Julia Monkin knows a thing or two about competition. She knows how to handle herself in matches and ultimately come out on top when the final whistle sounds.
But you wouldn’t know that based on her constant and calm facial expressions. The sophomore tennis player has a knack for remaining cool in her matches and not panicking – which usually results in a win.
Tennis head coach Hutton Jones credits this attribute to an inner drive and attitude not found in all athletes.
“If you watch her play, she’s not loud on the court at all,” Jones said. “She just goes about her business and gets the job done. One of my jobs as a coach is to teach my players how to compete. There’s more to tennis than just hitting the ball, and that’s what I try to instill in my guys. Julia has definitely taken that to heart.”
Monkin has been on fire during her sophomore campaign this year, using her abilities to propel her to new heights this season.
Three weeks ago at the Racquet Club Invitational in Midland, Monkin trumped six NCAA Division I opponents, including players from Pepperdine University, University of Texas-Arlington, Texas A&M University, Rice University, Tulsa University, and Pennsylvania State University, all on her way to winning the singles championship at the tournament. Monkin was the first unseeded player in five years to bring home the trophy, playing six rounds instead of the five that seeded players participate in.
“Julia played some of the best tennis I’ve ever seen from her in Midland,” Jones said. “She was hitting all her spots and things were just clicking.”
A native of Jaurnay, France, Monkin travels home over the summer to relax and take a break from college life and spend time with family. She also plays tennis. Last summer, she competed in four tournaments and made it to the finals in three of them.
Although she is a self-described quiet person, it doesn’t take long to recognize her passion and love for tennis – a passion that fuels her achievements and motivates her to work hard each day on the court.
“Julia is passionate about the game of tennis,” Jones said. “That’s something I can’t coach – it’s something that the players must develop individually. Her passion is unparalleled, and I know that has played a large part in her success.”
Jones said Monkin has improved remarkably even since last year.
“Her hard work has definitely paid off,” Jones said.
Julia accredits her success to great coaching, challenging workouts and encouraging teammates.
“We have a great atmosphere here at ACU with coaches that teach us, players that challenge us and fans that support us,” Monkin said. “I love it here.”
