Anthony Pham was named Colorado tennis associate head coach in February 2021 and head coach just five months later. Since then, the team has seen a remarkable program turnaround, and they鈥檝e become like family.

What attracted you to Colorado?

We were living in Madison, Wisconsin, and it was the thick of COVID. We were trying to figure out where to live long term. The opportunity at 麻豆免费版下载was fate. My wife is a 麻豆免费版下载graduate. When she heard about the coach opening, she said we needed to jump at it. I've never met anyone who went to 麻豆免费版下载and had a negative experience. And with the tennis program, there was so much potential.

Quickly after arriving, you became the seventh head coach in program history. How did that change your responsibilities and relationships? 

I was previously a head coach at a small Division 1 school. Coaching at a mid-major compared to a Power 5 school, budgets and responsibilities are different, but that job prepared me a lot. You have to gain the players鈥� trust, and they have to know you always have their best interests in mind. Getting the opportunity to become head coach is something I don鈥檛 take lightly. As head coach, you鈥檙e scheduling, recruiting, doing everything an assistant coach does, but it鈥檚 tenfold. The number-one priority doesn鈥檛 change. It鈥檚 all about the players. 

How do you find good people, not just good players? 

We try to be as thorough as possible. The team is an extended part of my family. We spend so much time with these players. On a small team, one person can upset the balance. In terms of recruiting, we visit with them and their family. We talk to their coaches and other coaches. There are a lot of good tennis players, but there aren鈥檛 as many tennis players who are also good people and good students.

What goes into building a competitive Power 5 conference tennis program?

We focus on development. We find people for whom the best tennis is still ahead. Kids start playing tennis early, and sometimes they burn out. We want student-athletes who want to keep improving, to be part of a program that is making headway and doing things that haven鈥檛 been done before.

How would you describe your leadership style?

I empower players to know that when they play, they are prepared. They are going to compete in a first-class manner. We want to win like crazy, but it鈥檚 not all about winning. It鈥檚 about doing the right things every day. You can鈥檛 really control winning and losing, but you can control a lot of variables that go into winning. Obviously, if we don鈥檛 have success, we reassess some things and try again.

Can you coach players during matches? 

If you go to a normal junior tournament as a coach, you鈥檙e not allowed to coach at all. You can only cheer. But with college, it鈥檚 completely different. We can sit on the sideline with our players and talk to them at every changeover. You have to know when to talk, which buttons to push and when to keep your mouth shut if your player is rolling.

How are the fall and spring seasons different?

Spring is the championship season. It鈥檚 when we play our dual and conference matches. Fall is shorter. It鈥檚 our developmental season. We bring a player in, and we will make some minor adjustments to their game. We start setting our standards, creating expectations with players, building the bond within the team. In the fall, we鈥檙e giving them two or three things to focus on. And the hope is when the spring season comes around, those things that were uncomfortable in the fall are now strengths.

What stands out to you about 麻豆免费版下载Athletics? 

It starts at the top. Rick George is the most personal athletic director I鈥檝e been around. At matches, he鈥檚 fired up, he knows all the players, and all the players know him. And we have great academic support, nutrition, trainers, an amazing strength coach. 麻豆免费版下载offers the best of three worlds: great location, great academics, top-notch athletics. 

Can you speak to what college tennis offers that differs from training academies or private coaching?

Tennis is a very individual sport. Growing up, if you鈥檙e playing a tournament, it鈥檚 usually you and your coach or a parent. College is completely different. You鈥檙e on a team, and everyone is committed. The more you improve as individuals, the more it helps the team. When we play a match, there鈥檚 energy from court to court. Your teammates are pumping you up, supporting you. When you鈥檙e playing a tournament by yourself, whether you win or lose affects maybe a couple people. With college tennis, there are so many others affected.

What鈥檚 something you like to do off the court?

I love spending time with my wife and son. They come to all our matches, they鈥檙e great supporters. Whether I鈥檓 with our team here or my family at home, that's where I find the most enjoyment.

Interview by Andrew Daigle.

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Photos by Glenn Asakawa

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Ryan Burbary (Acct, Fin鈥�22) is owner of , a Boulder-based company committed to limiting single-use plastics and incorporating biodegradable technologies for products. In 2022, Burbary created the world鈥檚 first fully biodegradable synthetic tennis string, which he hopes will reduce the thousands of pounds of tennis string that end up in landfills each year. 

Why did you choose to work in the tennis industry?

