The players line up behind the net, preparing for the game to begin. As feet stomp from the bleachers in anticipation and coaches anxiously grip their clipboards, senior Emily Wang keeps her eyes on the ball. Drop shot after drop shot, Wang is persistent in scoring the deciding points for Westford Academy. Not only does she win yet another game for WA, but she also wins a commit to Smith College.
Wang committed to Smith College and their Division 3 tennis program earlier this year due to the college’s supportive community and personalized recruitment process.
A college athletic commitment is a milestone that signifies a mutual agreement between a student-athlete and a college. For Wang, the recruitment process started during her junior year, when college coaches first started reaching out to her.
“Overall, you are looking for the college that is right for you, and the college coach is looking for players that would fit into their program in all aspects,” Wang said.
Wang’s journey with tennis began at the age of five when her mother enrolled her in recreational classes. What started as a casual activity soon became a passion. She played in tournaments from the age of eight, and upon entering Westford Academy, Wang immediately established herself as a standout player. Since her freshman year, Wang has played first singles for the varsity team, and she has served as captain since her junior year.
“I’ve played many years of tournaments in which I’ve accumulated a substantial amount of trophies, and each of them symbolizes the hard work and dedication I put into a specific tournament to come out as the winner,” Wang said.
Within the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA), Wang has been named a Boston Globe All-Conference All-Star every year she has played on the team. Last year, she earned the prestigious title of Player of the Year for the Dual County League (DCL) and has also been recognized as the team’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) for two consecutive years.
“All of the awards I’ve received during my time in WA tennis so far have been extremely meaningful to me, and I am truly grateful for each one of them,” Wang said. “I have loved my time on the team, and I definitely could not have gotten these awards without my team and Coach Tracy’s support for everything I do.”
According to Wang’s fellow captain, junior Haasini Sriraman, the impact Wang has made on the varsity team, as well as Westford Academy as a whole, has been overwhelmingly positive.
“We couldn’t be prouder of her. She’s [had] a well-known name in Westford tennis, and she’s worked incredibly hard to get where she is,” Sriraman said. “Her dedication and passion for the sport [is] truly inspiring […] I hope she has the best time at Smith, and continues to be the silliest person I know.”
As Wang prepares for the next chapter of her athletic and academic career, she looks forward to playing at the collegiate level while also studying neuroscience on the pre-med track. While her future major remains flexible due to Smith’s open curriculum, her passion for learning and determination to succeed will undoubtedly guide her path.
Wang’s involvement in HOSA has also helped narrow down her choices for her future career path although she is still pretty open-minded when it comes to exploring other occupations. Wang is the blood drive coordinator and helped to coordinate both of the blood drives this school year.
For younger students looking to follow in her footsteps, Wang’s one key piece of advice would be to take risks.
“There is nothing worse than looking back and wishing you could have done something differently,” Wang said. “Taking these risks could make or break your position in the lineup on JV, and could even possibly bump you up to varsity. The coaches take note of the dedication and effort you put in.”
