Recruiting trail starts here

Reuland's year should have colleges asking her name

After her top-16 finish at the IHSA state tournament, area tennis standout Emily Reuland now begins Phase 1 of the college recruiting process: self-promotion.

In the coming weeks, the Rosary junior will reach out to a handful of collegiate programs through letters, e-mails and phone calls. And she can include one more accolade to her list of accomplishments: Beacon News Girls Tennis Athlete of the Year.

The first step is making a list of potential schools -- "a top-10 list," as she calls it. And fresh off an impressive state performance, Reuland may include several major programs on that list.

"Right now I'm just trying to pick out my top 10 schools, make a tennis resume and get the word out about me," she said. "I have no idea where I want to go right now. I know I want to get a decent scholarship."

Reuland was 34-3 this season, winning her second straight conference and sectionals singles titles. She went 5-2 at the state meet.

"This is a great time for Emily to get her name out," Rosary coach John Tsang said. "She's very interested in Big Ten schools. Right now we're just getting a recruitment plan together."

Reuland devoted much of her training this season to improving her quickness and stamina. It wasn't always fun, but all those 3-mile runs, 10-minute jump-rope sessions and calf-strengthening exercises certainly paid off.

"I remember last year at states I was so tight, I was cramping up the second day," she said. "This year my endurance got a lot better."

Reuland's stamina was put to the test at state, where she played seven matches in two days. She cruised through her first two matches before losing to Downer Grove South's Jenny Hois (6-3, 6-1). Reuland won her first three matches on Day 2, but had to face former state champion Rachael White of Deerfield, whom Tsang believes is the top college recruit in the Midwest.

"I was so tired," Reuland said. "I was winning 4-3 in the first set, but just couldn't keep it up."

White won 6-4, 6-0, and went on to finish fifth in the tournament.

Reuland now looks ahead to the winter United States Tennis Association season.

"I'm hoping to play at least one tournament a month and get my USTA ranking up," she said. "It's kind of hard to travel to the big ones because both of my parents work."

She is ranked 64th in the most recent USTA Under-18 Midwest rankings.

Meanwhile, she will continue to send letters and make phone calls to colleges. By NCAA rule, college coaches won't be able to contact her until July.

"This college search is all so new to me," she said. "(But) I know I don't want to go anywhere in Illinois."