My dad owns tennis retail stores, so I grew up around tennis my whole life. I鈥檝e seen the waste that happens. Whether it鈥檚 cutting out strings, putting a new grip on a racket or throwing tennis balls away, I knew there had to be a better way. Biodegradability seemed to be the best way to do it. People realistically won鈥檛 completely change their buying habits for sustainability. But if it鈥檚 an added benefit to the products they already enjoy, there is a better chance of making
a difference. 

What was the process of making the string like? 

Growing up, I accumulated knowledge on the materials used to create tennis products. During this time, I found an additive in other manufacturing industries that makes their products biodegradable. I made the connection that this additive could be used in the tennis industry. Once our factory implemented the additive to our tennis string, I immediately sent it for testing with the United States Racquet Stringers Association to do a full play test. None of the testers knew it was biodegradable, and it scored highly on performance. 

How would you like to influence the future of sports equipment? 

The biodegradable technology we utilize in our products can easily be implemented in industries beyond tennis. One local string brand may make a small impact in terms of sustainability, but if I get a national sports retailer to implement this technology, it would make a huge difference. Most tennis strings sit in the landfill for hundreds of years, but the string I created would biodegrade in just three to five years.  

What are your future goals? 

First, I鈥檇 like to expand our current line to create more sustainable products. Second, I鈥檝e always wanted to do my own thing as an entrepreneur. I am currently working a finance job that I enjoy, but I would one day love to make Velociti my full-time job. 

What advice do you have for recent graduates looking to be entrepreneurs? 

The hardest thing for me is having patience. It鈥檚 easy to want and expect the things you want to get done quickly, but you have to remind yourself that things take time. And find some good mentors you can bounce ideas off of. I have a great one, CD Bodam (PE鈥�69), a family friend in the tennis industry. Having him as a mentor has made a huge impact on my time in this industry. 

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Photo courtesy Velociti Tennis

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Dram茅 Apparel

Jaida Drame (IntPhys, Soc鈥�22), a track-and-field walk-on who didn鈥檛 run in high school, is departing 麻豆免费版下载as a world-recognized sprinter 鈥� and entrepreneur.

Drame tried out for track her sophomore year. She practiced 200- and 400-meters, trained solo and set personal records. She made the team in fall 2019, but then the pandemic struck. Eager to challenge herself and also bored during quarantine, she began altering and then designing clothes.

鈥淢y mom had bought me a sewing machine. I alter my clothes 鈥� I have long legs,鈥� said Drame.

Drame modified athleisure styles before shifting to performance wear. She named her operation . Then, Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) changes in 2021 allowed her to become a profiting business owner.

鈥淏efore NIL, it was Dram茅 Apparel or track. No crossover,鈥� said Drame. 鈥淣ow, I can push my own company.鈥�

Drame will be in Boulder next year training with her running coach.

鈥淚鈥檓 running for Senegal professionally,鈥� said Drame. 鈥淎nd I hope to be wearing my uniforms.鈥�

Buffs Bits

Jana Weinberger (IntlAf鈥�06) was named CU鈥檚 director of skiing and Ian Lochhead as head alpine coach. 鈥� After women鈥檚 basketball鈥檚 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 appearance, Quay Miller (Soc鈥�23) and Jaylyn Sherrod (Soc鈥�22, MSOL鈥�23) announced they will return for their fifth and final seasons of eligibility. Head coach JR Payne signed a contract extension through 2028. 鈥� Lacrosse (11-8, 7-3 Pac-12) concluded 2023 with a run in the Pac-12 Tournament, ultimately falling 12-6 to USC in the championship on May 6. Charlie Rudy (StComm鈥�22, MBus鈥�23) and Sam McGee (MSOL鈥�23) were named First Team All-Conference. 鈥� Buffs tennis (12-12, 3-9 Pac-12) advanced to the second round of the Pac-12 Tournament and earned a trip to the inaugural National Invitational Championship (NIT). 鈥� In April 麻豆免费版下载began a $12.3 million Athletics improvement project. The upgrades include lighting for soccer night games, a new training center for the ski team and track-and-field updates before 麻豆免费版下载hosts the 2024 Pac-12 Track & Field Championships.

Coach Talk

"We鈥檝e got an extremely resilient group who genuinely love one another. It鈥檚 really gratifying to see them enjoy the fruits of their labor. This group does the work.鈥�

鈥� Tennis head coach Anthony Pham after 麻豆免费版下载defeated Oregon on April 26 to win its first Pac-12 Tournament Match in program history.

