach Amy Hall-Holt, who served as an assistant in 1996 with Frank Polito, teams up with Polito once again with the same aspiration. Hall-Holt said Hommell could prove to play an instrumental role in helping the program get better.
"I feel, as a freshman, Lauren has been taking big steps to better her game as well as to better her teammates." Hall-Holt said.
"He is pretty much on you the whole time, trying to pump us up." Hommell said of Polito. "He gives great advice and has helped my game tremendously the last couple of weeks."
motivating force.
In the first tournament of the year at Tulsa, Okla., Hommell played to perfection, sweeping the singles competition and dropping only one set.
Throughout her prep career, Hommeli participated in many junior tournaments affiliated with the USTA, but she said collegiate tennis was more comfortable for her.
"It's more relaxed than juniors," she said. "It's team-oriented, and you get to have a coach on the court."
Emily Haylock, who competed from 2001 through 2004, and is a senior at the University, has played an intricate part in Hommell's development.
Overall, Hommell acknowledged the difficult competition Kansas faces, but she thought persistent effort would help to propel Kansas back into the national spotlight.
"Emily is taking me under her wing." Hommell said. "She's giving me a lot of advice on how to take things and how to embrace coaching."
Hommell made the transition from high school to college quite well. Former Kansas player
"It's all about giving 200 percent on the court." Hommell said.
The Jayhawks will be in action next weekend when Kansas travels to South Bend, Ind., for the Notre Dame Invitational.
Edited by Marissa Stephenson
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