Halle Hyman aces her first collegiate tennis season

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Halle Hyman aces her first collegiate tennis season

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GLIAC Freshman of the Year and First-Team All-GLIAC honoree Halle Hyman had been on the radar of Hillsdale College’s tennis team since her junior year of high school as one of the top junior tennis players in Michigan.
“I had been following her record,” women’s tennis coach Nikki Walbright said. “I’d seen her play in a tournament before, so she was someone who I was keeping an eye out for. She showed a mutual interest in Hillsdale, so we contacted her right away.”
Walbright said that through their communication, they seemed to click very well.
“She brings a very competitive level to the team,”  Walbright said. “She’s picked up on everything as well.”
Team co-captain Sydney Delp said she was looking forward to Hyman joining the team for a while.
“Coach had been recruiting Halle since her junior year, so we’ve been hearing about her for awhile, and she came on her visit and hit in with us in practice, and she just hits the ball so much harder than anyone else on the team, so knowing that she was coming in was really exciting.”
Hyman’s experience in tennis started when she was eight years old, and she began playing in tournaments at age 10. Her twin brother, Justin, who plays on the men’s tennis team, also started with her.
“My family didn’t play,” Hyman said. “But they put me and my twin in because they really loved the sport. Now, both of my younger siblings play tennis as well.”
By high school, Hyman played in the United States Tennis Association — where the competition was intense and individual.
“As I got more and more serious about it,” Hyman said. “I always played USTA tournaments, and I would stress out about playing in college. Coming here made competing a lot more fun again by having a team. In USTA it was all individual ranking, always me versus someone else — so all the pressure fell on me. Now, having a team to support me has made it a lot better.”
This team spirit has not gone unnoticed by her coach and teammates.
“She’s really a sweetheart,” Walbright said. “All four freshmen have really good personalities, and Halle adds to that. She really cares about her teammates and cheers them on if she’s not on the court. She’s not selfish at all and really cares about the team.”
Hyman said that because of the team, the atmosphere of competition has changed entirely.
“I’ve learned that I do well under pressure,” she said.  “I feel as if I’m not only playing for myself. It’s affecting the entire team. I’ve learned to enjoy practicing and conditioning. Before it was work and not necessarily something I wanted to do. Now it’s a part of my routine and I find more joy in it.”
Delp echoed Hyman’s sentiment about working under pressure, describing Hyman as a highly-competitive person who wants to win.
“She likes to get fired up, and that just motivates her,” Delp said. “The more pressure she’s under, the more she answers. She’s so competitive at that number one spot. By having someone who’s so strong at number one, we all get to move down, so that we have more of an advantageous matchup.”
The transition into college sports hasn’t all been easy, although Walbright said Hyman has adapted to college tennis very well.
In high school, tennis was always her primary focus, but in college, Hyman said, academics come first.
“I think being able to have a stressful morning of classes, and then having to put all that aside, leave it off the court, and just focus on tennis has been difficult, but has definitely helped me balance my emotions and things like that,” Hyman said.
Although her teammates and coach said they greatly appreciated her time as an athlete, they also said her personality brought joy to the team.
“She just has a huge heart and cares about everyone on the team. She wants to be our friend,” Delp said. “Her overall presence and energy on campus is a blessing.”