Skilled player, leader will soon move on

By By Antonio Mendoza

Tuesday, April 4, 2006

The Kansas tennis team will end the regular season with six matches and the Big 12 Tournament later this month. It will also mark the end of a KU collegiate tennis career for senior Christine Skoda.

Skoda, an Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, native, is the only senior on the Kansas roster. She is also one of three upperclassmen on the team’s roster of nine players and is the only upperclassman with a starting spot.

Skoda is having one of her best seasons since arriving at Kansas from Canada four years ago. Currently, she has a singles record of 10-7.

Skoda said she hoped the team looked up to her not only for senior leadership, but because she knew what it was like to be from outside the United States and play tennis at Kansas. Five of nine tennis players on the roster are from outside of the country.

“With these girls coming from different countries, I know what they are talking about and what they are feeling even though I am from Canada,” Skoda said. “It’s a lot further than an hour away, and I think they can relate to me that way.”

Kansas coach Amy Hall-Holt said she has noticed the players on the team looked at Skoda as a leader.

During spring break, Kansas played host to Saint Louis and UMKC. Skoda was moved up to the No. 2 spot on the team, her highest since the spring of 2005 when she spent time at both the No. 1 and No. 2 spots. She won both of her matches to help Kansas sweep both teams by a score of 7-0.

Skoda also had a notable victory when Kansas faced No. 72 Tulsa.

Kansas lost the doubles point and needed to win at least four singles matches to defeat Tulsa. Skoda’s match went into the third set — she won. It ultimately helped Kansas win the match by a score of 4-3.

Skoda said her decision to play tennis in Lawrence came from the heavy recruitment that Kansas showed her.

“The coaches were recruiting me,” Skoda said. “I was looking at a couple of schools here and I liked KU the best.”

The Kansas tennis team has changed since Skoda arrived in Lawrence in the fall of 2002.

Hall-Holt was hired as coach in 2003. Skoda witnessed the coaching change and said the team camaraderie has been the same ever since.

“All four years the team has been awesome,” Skoda said. “We have all gotten along and that has been important to having a good team on the court.”

Skoda said her major was sports management. When she graduates she will make plans to attend graduate school.

Skoda will make her last trip to Lincoln, Neb., as a member of the Kansas tennis team on Wednesday at 2 p.m. when Kansas will face Nebraska.

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