University of Houston Athletics
Behind the Scenes - Angela Lorenzo
5/8/2015 12:00:00 AM | Tennis
(Editor's Note: As the Houston Tennis team prepares for NCAA Tournament play, UHCougars.com sat down with several members of the team for an inside look at their lives as student-athletes. Today's Q&A is with freshman Angela Lorenzo, who won 18 of her 21 matches leading into the NCAA Championship.)
UHCougars.com: Your freshman year is nearly coming to an end! Has college been what you expected so far?
Angela Lorenzo: Yes it has. The whole thing has been such a great experience so far, from making so many friends and developing new relationships with people to becoming more independent. The one thing I didn't expect was how college tennis is so team-focused, especially since I had only ever played tennis as an individual sport before I came to college. But it really impressed me how close the team is, and how much college tennis is like a team sport.
UHCougars.com: What do you like most about Houston so far?
AL: I like being in a big city, because you never get bored and there are always things to do. I really enjoy spending time with my friends and exploring the different cultures and things to do in Houston -- especially the shopping! I also like the fact that a lot of people speak Spanish, so it reminds me of a piece of home.
UHCougars.com: What was the main challenge you found coming to Houston from a country like Spain?
AL: Well, Spain is a very small country compared to the U.S., so there aren't as many things to do. Spain is basically the same size as Texas! I really miss my family, so being so far away from them is the biggest challenge. I also really miss Spanish food and the Spanish culture in general -- America is very different!
UHCougars.com: How difficult was it to transition from playing as an individual to playing as part of a team?
AL: It was a big transition for me, because before you come to college you are playing individually for yourself and everything is focused around you. But when you play college tennis, it is really centred on the team, and the team always comes first, which is really different. But it's really great to be able to play a match surrounded by seven other girls and know that each person is cheering on for you. It's a great feeling!
UHCougars.com: What's the best thing about being part of a close-knit team?
AL: I think the best thing is that you spend so much time with all of your teammates, and you get very close to them and get to know each person very well. You also get to experience everything together, the good things and the bad things, and you know that everyone is always there and will support one another.
--UHCougars.com--
BEHIND THE SCENES WITH HOUSTON TENNIS
April 24: Elena Kordolaimi
April 27: Despoina Vogasari
May 4: Tina Rupert
May 8: Angela Lorenzo
Players Mentioned
