West Coast girl, Zoe Scandalis!
Super special girl & one of USC’s top performers is proud to call herself a Woman of Troy. She’s currently ranked #19 in the nation as she enters her 2nd season with USC for the Spring 2013 season. And most recently celebrated the USA Team Gold WIN from the World Collegiate Championships at Master’s U BNP in France, as she shows on her Facebook Athlete Page.
Hola Zoe !
Costa: When did you know you wanted to play college tennis before going Pro?
Zoe: I have always known that college was the right choice for me. From a young age both my parents put a high priority on academics and being well rounded. College has so much to offer and my college experience so far has made me grow so much. Some of the moments that I’ve shared with my teammates on the court as a Trojan are beyond what I ever thought possible before coming to USC. Playing on a team and for a university heightens the energy and passion within each match and going into my second season I am so eager and stoked to get back into battles against other teams.
Costa: What made you decide on USC?
Zoe: When I was going through the decision making process I came across some great programs with really good coaches but when I visited USC for the first time I knew that was what I wanted. Everything seemed to fit. The combination of Richard Gallien and West Nott along with the energy and enthusiasm that the girls on the team made me want to be a Trojan right off the bat. My gut feeling was right, I am such a happy girl there.
Costa: How do you balance classes, tennis, travel & life?
Zoe: There are some CRAZY days at SC! Classes are very demanding and it’s so important to me to keep up with work that I can get stressed when the load piles up. As a team we all are aware of the big goals that we have so we push each other on the court and in training every day. There are a few key people that help me keep a perspective on everything and help me try to balance what is on and off the court (without them I don’t know where I’d be!). With the time commitment of both the team and academics having a social life at school isn’t easy, but I catch a few SC football games and enjoy going downtown every once in a while.
Costa: What do you like about the team experience?
Zoe: Being a part of a team is awesome! We all get to share the same passion with each other while all having a common goal. Collegiate team tennis changes the feeling of tennis, as it normally is an individual sport. On a team you have a support system and fight for the same thing. It’s a beautiful thing, I get the best of both, the challenge of figuring out my own battle then going to work and achieving things with a group of great girls.
Costa: Do you normally travel for spring break?
Zoe: For Spring Break our team normally travels to play a dual match and when we get back to LA we only have a few days off until school starts up again.
