Colgate’s youth are winning at impressive rate

Eklund, Ben-Shmuel leading Raiders in first-year campaigns

As the Colgate women's tennis team battles through the final weeks of the regular season, the Raiders will be relying on two of their youngest players.

With a good mix of veterans on the team, Colgate's top three includes two first-year student-athletes — Addie Eklund '25, a Seattle native, at No. 1 and Jordan Ben-Shmuel '25, who hails from New York City, at No. 3.

Taking the second spot on the lineup is Emme Levenson '23, who played at No. 1 the last two seasons.

For Colgate, having two first-year players reach the top three in a season — and thriving in their roles — is a unique opportunity and a sign of the team's bright future.

"I knew Addie and Jordan would be good coming in because they were both good junior players," said Head Men's and Women's Tennis Coach Bobby Pennington. "But to come in and play at that level and to win that much is a big luxury. Rarely do you have two first-year students succeeding like that."

In the spring, Eklund's record in singles is 10-3, while Ben-Shmuel is 9-4. They've done it while squaring off against the opponent's best players. They also play together in doubles.

The coaches have been impressed by what they've seen from Eklund and Ben-Shmuel. Even in losses, both student-athletes raised eyebrows by how they battled.

Eklund said she was surprised when was picked for the top spot.

"Everyone knows it's a lot of pressure to play at No. 1," she said. "It means a lot to me to know my coaches believe in me to put me at the top of the lineup. I want to show them that I deserve to be there."

Playing tennis at the collegiate level requires more than adapting to tougher competition. Student-athletes must also adjust to playing as part of a team.

At the junior level, tennis players represent themselves, and don't always have the benefit of coaches and teammates.

"I love being on a team," Ben-Shmuel said. "In junior tennis, you're alone all the time. It's just you on the court. You don't have a lot of support. It's nice having coaches talking to you between points."

Coming to Colgate, Ben-Shmuel said her goal was to play as high as possible. She said it's an honor to land in the top three.

"I'm super happy with where I'm at," Ben-Shmuel said. "I love playing against the top girls on the other teams."

When both players began looking for colleges, they wanted the opportunity to play tennis while receiving a strong education. They also sought a dramatic change in scenery.

Eklund, who has a twin sister, wanted to move to the East. As she searched within the Patriot League, Colgate became her top choice.

Without making an official visit, Eklund chose the maroon and while her sister, Sylvia, who also plays tennis, went on to Navy.

Ben-Shmuel said she was impressed with Colgate's scenic campus and its academic programs. She also received strong support from the coaches.

"The team culture really attracted me," Ben-Shmuel said.

The Raiders began the spring schedule with an 0-3 record, losing heartbreaking matches that nearly became Colgate victories.

Colgate responded by defeating its next four opponents with complete performances from the entire lineup.

The Raiders are now 7-6, and hope to finish in the top four in the Patriot League. They swept Holy Cross on March 20 in their first match against a conference opponent, and are gearing up for competitions with Merrimack and Lehigh next weekend.

Eklund and Ben-Shmuel have helped their team in more ways than with their performances on the court. By having the first-year players at the top, other student-athletes can play in different areas of the lineup that work to their strengths and give them better chances to be successful and gain confidence.

After playing at No. 1 the last two seasons, Levenson was moved to No. 2 and is having a strong season as one of the veterans on the team.

Rebecca Wolf '23 was moved to No. 4 after she played in the two and three spots during the previous seasons. The move allows her to compete against players with less experience.

One of the team's strengths has become its depth.

"On this team, you could look at our No. 1 girl playing singles and look at our No. 6 girl and you couldn't tell who's who because we are all so even," Eklund said. "It pushes us to be our best."

Eklund and Ben-Shmuel were highly-rated prospects, and have given Colgate reason to be optimistic about the future. The team also expects to have three talented first-year players next fall.

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Players Mentioned

Emme Levenson: 5' 6"; Junior

Rebecca Wolf: 5' 9"; Junior

Addie Eklund: 5' 5"; First Year

Jordan Ben-Shmuel: 5' 5"; First Year

Players Mentioned

Emme Levenson
: 5' 6"; Junior

Rebecca Wolf
: 5' 9"; Junior

Addie Eklund
: 5' 5"; First Year

Jordan Ben-Shmuel
: 5' 5"; First Year