March 23, 2018 at 11:02 a.m.
Roberts to reconnect with Hodag tennis alum at UW-Superior
Roberts to reconnect with Hodag tennis alum at UW-Superior
Roberts announced Tuesday she will attend UW-Superior next fall and join the college's fledgling women's tennis program coached by Kolin Dean.
Before Dean took the job of building the Superior program from scratch, or his own Division-III collegiate tennis career at the College of St. Scholastica in Minnesota, Dean was a No. 1 singles player for RHS - and Roberts' babysitter.
Roberts admitted that familiarity was a little awkward at first and that she was initially considering playing at St. Norbert College in De Pere, but the more she learned about the UW-Superior program, the more she liked.
"I had toured the school and (realized) this is the school for me," she said. "It was such a beautiful campus and I had actually stayed overnight with one of the players. It was so beautiful and everyone was so nice. You could tell (Dean) really wanted me there and, with that kind of attitude, I really decided that's where I should go."
Both Roberts and Dean share the connection of having played for longtime RHS tennis coach Bob Heideman. Roberts said she's already noticed the similarities between Heideman and Dean.
"They are very strong-willed people and they both love to win. I think that's important to have in a coach," she said. "And I think they both bond well with the players."
The Yellowjackets are in their first year sponsoring men's and women's tennis.
Back in 2016, the school hired Dean to build the program. The women's program picked up its first win, an 8-1 triumph over Bethany Lutheran College, last month and is currently 2-6 overall on the season as it gets ready to begin UMAC play.
"Their program is still very new I wanted to be a part of that new program," Roberts said. "He seemed incredibly confident and they are successful now in their first year. I'm excited to play of them."
This isn't Dean's first recruiting expedition to his old stomping grounds. The inaugural Superior women's tennis roster includes Emily Wald, a freshman from Antigo.
Dean politely declined comment for this story, explaining that NCAA regulations prohibit him from commenting about Roberts, or any other incoming recruit, at the present time.
Roberts was a two-year starter on varsity for the Hodags, partnering with Haley Seefeldt in doubles. The tandem went 15-5 together and won a Great Northern Conference title at No. 3 doubles in 2016. At No. 1 doubles this past season, the two went 14-9 and finished third in the GNC.
"It's always gratifying to see a kid who's been a part of your program move on to play at the collegiate level," Hodag assistant tennis coach Mark Jacobson said. "Livi's game has really grown nicely since freshman (year) to senior (year). She's put in a lot of hard work and a lot of time. Now we're seeing the results of that work."
Roberts thanked numerous people during her Tuesday signing, including her family, Seefeldt and the coaches she has had along the way.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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