The Eastern Michigan University tennis team has eight players on its roster. Every player on that roster attended high school in a different country with players coming from India, Australia, Bulgaria and China.
In the fall of 2008, coach Ryan Ray recruited Miriam Westerink to be a part of the team. Ray said all of his recruiting has been done through phone calls, video and result analysis.
“I know Miriam had the desire to come to the US to combine her studies with a competitive tennis program,” Ray said.
This is Westerink’s third season with the Eagles, and she is one of Ray’s recruits for 2008; the other three were Marcelo Rivero, Georgia de’Lisle-Tarr and Karina Ahuja.
“It sounded nice,” Westerink said. “I knew there were going to be a lot of freshmen coming that same year. Coach recruited me, and I came here.”
Westerink’s highlight year came in her sophomore season, when she was a team-best 22-12.
Westerink said she is happy with Ray’s coaching style.
“He tells us to always keep fighting,” Westerink said. “He says we always have to support each other.”
Westerink believes it helps having players from different countries on the team because they are all in a similar situation.Being on the tennis team at EMU has resulted in Westerink gaining a close bond with her teammates.
“We are all really close to one another,” Westerink said. “We are all really good friends. We support and are always there for each other.”
Teammates play an important role in each other’s transition to the American lifestyle.
“Everyone has their struggles adjusting to life in the U.S. in their first year,” Ray said. “I’ve seen Miriam become a lot more comfortable with life in the U.S. with each passing semester. With all my players currently being from other countries, they are their own support group in helping each other out with the transition, and they’ve done a great job of this.”
Westerink has played on teams before, but nothing quite the same as at the collegiate level. She said the reason she kept up with playing tennis was because of her family.
“My whole family played tennis growing up,” Westerink said. “They all liked it, so I kept doing it. They played a lot, so I just kept playing.”
Westerink is the baby of the family, having three older siblings, a brother, 28, and two sisters, 29 and 31. She wishes to return to her family when she graduates from Eastern Michigan with a degree in psychology and a minor in sociology. Westerink is a long way from home but is enjoying being at EMU.
“Sometimes I miss home, but not much,” Westerink said. “I have fun here, but I do like going home in the summer.”
Westerink has been playing at the No. 1 spot in singles and doubles this season. She is 8-8 in singles matches and 14-9 playing doubles with freshman Nino Mebuke.
Westerink and the tennis team have been unbeatable at home in three straight shutout matches at the Chippewa Racquet Club against Detroit Mercy, Oakland University and Wright State — all of which are non-conference opponents.
But their good record at home is outweighed by a 1-5 record on the road. EMU is 2-0 at neutral locations and 6-5 overall this season in dual meets.
The Eagles were recently ranked in a 2011 preseason poll voted by MAC women’s tennis coaches as a No. 6 seed.
“It is going to be tough,” Westerink said of the upcoming MAC tournament. “I think we are going to do better. Hopefully, we can make it to the finals this year.”
MACMAC play starts for the Eagles at 1 p.m. March 25 in Indiana against Ball State.
