Winona State University’s tennis club earned the opportunity to compete in the Tennis Association On Campus National Championship, where they will be competing with the top 64 teams across the country from April 11–13.

Among those who competed this past weekend in Surpise, Arizona was sophomore player Veronica Johnson.

The second-year athlete from Onalaska, Wisconsin told The Winonan the club has been around for a while now, with this year marking their first trip to nationals.

Johnson added she is “excited to represent” Winona State, as the team will take on much bigger schools such as Harvard, UCLA and others.

For Johnson, her interest in the sport of tennis started after seeing her family involved, specifically, her older sister, whose work ethic she admires.

Johnson has been playing tennis since she was six and saw her success in her first-time playing in an organized tennis tournament in fifth grade, where, with the help her best friend, they won doubles.

Johnson played tennis throughout middle school and high school before coming to Winona State.

She got involved with the tennis club through the club fair, and immediately learned a lot during the “tough” transition from high school.

Johnson said it was all a big changes from the tournament play one set to playing co-ed doubles and getting motivated since the coaches do no have much time.

With all that in mind and now in her second year, Johnson said she is making strong bonds with her teammates.

“We all have our strong suits and strengths and weaknesses,” Johnson said.

Outside of tennis, Johnson is an advertising major with a minor in public relations and creative digital media, and is involved in other school organizations including AD FED, where she has the opportunity to go on agency tours.

Johnson is also interested in photography. After college she said she is not fully sure what she wants to do but said she wants to move somewhere new.

“It’d be kind of interesting to go somewhere, like across the country and maybe get a marketing job there.” Johnson said.

As for the team, Winona State saw wins over Syracuse University and Yale University, before losing to Stanford University and Rice University.