University of Georgia Athletics
Caroline Brinson Leaving Her Bulldog Legacy
January 22, 2015 | Women's Tennis
Be sure to watch this preview before Saturday's ITA Kick-Off Weekend.
Jan. 22, 2015
By Michelle Hartigan
Caroline Brinson has it in her genes to play tennis.
Coming into Georgia, Brinson knew she had her mom's success to live up to, but it is a comparison that has not seemed to phase the sophomore standout. With a solid first spring and fall season under her belt, Brinson's work ethic and positive attitude mirror her mom's but are also contributing to Caroline leaving her own Bulldog tennis legacy.
Brinson's mom, Elizabeth Alexander, played tennis for Georgia from 1988-89 under head coach Jeff Wallace and helped the team win the SEC championship in 1989. Now, 26 years later, she is able to watch her daughter play on the courts she once called home.
"It really is special for my mom to be able to come here and watch me. I love it," said Brinson. "It's great because she cannot only sit there and be my mom cheering for me but she can also sit there with another set of coaching eyes. She can see what I have improved on or what needs a little more work. She's great with telling me what she is seeing and what I can do."
An early enrollee for the Bulldogs last season, Brinson has developed into a key player for the team as the 2015 season gets underway. Brinson finished the fall season with a team-best 12 wins in doubles and 13 wins in singles. She also claimed two singles titles at both the Bulldog Tennis Classic and College of Charleston Fall Classic.
However, Caroline's contributions to the Bulldogs go beyond her success on the court. Brinson's work ethic is second to none and her attitude is always upbeat and enthusiastic. According to Coach Jeff Wallace, that is no surprise.
"Every day Caroline wants to get as good as she can possibly get and is a very driven person and athlete like her mom was. She brings that to the court, she brings that to practice and really in everything that she does," said Wallace. "That was one reason I was really interested in Caroline, recruited her and was following her even when she was really young because I knew just how much work ethic she would bring to the program. She hasn't disappointed one bit."
Brinson's determination was on display this past Sunday at No. 15 Baylor, when the sophomore battled to a hard-fought win over the Bears' nationally ranked Rachael James-Baker. Facing four match points in a third set tiebreaker against a difficult opponent, Brinson kicked her game into high gear and used her never-say-die attitude to grind out an impressive 5-7, 6-2, 7-6(5) victory. At a time when most players would have suffered from panic or exhaustion, Brinson was able to remain steady and focused on her goal.
"It's all a mindset. It's little things like putting positive thoughts in my mind before and after every point, thinking I am never out of match, because I'm not, and continuing to only look forward and never look back that help me stay level-headed throughout a match," said Brinson. "The moment I stop dwelling on things, that's the moment I start seeing things improve and I realize that I can stay in any match and fight through any obstacle."
Although the Bulldogs did not come away with a team win against Baylor, Brinson and some of her teammates' individual performances showed that there is still plenty of fight in these Dogs. Now, the squad is ready and excited for the dual match season's home opener this Saturday at 1 p.m. versus Samford in the first round of the ITA Kick-Off Weekend. Auburn will face Wake Forest in Saturday's first match. Saturday's winner will face off on Sunday 5 p.m. for the right to advance to the ITA National Indoor Championships on Feb. 6-9 in Charlottesville, Va.
"At this point in time of the season it's not so much about the loss, it's about what you learn from the loss and I think we've learned a lot from it," said Wallace. "Now, we just have to apply what we've learned and I think we will move forward and do well."
If the team rallies around the spirit of a player like Brinson, then the Bulldogs should have little trouble getting back to their winning ways.
Michelle Hartigan is a senior from Johns Creek, Ga., who is majoring in advertising within UGA's Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communications. She is in her third year as a student assistant with the UGA Sports Communications office.
"Coming Attractions" is a weekly feature published on georgiadogs.com spotlighting a UGA student-athlete who will be competing in a key home event during the upcoming weekend. Previous stories include:
August 28 - David Andrews (football vs. Clemson)
September 4 - Carly Hamilton (cross country in Bulldog Invitational)
September 11 - Tirah Leau (volleyball in Benson Hospitality Invitational)
September 18 - Mariel Gutierrez (soccer vs. Vanderbilt)
September 25 - Toby Johnson (football vs. Tennessee)
October 2 - Emma Sonnett (soccer vs. Tennessee)
October 9 - Jared Markham (swimming & diving vs. Alabama)
October 16 - Gaby Smiley (volleyball vs. Kentucky and Tennessee)
October 23 - Bella Hartley (soccer vs. Kentucky)
October 30 - Olivia Ball & Ian Forlini (swimming & diving vs. Florida)
November 6 - Megan Spencer (volleyball vs. Arkansas)
November 13 - Kolton Houston (football vs. Auburn)
November 20 - Yante Maten (men's basketball vs. Troy & FAU)
November 27 - Damian Swann (football vs. Georgia Tech)
December 4 - Marjorie Butler (women's basketball vs. Michigan State)
December 18 - Tiaria Griffin (women's basketball vs. Furman)
December 25 - International Bulldogs (men's basketball vs. Mercer)
January 7 - Maddie Locus (women's swimming & diving vs. Texas)
January 14 - Shacobia Barbee (women's basketball vs. Vanderbilt)
Players Mentioned
