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University of Massachusets Athletics
Behind The Masses • UMass Tennis Blog • Entry #6
October 01, 2019 | Tennis
Jodie Lawrence-Taylor shares a special congratulatory message for Janja Kovacevic
TUES., OCT. 1 • ENTRY NO. 6
Tonight we have a special "Behind the Masses" post for you: I get to share some incredible news. For those of you who read until the end of my last post, you already know this. For those of you who didn't, rude! I expect you to leave right now and read the previous entry before returning. I poured gallons of blood, sweat and tears into it which must be appreciated (just kidding, I totally procrastinated writing it until Monday so, once again, please forgive my poor time management skills). Right, enough of me rambling and onto the story...
We had just won our final pair of matches against Dartmouth and the team was on a high. We couldn't stop reveling in the performances that we had produced and the resulting victories we had claimed. As we made our way under the canopy of trees to escape some of the blistering heat and stretch our sore muscles, none of us believed that our spirits could be higher; we were certainly in for a surprise. Whilst we stretched, our excited chatter continued until head coach Juancarlos Nunez took his place in the circle. His presence immediately captured our attention, silencing us as we were desperate to hear his thoughts on the day. Overall, he was pleased and proud of our accomplishments over the weekend, which left us all feeling grateful that he had recognised our efforts.
As soon as he finished speaking, we began to rise from the circle, only to be called back and asked to listen up once more. What else could he have to say? Had we done something wrong? Thankfully, no, he only had good news to share with us: a player on our team had accomplished an incredible feat. Explaining that he had only discovered the news recently and received confirmation that it was happening that day, it was revealed to us that Janja Kovacevic had been selected to play at the ITA All-American Championships! I can only describe the expressions on everyone's faces as utter shock and confusion; nobody quite knew how to process this information. Imagining a UMass player at this event would have been inconceivable a couple of years ago, yet here we were. What a long way our programme has come in such a short space of time. Cheers of congratulations filled the area, which only grew as it was revealed that we would be rewarded with the entire weekend off! Finally rising and preparing to leave, Martina Bocchi flung herself into Janja's arms, expressing joy and pride in her, until suddenly she tensed and pulled away.
"Wait, I knew I just heard Coach Bob Dallis (Dartmouth) wish you luck this weekend in Tulsa. You told me I was hearing things! So I'm not crazy!" Martina exclaimed.
I don't think we could have had a better end to the day.
I'm sure many of you reading this are questioning what on earth the ITA All-American Championships are. The ITA All-American Championships requires a player's coach to enter them. After this, the 12 regional chairs of the ITA National Ranking and Tournament Committee, as well as the ITA Operating Committee Chair, select who is accepted into the event. Sixty-four spots are in both the main draw and qualifying, whilst 96 are in pre-qualifying. This may seem like a lot of players to you, but you must remember that 314 schools in the US have Division I women's tennis teams, each with up to eight scholarships to offer, which totals an about 2,500 players across the nation, with the actual number likely being much higher.
There are quite a few spots in this event reserved for players who have previously gone deep into ITA tournaments, but the majority are filled up by regional representatives. From each region, eight players are selected, with the top two making it to the main draw, the next two into qualifying, and the final four into pre-qualifying; effectively, you must be top eight in the region to be chosen for this tournament. Janja has been placed in pre-qualifying, meaning that she likely ranks from 5-8 in the Northeast, the highest ranking a player from UMass has ever achieved.
It is an incredible honour to be given a spot in this event as it truly places you within the top players of college tennis. This is the first time in programme history that someone from the UMass tennis team has been selected to compete and I cannot think of anyone more deserving. Throughout her three years at this university, Janja has played within the top three spots of the singles lineup, primarily at No. 1. During her first year, she earned the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year Award thanks to her efforts in leading the team to their second-ever Atlantic 10 Championship and then going toe-to-toe with the No. 6-ranked player in the country during the NCAA Championship First Round. After this stupendous college debut, Janja never looked back, ending her sophomore year with a 15-4 singles record, the best on the team. Finally, during her junior year, she once again led the team in the top spot and saw huge success alongside the team, winning 11 singles and 11 doubles matches, whilst helping us achieve our 18-5 dual match record, as well as at an individual level, when she surpassed her seeding to reach the Round of 16 at the ITA Northeast Regionals.
Yet, it is not only her results that make her so deserving. She is one of the most committed team members that you will ever meet, constantly going out of her way to assist anyone who requires help, from small problems to life-threatening ones. She was the first person on this campus to make me feel as if I belonged, simply by helping me set up my bank account and SIM card in Amherst, all the while laughing at my poor excuses for jokes and dealing with my nervous rambling. I've told her how much that day meant to me many times before but she still sees nothing special, which just shows another of her amazing traits: her humility. Even though she has achieved things far beyond the reach of many, both on and off the court, she still remains incredibly humble, keeping her head down and continuing to work hard, not taking anything for granted. This attitude only helps to inspire those around her further, showing that effort and drive truly can lead to success.
Yet, whilst she is focused and working to the best of her ability, she never fails to have a smile on her face which truly lights up the room. Initially, you may stereotype her as a scary Eastern European (I certainly did, sorry Janja), but you quickly learn that she has one of the kindest hearts and most fun-loving personalities out there, even if her jokes are lacking at times. It's hard not to enjoy a conversation and feel cared for when she is around. I don't think I've ever met anyone who has such an unyielding love and burning desire for this team; it will be a true tragedy to see her graduate this year, the team will not be the same without her. She has changed this programme, on and off the court, in so many positive ways due to her will to see it improve and make the team better for the players who follow. Without her, much of the progress we have seen would have been impossible; even though she often hides the work she is putting in and changes she is helping to implement, for those that see, it is evident how crucial her efforts are. I'm thrilled that she is being rewarded for her dedication by making history for UMass: no one deserves this more.
Janja, I know this post and all the praise you are receiving has probably made you highly uncomfortable, but honestly none of us regret expressing our excitement. You deserve so much recognition and thanks for all that you have done for UMass, so please take pride in this achievement for yourself and your team. The entire UMass tennis family wishes you the best of luck this weekend and wants you to know that we could not be more proud. Go kill it mate, we believe in you.
- Jodie Annie Lawrence-Taylor, sophomore, UMass tennis
