Amanda Rebol, a junior on the NC State women’s tennis team, has been a key to the success of the program and a leader to all her teammates.
While Rebol has only played in one competition this year, the Gopher Invitational in Minnesota, she did capture the singles title there, winning the championship match 6-5, 6-3.
“It felt really good,” Rebol said. “It’s really good to start out the fall season like that. It’s a good start to my junior year. It kind of shows all my hard work that we put in through the summer and everything kind of coming together.”
Over the last two seasons, Rebol’s playing time has given her valuable experience that has helped her in matches this year.
“I think the biggest improvement starts with experience and confidence and understanding that,” Rebol said. “I think that especially helped me in that fall tournament, just having that experience that some of those other players don’t have.”
Coming into college, Rebol was highly regarded. The junior was a five-star recruit and the No. 7 prospect out of the state of Georgia in 2015. It was a big signing for head coach Simon Earnshaw’s great class in 2015, and she is still impacting the Pack two years later.
“Rebol’s passion, work ethic and athleticism are exactly what I look for in a recruit,” Earnshaw told NC State Athletics when he signed her. “We are fortunate to have her be able to represent the Wolfpack.”
As far as her actual on-the-court game, practices and workouts have helped her to improve all areas of her game.
“I think I’m just making strides in all areas,” Rebol said. “We’re working really hard to get stronger, faster but you’ve got to get better mentally.”
Rebol, as an older leader of the team, has the experience and energy that she can pass on to other players on the team to help them improve their games.
“I would definitely say that,” Rebol said “I have a lot of energy and I try and use that as kind of my way to lead, use that as a way to push the whole team. I think that’s a big leading aspect and being an upperclassman you have the experience that the underclassmen don’t have, so I think that’s another way that you can lead.”
Rebol wants to use her success at the tournament up in Minnesota as a stepping stone to bigger and better things for herself and the team. Another goal she has for herself is to qualify for and win the singles championship at the ITA Championships coming up in early November.
“To keep continuing doing well as a team, our biggest goal is we want to finish in the top-15 this year,” Rebol said. “Personally for me, I want to keep working hard and make my way up the lineup if I can. It’s all a working process, just kind of keep going.”
The team and Rebol are going to the UTSA/ITA Carolinas Regional in Chapel Hill this weekend where they will be facing some stiff competition with No. 5 UNC, No. 12 Duke and No. 15 South Carolina, as well as Clemson.
