Roo Senior Spotlight: Austin Williams and Yana Grechkina
4/28/2020 7:00:00 AM | General, Men's Tennis, Women's Tennis
Austin Williams is a tennis player from Wichita, Kan. He played in the No. 3 singles position this year, with his highlight coming against crosstown rival Rockhurst University defeating Ermanno Galimberti in straight sets.
1. Tell us the story behind what made you decide to become a Kansas City Roo.
After 4.5 years at Wichita State University, I decided to get a change of scenery for my last year of college tennis. I was very lucky that coach Hale had seen me play a match against my now-teammate Diego at regionals prior to transferring. After seeing that match, coach decided to give me a chance to be a Roo.
2. What is your best memory from your time as a student attending Kansas City?
Sadly, I think the best individual memory was to be on court and still come before the season was cut short. One memory I won't forget is how we managed to organize team activities every week and get the group together. That kind of effort from each guy isn't something you find on every team. This was a special group so narrowing down one memory is difficult.
3. Do you have any advice for your younger teammates or recruits that are looking at coming to KC?
Make the most of your time in college athletics. I have been a college athlete for 5.5 years and the time still seems to have flown by. You will miss all of it someday, even the early weights, long practices, late van rides. Being part of a team is special and as we saw this year, this all happens on borrowed time so enjoy it.
4. What are your plans after you graduate/leave KC?
I plan to finish my last semester of school after which I will enlist in the Navy and go to BUDS to become a SEAL.
5. Where is your favorite place to eat in Kansas City? What do you get there?
My favorite spot was Tiki Taco. We would have Taco Tuesdays as a team many weeks and everyone would get a KC burrito. Stay away from that place on game day though!
6. What would Spotify/music list tell us is your most played song of 2020?
If I had to guess… "Sugar We're Goin Down" by Fall Out Boy.
What head coach Kendell Hale has to say about Austin:
"Austin came to Kansas City via Wichita State as a transfer and I'm so glad that he chose to spend his last year with the Roos. He is one of the most disciplined, respectful, hard workers that I have had in my career. To show you what I mean, he has a goal to become a Navy Seal after his time here. I could always find him in the gym going the extra mile, encouraging his teammates and striving to be the best that he could be. He would always own up to his weaknesses, but would always put out maximum effort to make sure they did not stay as weaknesses. His team saw this from the beginning and voted him as one of the co-captains with Diego Giraldo. This is amazing because he had only been here a semester! The team saw that he was who they wanted to lead this team into battle. That's just the kind of person Austin is; he is always trying to grow and learn more. He is a consummate reader and we were always sharing our favorite books and what we learned from them. I know Austin has a great future ahead of him and I can feel confident that he will be protecting our country in the near future!"
Yana Grechkina is a tennis player from Vladimir, Russia. She was the 2017 WAC Freshman of the Year and closes her career with 38 singles victories, including 18 wins at No. 4 singles. This year, she went 2-1 at No. 2 singles and was a mainstay at No. 1 doubles with teammate Michela Xibilia.
1. Tell us the story behind what made you decide to become a Kansas City Roo.
The two biggest factors that had a major impact on my decision about colleges were coach Hale and the city itself. I was very new to the whole system of athletics in the US. A lot of coaches started contacting me and offering different opportunities. Coach Hale was the only person whom I felt like trusting from the very beginning. I knew that he would be the only coach who would help me feel in KC like at home, and no other coach would be able to give me that. And I know I made the right choice and I would never do anything different.
2. What is your best memory from your time as a student-athlete attending Kansas City?
My best memories were during my freshman year. This year was very special for everyone on the tennis teams. Both the men's and women's teams were very united on and off the court. We all worked hard and overcame a lot of difficulties together, which brought us to a double conference championship win. That was the best experience in my life.
3. Do you have any advice for your younger teammates or recruits that are looking at coming to KC?
I was always told by other seniors that we should enjoy every moment in college, because any moment can be the last one. I would never imagine that the end of my senior year would be so sudden. So I just want to say this one more time: Enjoy every moment on the court as much as possible. Try harder, practice longer, fight till the end. Be there for your teammates and work together. You will never have this experience again in your life, so live it to the fullest.
4. What are your plans after you graduate/leave KC?
After I graduate, I'm planning to stay in KC for a while and get a job. I'm looking forward to watching home tennis matches and support the new Roos team!
5. Where is your favorite place to eat in Kansas City? What do you get there?
My favorite place to eat is the Mixx. They have incredible salads and meals. I love everything there. And you can make your own salad, which is another factor why I love it so much.
6. What would Spotify/music list tell us is your most played song of 2020?
My most played song in 2020 is Blinding Lights by The Weeknd
What head coach Kendell Hale has to say about Yana:
"Yana, still to this day, amazes me with her 'find-a-way' mentality. She is super competitive and will utilize every weapon in her arsenal to defeat her opponents. She also has some great psychological tactics that few opponents can see until it is too late! Yana was instrumental in the Roos winning back-to-back WAC Championships. She has been one of the best doubles players that the Roos have ever seen playing No. 1 all four years. She has some of the best volleys I have ever seen as a coach at the Division I level and she continued to amaze me with her talent and drive each year she was here. Yana was also honored as the KC Freshman of the Year and proved year after year that she was worthy of that honor. I was excited about this year because she was finally playing healthy and didn't have some of the nagging injuries that had plagued her in her early years. She played hurt most of the time, and even though she was not feeling her best she always delivered. Yana will always be in the history books as being one of KC's best on the court!"