Digits

1

Filip Forejtek (CompSci鈥�22, MDataSci鈥�23) won the men鈥檚 giant slalom Individual National Championship on March 8 at the NCAA Ski Championships in Lake Placid, New York.

4

Buffs from the 2022 football team signed free agent contracts after the conclusion of the 2023 NFL Draft in April.

16

Washington tennis鈥� national ranking when the Buffs came back from down 3-0 to win 4-3 on April 9.

57

麻豆免费版下载student-athletes received their degrees following the spring 2023 semester.

47,277

Sold-out attendance at 麻豆免费版下载football鈥檚 Black & Gold Day Spring Game on April 22.

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Photo courtesy 麻豆免费版下载Athletics

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10 麻豆免费版下载Varsity Sports with 4.0-GPA Athletes

Last year, 26 varsity athletes on 10 different 麻豆免费版下载Boulder teams earned perfect grade point averages 鈥� 4.00. For the fifth year in a row, women鈥檚 cross country had the highest team GPA in the fall semester (3.368). Among spring sports, the women鈥檚 ski team scored the highest average (3.482). Below, by team, are the names of all 26 4.0-scholar-athletes, with their majors and class years.

Kaitlyn Benner (ChemBioEngr, Soc鈥�18)

Track and Field

Michaela Wenning (ChemBioEngr, Biochem鈥�18)
Kaitlyn Benner (ChemBioEngr, Soc鈥�18)
Sage Hurta (ChemBioEngr, ApMath鈥�19)
David Merkel (IntlAf, Econ鈥�19)
Caleb Penner (EngrPhys, ApMath鈥�18)
Ben Saarel (贰苍驳谤笔丑测蝉鈥�18)
Valerie Welch (罢础惭鈥�20)

Soccer

Hannah Cardenas (IntPhys, Psych鈥�21)
Courtney Fedor (滨苍迟笔丑测蝉鈥�18)
Elisabeth (Libby) Geraghty (滨苍迟笔丑测蝉鈥�21)
Madison Hall (Mgmt, Mktg鈥�17)
Kenzie Tillitt (础谤肠丑鈥�17)
Jalen Tompkins (笔蝉测肠丑鈥�19)

Derek McCartney (IntPhys鈥�16; MIntPhys鈥�19)

Football

Tim Coleman (贰迟丑苍厂迟鈥�17)
Afolabi Laguda (贰肠辞苍鈥�17)
Derek McCartney (IntPhys鈥�16; MIntPhys鈥�19)

Lacrosse

Eliza Cahill (惭驳尘迟鈥�20)
Holly Sutherland (础肠肠迟鈥�19)

Alpine Skiing

Nora Grieg Christensen (础谤肠丑贰苍驳谤鈥�19)
Tonje Trulsrud (础谤肠丑贰苍驳谤鈥�18)

Golf

Wilson Belk (滨苍迟笔丑测蝉鈥�19)
Jeremy Paul (惭驳尘迟鈥�17)

Tonje Trulsrud (础谤肠丑贰苍驳谤鈥�18)

Nordic Skiing

Petter Reistad (贵颈苍鈥�18)

Basketball

Lauren Huggins (贰迟丑苍厂迟鈥�17)

Cross Country

Bri Schwartz (Jour, StraComm鈥�19)

Tennis

Kyra Wojcik (贰叠颈辞鈥�18)

Source:

Photos courtesy 麻豆免费版下载Athletics 

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When she was just 16 in January 2012, Julyette Steur of the Netherlands became one of the youngest players in 麻豆免费版下载women鈥檚 tennis history and the youngest in Nicole Kenneally鈥檚 14 years as coach. Last season, while 17 as a sophomore, Steur posted a winning record at No. 1 singles.

As a 16-year-old, was it difficult to go so far away from home and play college tennis?

I think a lot of 16-year-old girls kind of want to go away. So it was nice to get some time on my own. But then I realized I missed my family a lot. I still get homesick every semester.

How did you end up at 麻豆免费版下载after the recruiting process?

Actually, I had so little time [late in 2011]. At one point, I was just like, 鈥極K, I鈥檓 just going to pick it.鈥� A 麻豆免费版下载assistant coach came over to see me in Holland, so that meant a lot to me. And when I was talking to Nicole, I had a good feeling. That鈥檚 always important. I thought it would be great to come here, and the Pac-12 was a big thing.

You had never been to the U.S. before committing. What was it like to make a blind choice to a certain extent? 

