University of Minnesota Athletics
Players Mentioned
Gophers Spotlight: Lucia de Santa Ana
2/11/2020 10:35:00 AM | Tennis
In this week's Gopher Spotlight, we decided to sit down with freshman Lucia de Santa Ana. A native of Montevideo, Uruguay, de Santa Ana has found another home 5,984 miles away at the University of Minnesota. Halfway through her first year wearing Maroon and Gold, she talks about her transition from juniors to Big Ten play, college life and how special it is to be a Golden Gopher. Get to know Lucia de Santa Ana in this Gophers Spotlight!
Gopher Sports: Now into your second semester at the University of Minnesota, what has been the biggest challenge adapting to the "college life"?
Lucia de Santa Ana: My biggest challenge adapting to college was leaving my family (and my dog) in Miami and Uruguay and being away from them for long periods of time. I also miss the tropical weather a lot since I'm someone who loves spending time outdoors. This semester has been a lot easier for me, especially since I found special people that share my interests and that I can spend time with.
GS: What made you decide to change your major?
LDSA: I changed my major after the first semester because I found out that architecture is definitely not what I see myself doing in the future. I love medicine, especially osteopathy and physiology although it's a challenging career to complete with tennis. I see myself following this path since I want to stay in a field of study that interacts with the human body and ideally sports or athletes.
GS: What are you looking forward to most going into your first season with the Gophers?
LDSA: I think that what I'm looking forward to the most is probably being in those tight matches where you don't really know what's going to happen and then winning. That feeling of getting the "W" with the team when the match is difficult is full of adrenaline and excitement, and it's what I live for. I just want to make my team, the coaches, and the "U" proud. I also want to spend time with the team because at the end of the day, I'll always remember those moments with them.
GS: This is your first year on the Golden Gophers squad. What has your experience been like being on a new team?
LDSA: It's certainly a lot different from juniors. I was nervous about being part of a team since it's not something I'm used to. However, the team made me feel at home and have been there for me when I've needed someone to talk to or just sit down and laugh. Catrina and Brian have also been great coaches and they genuinely care about all of us.
GS: How does it feel to play in a facility as nice as Baseline Tennis Center?
LDSA: It's amazing. I remember when I was on my recruit visit I told Brian, "I can't wait to play on these courts". It's a luxury that not a lot of people have, and I'm grateful to have the chance to play there every day and anytime.
GS: How have you adapted to competing in a conference like the Big Ten? What makes the competition different here than juniors?
LDSA: The Big Ten is a tough conference and it's why I chose to come to Minnesota. I knew that being a student-athlete here would be demanding since I have to be a top tier athlete as well as an outstanding student. Getting out of my comfort zone is something that I knew would make me grow as a person. I wouldn't say Juniors is easier than college tennis since they are very different, but playing for yourself in a match doesn't have the same weight as playing for a team. Representing the team, the coaches, the program, and the University is an honor.
GS: Are there any parts of your game you are looking forward to working on this season?
LDSA: I've been working on my doubles skills as well as my ball tolerance in singles matches. I still have a lot of room for improvement in all areas of my game, including the mental aspects. My biggest goal is to maintain consistency with my quality of training and match-play.
GS: What is your favorite spot in the Twin Cities area?
LDSA: I haven't explored much, but I like Conga (a Latin restaurant) and my favorite place to hangout would probably be this place along the West River Parkway where I used to run by in the summer last semester. There's a little bench and the view to the Mississippi is really beautiful. I spend most of my time studying in libraries or Bierman, though.
GS: Lastly, what makes the University of Minnesota so special?
LDSA: I think what makes it so special is that it has very little resemblance to the places I've lived in throughout my life, but there are still little things and people that make me feel like I'm home. The people I've met and spent time with here, especially my teammates and coaches, have also made the U a very special place for me.
Quick Q's
If you could go to dinner with three people, dead or alive, who would they be? My grandma (my Mom's mom), William Osler, and Will Smith.
What is your spirit animal? According to online quizzes, the wolf.
If you could travel anywhere in the world where would it be and why? I'd go to the Son Doong Cave in Vietnam. It's a place that's untouched by humans and incredibly beautiful. It's also the biggest cave in the world.
What's your favorite quote? "I think the truly natural things are dreams, which nature can't touch with decay" - Bob Dylan