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1. Tell us the story behind what made you decide to become a Kansas City Roo.
After 4.5 years at Wichita State University, I decided to get a change of scenery for my last year of college tennis. I was very lucky that coach Hale had seen me play a match against my now-teammate Diego at regionals prior to transferring. After seeing that match, coach decided to give me a chance to be a Roo.
2. What is your best memory from your time as a student attending Kansas City?
Sadly, I think the best individual memory was to be on court and still come before the season was cut short. One memory I won't forget is how we managed to organize team activities every week and get the group together. That kind of effort from each guy isn't something you find on every team. This was a special group so narrowing down one memory is difficult.
3. Do you have any advice for your younger teammates or recruits that are looking at coming to KC?
Make the most of your time in college athletics. I have been a college athlete for 5.5 years and the time still seems to have flown by. You will miss all of it someday, even the early weights, long practices, late van rides. Being part of a team is special and as we saw this year, this all happens on borrowed time so enjoy it.
4. What are your plans after you graduate/leave KC?
I plan to finish my last semester of school after which I will enlist in the Navy and go to BUDS to become a SEAL.
5. Where is your favorite place to eat in Kansas City? What do you get there?
My favorite spot was Tiki Taco. We would have Taco Tuesdays as a team many weeks and everyone would get a KC burrito. Stay away from that place on game day though!
6. What would Spotify/music list tell us is your most played song of 2020?
If I had to guess… "Sugar We're Goin Down" by Fall Out Boy.
What head coach Kendell Hale has to say about Austin:
"Austin came to Kansas City via Wichita State as a transfer and I'm so glad that he chose to spend his last year with the Roos. He is one of the most disciplined, respectful, hard workers that I have had in my career. To show you what I mean, he has a goal to become a Navy Seal after his time here. I could always find him in the gym going the extra mile, encouraging his teammates and striving to be the best that he could be. He would always own up to his weaknesses, but would always put out maximum effort to make sure they did not stay as weaknesses. His team saw this from the beginning and voted him as one of the co-captains with Diego Giraldo. This is amazing because he had only been here a semester! The team saw that he was who they wanted to lead this team into battle. That's just the kind of person Austin is; he is always trying to grow and learn more. He is a consummate reader and we were always sharing our favorite books and what we learned from them. I know Austin has a great future ahead of him and I can feel confident that he will be protecting our country in the near future!"
Yana Grechkina is a tennis player from Vladimir, Russia. She was the 2017 WAC Freshman of the Year and closes her career with 38 singles victories, including 18 wins at No. 4 singles. This year, she went 2-1 at No. 2 singles and was a mainstay at No. 1 doubles with teammate Michela Xibilia.
1. Tell us the story behind what made you decide to become a Kansas City Roo.
The two biggest factors that had a major impact on my decision about colleges were coach Hale and the city itself. I was very new to the whole system of athletics in the US. A lot of coaches started contacting me and offering different opportunities. Coach Hale was the only person whom I felt like trusting from the very beginning. I knew that he would be the only coach who would help me feel in KC like at home, and no other coach would be able to give me that. And I know I made the right choice and I would never do anything different.
2. What is your best memory from your time as a student-athlete attending Kansas City?
My best memories were during my freshman year. This year was very special for everyone on the tennis teams. Both the men's and women's teams were very united on and off the court. We all worked hard and overcame a lot of difficulties together, which brought us to a double conference championship win. That was the best experience in my life.
3. Do you have any advice for your younger teammates or recruits that are looking at coming to KC?
I was always told by other seniors that we should enjoy every moment in college, because any moment can be the last one. I would never imagine that the end of my senior year would be so sudden. So I just want to say this one more time: Enjoy every moment on the court as much as possible. Try harder, practice longer, fight till the end. Be there for your teammates and work together. You will never have this experience again in your life, so live it to the fullest.
4. What are your plans after you graduate/leave KC?
After I graduate, I'm planning to stay in KC for a while and get a job. I'm looking forward to watching home tennis matches and support the new Roos team!
5. Where is your favorite place to eat in Kansas City? What do you get there?
My favorite place to eat is the Mixx. They have incredible salads and meals. I love everything there. And you can make your own salad, which is another factor why I love it so much.
6. What would Spotify/music list tell us is your most played song of 2020?
My most played song in 2020 is Blinding Lights by The Weeknd
What head coach Kendell Hale has to say about Yana:
"Yana, still to this day, amazes me with her 'find-a-way' mentality. She is super competitive and will utilize every weapon in her arsenal to defeat her opponents. She also has some great psychological tactics that few opponents can see until it is too late! Yana was instrumental in the Roos winning back-to-back WAC Championships. She has been one of the best doubles players that the Roos have ever seen playing No. 1 all four years. She has some of the best volleys I have ever seen as a coach at the Division I level and she continued to amaze me with her talent and drive each year she was here. Yana was also honored as the KC Freshman of the Year and proved year after year that she was worthy of that honor. I was excited about this year because she was finally playing healthy and didn't have some of the nagging injuries that had plagued her in her early years. She played hurt most of the time, and even though she was not feeling her best she always delivered. Yana will always be in the history books as being one of KC's best on the court!"
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Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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