Sophomore women’s tennis player, Ella Strickler ’27 was recognized as the Centennial Tennis Player of the Week on April 8 following her first award on March 4. She took down her doubles and singles matches against No. 9-ranked Carnegie Mellon University and Haverford College last week. The following week, with her doubles partner Riya Rao ’26, the duo took down their match against No. 30-ranked Christopher Newport University and Bryn Mawr College. Strickler also posted a clean-sheet two set win in her singles match against Bryn Mawr, finishing 6-0 in each set. Currently, Strickler’s singles record stands at 8-3 with a seven-match win streak from March 1 to April 6. Her doubles record with Rao sits at a dominant 9-2, with nine consecutive wins. In 2024, she went 6-4 overall and 4-1 in conference play. For her skill, Skrickler earned All-Conference Honorable Mention Singles that season. The women’s tennis team is looking forward to their matchup against Gettysburg College on Friday, April 11. The team comes off back-to-back wins, sitting 8-4 overall and 3-0 in conference record.
Aimee Lee: Congrats on your Centennial Athlete the Week selection! How did you feel after receiving the selection?
Ella Strickler: Thank you! I was really surprised and honored because the team is coming off a few great wins and any of my teammates are just as deserving of the selection. But it feels nice to be recognized — tennis can be a tough sport sometimes.
AL: Reflecting on your second collegiate season, how are you feeling so far? Are there memorable moments with the team you reflect back on?
ES: This season has been great so far. I’ve been playing some of my best tennis and am so lucky to be part of such a supportive and motivating team. In terms of memorable moments, I would say that our spring break trip to Florida was particularly fun because we got to compete against strong teams but afterwards would immediately go hang out on the beach and tan.
AL: Game days can be exciting and nerve-wracking at times. How do you prepare for matches? Any particular game-day rituals?
ES: I’m not super big into rituals, but the key things for me are to get a solid night of sleep beforehand and try not to think too much about the match. The curse to most tennis players, myself included, is overthinking.
AL: Is there a difference in mindset when playing doubles or singles? How do you adjust?
ES: Yeah, it’s almost like playing a totally different game. I think of myself as primarily a singles player and was never that strong at doubles in juniors, but it’s really been a delight to play with my doubles partner this year. Riya’s not only a great player but also is so much fun on the court and always hypes us up.
AL: What are some team or personal goals for the rest of the season?
ES: I’m hoping the team will have the opportunity to compete in the NCAA tournament this year!
AL: What does an ideal rest day look like for you?
ES; Ideally, I’d spend the day hanging out with my friends and two dogs. I’d also definitely get an iced chai latte and spend time outdoors.
AL: What is your favorite class that you’ve taken at Swarthmore? Do you know what you will be majoring in/interested in?
ES: I’m a Biology and English double major. I’ve taken a lot of great classes at Swarthmore, but one I’m taking now and enjoying is Genetics (Biology 010) — we’re currently getting to edit a gene using CRISPR in lab.
AL: What advice would you give to incoming students and/or varsity athletes at Swarthmore?
ES: I think my biggest piece of advice is to find joy in the process, even when it’s grueling, and to make an effort to get to know everyone on your team. Everyone has something invaluable to contribute, and you don’t always see it from the surface level conversations.
AL: Any movie or TV recommendations?
ES: I just finished Severance, and it blew my mind. I’m already counting down the days until season three comes out. Everyone needs to go watch it right now.
