Through the Owls’ Lens: Rallying in the Sunshine State by Shay Villegas '29

The Bryn Mawr College Tennis team had the incredible opportunity to travel to Orlando, Florida during Spring Break 2026. During our time in Florida, we had five matches against other DIII teams from across the country. We were given the amazing opportunity to play four of the five matches at the USTA National Campus located in Orlando. It was a great experience to play against teams with varying playing styles and techniques, and it got us ready to face a variety of teams in our traditional season this spring. A great bonus was the warm weather that Florida had to offer! Some of our best memories on court were watching close third-set tiebreakers, cheering on our teammates even if they were a few courts away from us, and huddling up before and after every match to share our support, excitement, and appreciation for being a part of Bryn Mawr College Tennis. 

The team lived together in a house, and that is where we made some of our best memories together. Whether it was waking up early before a match to cook breakfast while listening to music or coming back from a match and relaxing in the living room while watching a movie, it was a great opportunity to bond with each other and spend quality time together. The house was located in a very walkable area, so we enjoyed taking walks at sunset to enjoy the views. In additional free time, the team went to Gatorland to see a variety of exotic animals, and on the last day of the trip, we went to Wekiwa Springs- a great place for swimming, kayaking, and setting up a picnic. 

Overall, our Spring Break stay in Orlando was a very memorable experience due to playing some great tennis, exploring the area together, and making meaningful connections with one another that will carry us through and well beyond our upcoming season.