Piper Schrepherman plays tennis for UIS. We caught up with her via email due to her very tight schedule. She is from Elburn, Illinois and attended Kaneland High School. Her major here at UIS is Exercise Science, and she currently attends five classes, three in-person and two online. She says what motivates her to be here at this university is that when it comes to tennis, it is playing with “the team I’m part of and the academic opportunities” that are here at UIS. “I enjoy it equally with the people I surround myself with.”

As for tennis, Piper had this to say: “I have always enjoyed strength and conditioning, but for the sport of tennis, it is a combination of both weightlifting and running, which is a great mix and does a lot for us on the court.” When dealing with pressure, Piper says that “when the pressures get high, I try to remember my joy for the sport and the opportunities I was given. I also think about my supporting team, which can calm me down when the stress gets too high.”

Piper underwent extensive elbow surgery during her sophomore year at UIS, which took her out for a whole year, and she says that it was one of the few things that was hard to overcome since she was missing the sport that she loves to play. Even while dealing with recovery, she always tried to connect with her team during her recovery, a time she found very challenging. Still, she stayed positive and patient towards the end.

“I stay focused by remembering all the struggles that got me to the level I am at today and all the work I have put in over the years,” she said. “In my mind, all the work I did led me to this point which is a gift that I appreciate.” To improve her craft, she focuses on her strength and conditioning, and she does a lot of drills to help with her game.

Piper says that her team is close like family, that their chemistry is out of this world, and that they all enjoy helping each other out on or off the court. “I approach competition as a way to support my team and my school,” she said. “If I show up and compete to the best of my ability, not only am I representing my team but also my school which is an honor in its own.” In each game, Piper stays mentally focused by sticking to her routine, staying focused on her shots, and trying to be “loose and level-headed as much as possible.”

She feels that what sets Piper and her teammates apart is their “closeness and ability to realize that while we play individually. We are still a team sport and the ability to play by ourselves but for each other is what sets us apart.”

Piper has not played other sports, but she particpated in gymnastics for “13 years growing up.” She also enjoys watching basketball, soccer, baseball, and gymnastics. She says she  is also a big Cubs fan – not only for the sport of baseball but also for the environment. Her favorite athletes are Aryna Sabalenka and Rafa Nadal.