As the UW-Whitewater tennis season is starting to wind down, senior Molly Asfeld is approaching the final matches of her collegiate career. Asfeld, a senior from Waukesha, has been a consistent player for the team, contributing in both singles and doubles.
Her tennis career began long before she arrived on campus. For Asfeld, the decision to take tennis to the next level and play at Whitewater was deeply rooted in her lifelong passion for the game. Coached by her father and inspired by her older sister, Asfeld’s introduction to the Warhawks occurred years ago at a junior tennis camp. This early exposure to the environment at Whitewater solidified her intent to someday compete at the collegiate level, a goal that she realized would be attainable when she found success in the United States Tennis Association tournaments at the early age of ten.
“Playing tennis at such a young age taught me a lot of resilience,” Asfeld said.
When she got to Whitewater, Asfeld realized how mentally challenging and transformative the sport of tennis really is.
“Over the last four years I’ve grown so much,” Asfeld said. “I’ve grown so much mentally and learned how to play the game of tennis smarter.”
During her time at Whitewater, Asfeld has grown in a lot of ways. Her first two years were heavily focused on the physical mechanics of tennis and these last two years learning how to grow mentally.
“Molly stands out from other competitors because she is a fighter and never gives
up even when things get tough,” teammate and fellow senior Gracie Ha said. “She stays calm, keeps a positive attitude and always fights for every match.”
This development proved to be critical in what Asfeld describes as the highlight of her career, which was winning in the third round of the 2024 Intercollegiate Tennis Association Midwest Regional.
Asfeld credits a lot of her positive experiences on the Whitewater tennis team to previous head coach Frank Barnes.
“Frank Barnes being my coach for three years has been a major highlight,” Asfeld said.
While Asfeld’s personal record is a point of pride, her teammates also highlight how prominent her role is. The tennis team is close-knit and while a lot of independence is required in the sport, there is still a lot of team bonding that happens.
“Molly is the type of player who will go out and practice when no one tells her to,” Ha said.
As her senior year concludes, Asfeld is focused on two objectives: securing a victory against UW-La Crosse in the conference finals and making her return to the National Collegiate Athletic Association national championships.
The next match for the tennis team will take place Saturday, April 18, against the University of Chicago at the Warhawk Outdoor Tennis Complex.
