Bucknell University Athletics
Helt Announces Addition of Paige Leavy to the Bucknell Women's Tennis Team
1/18/2016 10:54:00 PM | Women's Tennis
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Rebecca Helt, the director of Bucknell tennis and the head coach of the women's team, has announced the addition of Paige Leavy to the women's tennis team for the start of the 2016-17 season.
“Paige will contribute to the Bucknell community and our tennis family in so many positive ways,” Helt said. “She is an outstanding nationally-ranked tennis player and a fierce competitor. In addition, she will bring a unique passion for helping others in her community and sharing her passion for the game. I know she will make an incredible impact on the strength of our team. We feel so fortunate to have Paige commit to being a future Bison.”
Leavy is a two-year captain at Tampa Preparatory School, where she led the Terrapins to three state tournament appearances, three regional titles and three district titles. Individually, she was named First Team All-Hillsborough County every year and went on to earn a runner-up finish at the state championship tournament.
Leavy's accolades have reached a national level She was ranked 113th in the country and 15th in Florida by the United States Tennis Association.
Q&A with Paige Leavy
What attracted you to Bucknell and the Tennis program?
The balance of academic and athletic prowess that the school is known for are the main reasons I was so attracted to Bucknell University. I fell in love with the campus on my visit over the summer and knew right away I would fit right in and this would be the school for me. Being a high competitive athlete, I believe the connection with my coach is one of the most important things, and I was able to do so with coach Helt instantly. I was impressed with her tenure, passion for tennis and the amazing new workout facility.
What does it mean to you to be able to play your sport at the Division 1 level?
\Playing tennis at the Division 1 level has been a dream and goal of mine for my entire high school career. I understand it's going to be a very competitive and new atmosphere, but achieving this goal has motivated me to be able to represent Bucknell at the best of my ability. In my opinion, there is nothing greater than being able to study at a prestigious academic university that also gives a Divison 1 athletic powerhouse experience.
What do you most like about your sport?
Tennis is a sport that requires tremendous focus on the mental aspect of the game and a huge commitment to fitness and daily training. My favorite part of tennis is being able to compete and fight through adversity during matches, while seeing the blood, sweat, tears, and dedication to the sport finally pay off. There is no better feeling in the world than coming back from being down and winning the match.
