Former UGA student-athlete Caroline Brinson was recently featured by Tennis Takes on her career from playing tennis as a child, to earning a scholarship offer from UGA, battling injuries along the way, and finishing her career as an All-American while earning the 2017 ITA Arthur Ashe Leadership and Sportsmanship Award for the Southeast Region. She was a 2-time SEC Community Service Team member. In 2016, she was a part of the All-SEC Second team and the ITA National Team Indoor-All Tournament Team. And as a part of the squad, she reached the NCAA Final Four, the ITA National Team Indoor Finals, and secured the SEC Tournament title. Some highlights from her article can be found below, and the full feature can be read by clicking here.

Caroline’s Background

I was born and raised in the city of New Orleans. Some immediately think that makes my family LSU fans. Actually, the majority of my family went to the University of Georgia. My grandfather played on the baseball team in the late 50s, my uncle was a member of the National Championship football team in 1980, and my parents met there in the late 80s as athletes themselves. My dad was Georgia’s first All-American rugby player while my mom was a member of the Women’s Tennis team under Head Coach, Jeff Wallace. That is where the story begins. As a little girl growing up playing tennis, I dreamed of following in my mom’s footsteps and playing at the University of Georgia for Jeff.

photo_camera Brinson returns a serve during a match against Alabama at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex in Athens, Ga.

Fairytale Finish

Here is my fairytale ending. It didn’t come in the wins or the losses or the success or the failures, but it came in enjoying and embracing every single second of my last year playing for the most amazing school with the most amazing coaches and the most amazing teammates in the country. My senior spring season started with some health complications due to blood clots in my fingers. After a few nights of little to no sleep in the hospital, our SEC season opener against Kentucky had arrived. Nothing was going to stop me from being released from the hospital that day and playing the match that afternoon for my team.

That day I had never been more grateful to be playing the sport I loved surrounded by those I loved most. And so I felt that passion for the sport and for competing more than ever through my last season until the very last match. I reached my highest national ranking of #3 in doubles with Ellen Perez, and she and I became All-Americans together by the end of the season. I had the time of my life competing as a Georgia Bulldog for four years. I loved the grind, I loved seeing my team succeed, and of course I loved representing the “G” on my chest. Although we never won a National Championship ring, the relationships built and the lessons learned far outweigh any feeling a ring could provide.

I had the time of my life competing as a Georgia Bulldog for four years. I loved the grind, I loved seeing my team succeed, and of course I loved representing the “G” on my chest.

Lessons Learned at UGA

When I look back on my career at UGA, I would not change one thing. Every win and every loss was ultimately a learning experience that brought me to where I am today. Before going to college, tennis was an individual sport where I learned the value of hard work, persistence, and resilience. But because tennis became a team sport at the collegiate level, I truly learned the significance of teamwork. My advice to someone who is going through the college tennis experience would be two things. The first, for individual success, would be to get out there and go after what you want in life. Not just on the court but in the classroom and in the community. Take every opportunity to try something new or meet new people and make connections. You have to put yourself in uncomfortable positions to grow and become a better person, player, friend, etc. than you were before. I never would have seen the improvement I did each year in my game if it weren’t for staying hungry and always wanting more.