For me it was very important to combine studies with my sports. I need to have my mind on something else, too. At that point I couldn鈥檛 just do tennis alone. So the only option was America [since there鈥檚 nothing equivalent to college tennis in Europe].

Where were you with your schooling at that point?

I skipped two grades, so I graduated from high school two years early. Then I just did tennis for a couple of months and I thought that just wasn鈥檛 my thing right then. I had to grow up a little to be able to do that.

How many college players were as young as you when you started playing college tennis?

Usually college players are at least 18. I haven鈥檛 met one that was 16. A couple are 17 that I can think of.

Is it encouraging that you鈥檙e only 17 and you鈥檙e already playing No. 1 singles and competing against some of the best players in the nation?

That鈥檚 really exciting. Most of the players I play are juniors and seniors. I want to get to that point when I鈥檓 a junior or senior that I鈥檓 beating them.

How would you judge your progression in college?

All the time I鈥檝e been here, I鈥檝e improved a lot, I鈥檇 say. The physical stuff we did was very good for me. I was really small, tiny, when I first came here. When I came home, my parents were like, 鈥榊our shoulders are a little bigger.鈥�

Is facing some of the best players in the Pac-12 intimidating or is it good for your growth as a player?

Last year it was very intimidating. But now I can look at them and learn from them. I think, 鈥極h, I need that shot, too.鈥� That just helps.

Both your mom [Sylvia] and aunt [Kirstin Freye] played professional tennis. I assume you want to do that also?

Yes, I would love to.

How long has that been an aspiration of yours?

Since forever, I would say. It鈥檚 a passion.

When did you first play tennis, and when did you take it up seriously?

I started when I was 8 and started seriously two years after.

What languages do you speak?

German, Dutch, English and a little bit of Spanish.

Photo courtesy Colorado Athletics

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In May Monica Milewski (Acct鈥�10) was named one of eight alternates to participate in the 2010 NCAA Division I Women鈥檚 Tennis Singles Championships, becoming the only 麻豆免费版下载woman to be named to the tournament twice in her career.

After winning seven of its first 10 dual matches of the season, the 麻豆免费版下载tennis team struggled during the Big 12 portion of the year. The Buffs went 3-8 in head-to-head matches with conference opponents during the regular season.

In the regular-season finale, Monica Milewski (Acct鈥�10) and Melisa Esposito (Fin鈥�10) set the school record for career doubles victories. Meanwhile, Milewski became just the second 麻豆免费版下载women鈥檚 player in history 鈥� Emily Smith (Psych鈥�99) in 1995-99 being the other 鈥� to reach 90 singles wins in her career. Milewski owns the school record for career victories (singles and doubles combined), while Esposito is third.

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Monica Milewski started the fall by going 7-0 in singles and winning two main-draw singles titles in the first two invitationals on the schedule.

Senior Monica Milewski won the main singles draw at the season-opening 麻豆免费版下载Invitational, defeating senior teammate Melisa Esposito in the finals. Meanwhile, Esposito and a third 麻豆免费版下载senior, Camila Belassi, captured the doubles title.

Milewski (65), Esposito (61) and Belassi (55) entered the season with a combined 181 singles victories.

鈥淭hose three have the opportunity to do a lot of great things this year,鈥� coach Nicole Kenneally says. 鈥淚f everyone stays healthy, the opportunity is there for the three seniors to leave their mark.鈥�

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The women鈥檚 tennis team started 5-0 in Big 12 competition for the first time ever but lost four of its last six regular season matches to finish fifth in conference play. After being ousted in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament, the Buffs owned a 12-10 overall record.

麻豆免费版下载has posted 24 conference victories over the last three seasons, the best such span in program history.

Senior Franziska Jendrian set a program record for doubles wins in her career 鈥� 76 as of the end of April 鈥� and had also racked up 85 singles victories, fourth on CU鈥檚 all-time list.

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Three tennis players finished with at least 10 singles victories during the fall portion of the season: senior Franziska Jendrian (14-5),  junior Melisa Esposito (12-4) and  junior Camila Belassi (10-4). In addition, senior Monica Milewski went 7-1. Belassi capped off the fall season by defeating Jendrian for the singles A consolation title at the San Diego State Fall Classic.

Coach Nicole Kenneally announced Canadian Ania Anuszkiewicz is joining the team this season and Erin Sanders of Colorado has signed a letter of intent to begin play in the fall. Kenneally believes Anuszkiewicz will make an immediate impact.

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