Big Woman on Campus
Sarah Hamner hasn’t been on campus very long, but South Carolina’s freshman tennis standout is already making some noise and is well-known. The 5’4″ rookie is standing tall after recently making history by becoming the first Gamecock to win the ITA All-American National Championships title in Charleston, earning her a barrage of attention, which included press conferences, on-field recognition at Williams-Brice Stadium during a football game, and a long list of new “friends” on social media.
“Since I won the tournament, I’ve gained around 300 followers on Instagram,” Hamner said with a laugh. “Right after the tournament, we had a media day, and I took a bunch of photos, which was really fun. It was a little overwhelming because it’s so many people I don’t know, but they’re supporting me. Even walking around, someone will recognize me and congratulate me, and I’m like, whoa, because I just feel like I’m a regular person. I just wanted to thank everyone. The whole Gamecock community has been behind me through everything. The past few weeks have been amazing, and I want to keep the ball rolling.
“I had never been on the (football) field, so that was pretty scary. It was really exciting though. My whole team was there to support me, so it was awesome.”
Hamner grew up in Fort Collins, Colorado, and started playing tennis when she was four years old. She moved to Boca Raton, Florida, at age 14 with her mom and brother to help further her tennis career and was ranked by some services as the No. 2 recruit nationally coming out of high school.
“My mom stuck me in country club sports with swimming and tennis, and I just begged for more tennis all the time,” Hamner said. “I just liked running around and hitting the ball. I had pretty good hand-eye coordination, so I really enjoyed it.
“We moved to Florida because there really wasn’t any more tennis I could play in Colorado. It was really difficult because I went from being one of the best players in Colorado to being the bottom of the barrel in Florida. The competition there was unbelievable. I’ve never thought about putting the racket down, ever. I love competing. I feel like I become a different person on the tennis court. I’m very loud.”
“I felt so honored by everyone in the Gamecock community.”
Sometimes it takes freshmen a while to adjust to college life and the game, but Hamner wasn’t afraid to make some noise early – literally and figuratively.
“When I took my visit here, it felt right,” Hamner said. “It was a different atmosphere here. In practice, everyone is super-focused, and we’re always super-loud. I wanted to go to a place where I could really improve and has a reputation for being one of the toughest teams in the entire nation. I wanted to go here so bad, especially because on the court, I’m really loud, too. I think it bothers my opponents sometimes, especially if I win a long point and I scream, ‘come on!’ I don’t do it to annoy them. I do it to get myself hyped up.
“Last year, I watched a lot of the matches online, and I would get so excited. Our team just has another level of energy. I think we’re louder than all the other teams. When we’re all on the same courts next to each other in the spring, it’s going to be so much fun.”
Hamner would eventually like to play professional tennis, and she has her favorite players, but she’s also glad to be taking it step by step by taking the college route.
“I love Roger Federer,” Hamner said. “He’s my favorite player, but I’ve been told I have a similar court presence as Danielle Collins, which is a compliment because she is very loud and tough. She played college tennis, too, (Virginia) and she has done very well in the pros.”
Despite her previous accolades, Hamner said that she didn’t feel pressure heading into the ITA National Championships.
“Working with (head coach) Kevin (Epley), we didn’t have expectations, but we had goals for the tournament,” she said. “I had to go through qualifiers because I didn’t have a ranking since I was a freshman. As I kept progressing through the tournament, more of my teammates were coming out to support me. Their energy really brought up my level of energy.
“It was amazing, especially to be the first Gamecock to win it. I’m not going to lie; I was on cloud nine! I couldn’t take it all in. My teammates were so supportive as well, so it was amazing that I got to experience it with them.”
Moving forward, Hamner knows there may be a target on her back, thanks to her early success, but she’s not feeling the heat to be perfect every time she takes the court.
“Obviously there are some pressures now that I’ve won this huge event, but I think if I just stay focused, I should be OK. We have a lot of goals to keep improving and get ready for the spring.
“My biggest goal is to win a NCAA Championship in singles and the team event. If we won it as a team, that would be amazing. We have an unreal bond. We’re all super-close. I’d like to win the singles championship and get that wild card into the U.S. Open.”
For now, the 18-year-old is still adjusting to college life and looks forward to the switch from fall individual tournaments to the team matches in the spring.
“I did online high school the last couple of years, so going from that to in-person classes was a big shift for me,” Hamner said. “I really miss my little brother (Nick). He and I are best friends. It’s been really nice because I came in with three other freshmen on the team, so we’ve been going through it together. As for the tennis, it’s been really hard. It’s a lot of fitness and a lot of early mornings. I’ve already improved so much in the short term I’ve been here.
“I want to play pro tennis. My teammates motivate me. Kevin has standards for us, and he expects us to go out there and give our best every day. When everyone else is trying their best, it motivates you. That definitely keeps me going.”
As the wave of attention from her recent success slowly subsides, Hamner is thankful for her early moment in the sun.
“I felt so honored by everyone in the Gamecock community,” Hamner said. “I got recognized so much, it was amazing. To win my first collegiate national event, was more than I could have ever hoped for.
“I’m not done here. Winning was amazing, but I have more I want to do, especially with the team. I can’t wait until the spring when we all compete together. That will be so much more fun. I love living here. I’m so happy I chose to come here.”
