The transition for many high school athletes to the college level is certain to be difficult. At Division I, the difference can be even more jarring.
Someone forgot to tell Jackie Wu, our Vanderbilt women's Freshman of the Year.
In her first year as a member of the Vanderbilt women's tennis team, Wu has notched an overall record of 25-9 (through April 16).
The New Jersey native has earned her 57th position in the national rankings. In addition, she joins doubles partner freshman Heather Steinbauer to form the 49th-ranked tandem.
Wu started the fall hot. She won in her first eight contests through mid-October, emerging from the Furman and Hoosier Classics unscathed.
After a three set victory in her second match of the June Stewart Invitational, over No. 94 Katarina Zoricic of William and Mary, Wu's initial defeat of her career came against a fellow Commodore - 40th-ranked Catherine Newman.
Following the loss, Wu reeled off three consecutive triumphs at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Southeast Regional, the final over No. 23 Katrina Tsang of North Carolina.
Yet in the next contest, Wu fell to Duke's 17th ranked Reka Zsillinszka for her second defeat.
Nonetheless, Wu rebounded at the Southeastern Conference Fall Classic, winning two of her three matches to close out the autumn slate at 15-4 in singles action.
In doubles, the Wu and Steinbauer partnership may not have matched (pun intended) her singles play, yet it still has proven to be a formidable foe.
The unit opened with three consecutive victories over Middle Tennessee State, Yale and South Carolina.
In the No. 1 slot, the twosome has faced considerable opposition. Despite struggles, Wu and Steinbauer have demonstrated their prowess, most notably in defeats of No. 26 Hilary Bartlett and Taylor Marable of Princeton, and No. 20 Noelle Hickey and Christy Stiplin of Georgia Tech.
The leader of a talented class of freshmen, Wu will figure to be a mainstay of the program for the next several years.
Honorable Mentions:
Tia Gibbs, women's basketball
Valuable bench player that made critical shots and plays for the Commodores, scored 12 points in SEC Championship win over Auburn, averaged 5.2 points and 1.3 steals on the season
Ally Carey, lacrosse
Played strongly at midfielder all season and leads the freshmen with 26 goals, tied for second on the team with 44 points
Jordan White, track and field
Outstanding distance runner ran 4:36 in 1500 meters at Ole Miss Invitational, led team at Kentucky Invite in January with 2:16.66 time in 800 meter race
