University of North Carolina
2023 NCAA Women's Tennis Championship
The Power Suggestion
On the 182nd episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith reconnects with Sophia Patel. She shares many golden nuggets for one to add to their tennis treasure chest. To make an understatement, she possesses deep and insightful wisdom.
Sophia was an integral part of the UNC 2023 national championship team. She was the lone captain and MVP of the team. By listening to the story, one will discover in this case that MVP stands for the most valuable person.
As a fifth-year senior, Sophia earned the trust and respect of her teammates and her coaches. The head coach, Brian Kalabas, who was open to his captain's suggestions, said the following:
"Sophia took on more for this program than any player I have ever coached. She really pushed me out of my comfort zone and made me a better coach to these 10 girls. I will be forever grateful for her attitude and her incredible commitment to the team and this program. Without her, this title wouldn't have been possible."