VERMILLION, S.D.—Coming from Belgrade, Serbia, a city of nearly 1.2 million people, freshman tennis athlete
Jana Lazarevic (pronounced Yana la-ZAR-avich) found her way to Vermillion, South Dakota, to pursue an academic and athletic career. All because her mom wanted her to play a sport.
"I was nine years old and my mom wanted me to play some sort of sport," Lazarevic said. "I randomly picked tennis because there was a tennis court at my elementary school and it was the closest sports facility to my house."
The short distance travelled to the tennis courts became a trip across the ocean for Lazarevic when she decided she wanted to earn a degree while playing the sport she had grown to love.
"I decided to come to the United States only a few months before I actually moved here," Lazarevic said. "I finished high school and was debating between going professional and playing in tournaments or coming here and getting an education while playing. I wanted to get an education and now I am here."
She came in contact with South Dakota head women's tennis coach
Brett Barnett and learned what USD had to offer. Lazarevic was looking for an institution with good academics and a solid tennis program. From what she could tell, South Dakota had both.
"Brett described everything about USD, the tennis program and South Dakota," Lazarevic said. "I got interested and started to look up the university on the internet. I liked the pictures and decided to come here."
The pictures weren't able to show Lazarevic exactly how different Belgrade would be from Vermillion and certainly wouldn't show how difficult of an adjustment it would be for someone who comes from crowded streets and big city living. But the Coyote tennis team has helped Lazarevic with that transition.
"We didn't know each other before we came here, but we get along like we've known each other for a long time," Lazarevic said. "We are all there to help each other in any situation on and off the court. It made the transition easier because I had them."
The difficulties that come with being an international student and a freshman in college aren't visible when Lazarevic steps on the court though. Barnett has placed her in the top spot of the lineup for the Coyotes to face up against the top players from the competition. She has held her own and has compiled an 8-8 record in singles and a 7-9 record in doubles in dual matches.
"I was scared until I came on to the court for the first time as a Coyote, then I was relaxed and played my game," Lazarevic said.
Lazarevic will continue playing her game Saturday at the Huether Family Match Pointe facility in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, when she and the rest of the Coyotes match up against Omaha. The first serve starts are 7:30 p.m.
