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Sophomore shines among Cavaliers

Fairfax native balances time on tennis courts with two majors, ministry group

Even among the strong players that comprise the No. 27 Virginia women's tennis team - which holds a 10-3 record and is undefeated in the ACC - sophomore Lindsey Hardenbergh is able to stand out.

Currently ranked No. 41 in the nation, Hardenbergh playing tennis as a way to spend time with her family, including some friendly competition with her brother. Her father, who played at Maryland, began serving as her coach when she became more serious about the sport when she was 13 years old.

"With the dynamic growing up with having my dad as my coach - that's pretty unique. I went to regular school the whole way through, and I was on the court a decent amount," Hardenbergh said. "I didn't go to an academy. I didn't go to group clinics."

The native of Fairfax Station, Va. played in her first national tournament when she was 14 years old. At that time, she decided that she wanted to play tennis at the collegiate level.

Ranked as high as No. 42 and with four national doubles titles in junior tennis, Hardenbergh had multiple college recruit options.

"It actually came down to here and Harvard. I'm really glad I did not go to Harvard," Hardenbergh said. "My whole life I've just tried to be a little more balanced ... academically and athletically."

Once at Virginia, Hardenbergh started off her college career with a successful freshman season, going 23-15 in singles and 18-8 in doubles and adding a win at the USTA Futures Circuit event in St. Louis, Miss.

This season, the sophomore only has added to her established success. Apart from her high singles ranking at No. 41, her doubles pair with teammate Erin Vierra is ranked No. 50.

Even with dedicating so much time to the courts, however, this Spanish and English double major still identifies with most University students on Grounds by being active in several other extracurricular organizations. As a member of Athletes in Action, a Christian sports ministry group, and a sorority, she struggles with time management and finding sleep, just like non-athletes at the University do.

"I really like to take naps. I'm infamous - I will take a seven-minute nap if I have time," Hardenbergh said. "But that doesn't mean there aren't challenges involved in being both a Division I athlete and a student at a top-25 university."

Sometimes, Hardenbergh said, it is this combination that proves most difficult for a student-athlete, adding that she does not want tennis to be the only experience she takes away from her college years.

"Something I've been aware of is how easy it can be to get sucked in to just playing tennis and having that be your sole experience at U.Va.," Hardenbergh said. "There's so many things to get involved in ... You have to plan your days around [tennis] so I think just having the time constraints really limits identifying with the student body."

And though it is possible her future could include a round or two on the professional tour, for now, her focus is on being a student, a teammate and a tennis player.

"Ideally, I would love to play the tour when I graduate," she said. "[But] just keeping it in perspective, not playing it for the career but for the experience, and seeing how good I can get"

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