Jenna Brophy Wins No. 1 Singles NJCAA National Championship
“[Willis] hit the ball really wide and I ran and caught it and I remember everyone just started crying,” Brophy said.
“Jenna winning the #1 Singles National Championship is a perfect ending to her career here at Hudson Valley, and we’re all very proud of her,” said Assistant Athletic Director Justin Hoyt.
Brophy fell behind1-4 in the third set on Friday, Oct. 25 but rallied to win 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 to capture Hudson Valley’s sixth ever National Championship crown.
Head Coach Denise Potenza still doesn’t believe that she has coached a National champion.
“I still don’t think it has sunk in,” said Potenza. “She did all the work and she’s an exceptional player.”
After not dropping a set in regular season play all season, being down in the most important set at Nationals didn’t stop her rallying back for the win.
“She was letting her opponent control the pace of the game. I told her to play her game and she did,” Potenza said. “She’s very successful at setting the pace of the ball and that frustrates opponents and that turned out to be the difference.”
Brophy’s only two losses in recent memory were in the Mercer Invitational to Grace Willis and Tara McHenry from Gloucester. Those were two competitors standing in the way of her championship dreams at Nationals.
“The way they beat me really motivated me for those matches,” Brophy said. “I knew I had to just block out the crowd and play to win.”
Motivation also came naturally from her defeats in last year’s National championship.
“Losing last year was really emotional and kind of shocking,” Brophy said. “I went in pretty cocky and acted like I couldn’t lose.”
As National champions were being awarded in their respective sections, Brophy was the last one to be recognized in this year’s ceremony, getting handshakes and hugs from people she didn’t even know.
“Everyone treated it like a huge deal and I didn’t really think it was. It hadn’t sunk in yet,” said Brophy.
“It took until I got back on campus for me to realize that I did it. I had won Nationals,” she said.
In two seasons with the tennis program at Hudson Valley, Brophy did not lose a regular season match and the tennis teams posted an undefeated 14-0 record.
Before Hudson Valley, Brophy went to Greenwich High School where she played Varsity Tennis for three of her four years and opened up a tennis clinic for young kids in her school district to learn how to play tennis. The clinic is known as the Jenna Brophy Youth Tennis Clinic.
The one year she missed was due to a torn ACL just before her junior year.
“The doctors were telling me that it was a 10 month rehab and that was if I did it right, I would be lucky to play senior year,” Brophy said. “It was really emotional for me.”
“I didn’t know if I would ever play or even coach again and that scared me,” said Brophy.
However, Brophy found a way to recover and get back on the court.
The tennis champion taught herself how to play all throughout high school, and because of this, she was not fond of coaching. She eventually came around to Coach Potenza.
“To listen to her and act on what she says has helped me so much,” said Brophy. “She’s a great coach that really knows what she’s talking about and I’m sure she could beat me any day.”
Brophy has received many phone calls, text messages and other congratulatory greetings since her win.
“They all think I’m a superstar. It’s crazy,” Brophy said.
But Brophy wants to give all of the credit where she believes it is due.
“I owe my parents everything. They have been so supportive,” said Brophy. “My dad hasn’t missed a match since I was 13.”
Along with her parents, the other five team members who helped her go undefeated in the last two seasons were crying in the stands after her win.
“I give them all the credit. I couldn’t have gone to Regionals and Nationals without them,” Brophy said.
“[Everyone has] given me so much credit, but to come back down to earth and realize [that] I’m still a student that has work to do was very difficult,” Brophy said.
What’s next for the 19 year old Respiratory Care student?
“I haven’t decided. I have one more year here but after that, I have no idea,” said Brophy. “D2 and D1 would be nice, but realistically with my academics, D3 is where I should be.”
As her academic career continues, the mark she has left on the college and her program will not be forgotten.
“I think [her teammates] are really motivated by her. For the team to see her accomplish these things, it gives them the realization that this can be done,” said Potenza.
“She’s such a big part of our team and she will be missed,” said Potenza.
“Success was great, but the girls I met and people coming up to me and recognizing me as more than a student are things that I will miss the most,” said Brophy. “Hudson Valley has really meant so much to me.”