Tennis recruits from around the world

Four new women’s tennis players from different nations

The 2018-19 St. Bonaventure women’s tennis team has brought in five freshmen, four of them being from different countries.
Penelope Abreu is from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. She had been to the U.S. before coming to Bonaventure in August. She decided to become a Bonnie when she met head coach Michael Bates at a showcase in Florida.
“I felt very comfortable with this school when I came here,” Abreu said. “Between the three universities, this one was Division I, which made my decision easy.”
Andrea Roque is another freshman recruit from outside the United States. A native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, Roque completed her dream of going to a Division I college to play tennis when she committed to St. Bonaventure.
“The recruiting process was very difficult,” Roque said. “I wanted to go to Florida, but playing tennis in the southeast is hard, so Bonaventure became my choice.”
Consuela van Grinsven is from Bonaire, Netherlands, but had been to the United States on multiple occasions. She practiced tennis in Florida for seven years prior to coming to Bonaventure.
“I met coach Bates at a showcase down in Florida and I came on a visit,” van Grinsven said. “The campus was very comforting to me.”
Lastly, Paula Velilla is from Asuncion, Paraguay. She has been to America on many occasions with her mom, practically coming every year. Velilla based part of her decision on becoming a Bonnie around Bonaventure’s Catholic Franciscan roots.
“My religious views were a very big reason to why I decided to come here,” Velilla said. “That along with me being able to play on a Division I tennis team.”
Bates has recognized that it may be difficult to have four of the five recruits come from a different country, but he has dealt with it accordingly.
“All of them speak English very well,” Bates said. “They understand us more than we understand them, but the team is building great character from them being on the team.”
The team has played in both the Navy and Army Invitationals a couple weeks ago and showed improvement, but didn’t finish how they would have wanted to.
In singles matches of the Navy Invitational, the team’s record was a combined 5-10. In doubles, the girls went 2-3.
For the Army Invitational, the singles matches record for the lady bonnies was 3-10. The doubles matches weren’t much better, as they went a combined 0-3.
Roque and Abreu went to regionals this past weekend in New Haven, Connecticut at Yale University.
“It was difficult, but a fun experience,” Roque said.“There were singles and doubles matches. We are at the level to have success.”
Abreu had much of the same words about playing in regionals.
“I played alright. We have just been improving and trying to gain ground,” Abreu said. “We should have a good season in the spring.”
All four of the girls agreed that coach Bates expects the same out of everyone on the team. He doesn’t play favorites and wants everyone to work hard to succeed.
“I don’t expect anything more or less of any of my players,” Bates said “I want everyone to get along with everyone else, show up on time to work hard in the classroom and on the tennis courts.”
The women’s tennis team is finished with tournaments for the season, but will return to action Jan.18 at Loyola University Maryland.