Completed Event: Tennis at #19 TCU on March 15, 2026 , Loss , 0, to, 4
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#19 TCU
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Iowa State University Athletics
Iowa State Tennis New Kids on the Court
02.04.2010 | Tennis
AMES, Iowa- Moving away to college can be an intimidating experience for any young adult, but freshmen Ellie Nixon, Jenna Langhorst and Jasmine Lee came to Iowa State for the academics and as members of the 2009-10 tennis team.
Nixon, Langhorst, and Lee credit their easy transition to the help of their new teammates.
"Everyone on the team, all the older girls are ready to help you," Nixon said. "They have so much experience playing college tennis that they only make us better. They are so encouraging and everyone has such a good attitude that it was really easy to come onto the team and feel like you belong from the start."
The trio quickly learned the importance of independence and time management.
"You have to be a lot more independent," Langhorst said. "You don't have people telling you what to do. You have to know what you have to do."
The transition from high school to college got better for the trio when they discovered they would be living on the same dorm floor.
"It was really good to have two teammates already on campus since we didn't know anybody before we got here," Lee said. "It's nice to have people you know you can go to if you need help with anything."
Nixon and Langhorst share the sentiment. They have enjoyed having teammates living with them, which gives everyone a sense that they are in it together, building team unity.
When it comes to tennis, adjusting to college play has been a challenge for Canton, Ohio native Lee. She said college tennis has been a lot different than high school, which was not as competitive.
Des Moines native Nixon said her high school experience at Roosevelt really helped her to prepare for the team element of NCAA tennis.
Langhorst, a Palatine, Ill. native, who finished in the top 10 at the Illinois State Championship in all four years of prep tennis, said her high school experience was extremely helpful.
"The Chicago district was playing really strong tennis, so I got used to the competition," Langhorst said. "I knew that the Big 12 was really competitive, which helped me focus on playing at that high level of competition."
The trio continued to adjust to college play during the fall season.
"We were all excited to get the feel for college tennis and to know what it is like," Nixon said. "The coaches told us 'this is just to get better, not for results.' It was nice to know that you could just go out and get the feel for it because there isn't that pressure like in the spring season."
"I got to see a glimpse of how college tennis was going to be, the different teams that we could play and the level that I need to play at in order to compete," Lee said.
"In the fall season I gained confidence just because I knew I could hang in there with some of the collegiate players," Langhorst said. "It helped me start off the spring season pretty well."
Lee and Langhorst got their first taste of spring season tennis on Jan. 17, when the Cyclones faced Minnesota in Rochester, Minn.
Lee fought hard in her first college match. After dropping the first set 6-4, she earned a 7-5 win in the second. She forced extra games in the third set, but fell 7-5.
"It was the first match and I lost it, which makes me want to work harder," Lee said. "Now I know what I have to do and how some of the top players play. Now I know what I need to do in order to beat them and compete with them."
Langhorst is 2-1 for the season, both at No. 5 singles and in doubles with Erin Karonis.
"It helped to just remind me that I need to keep working hard," Langhorst said. "I know that I can compete with these players if I just put my mind to it, I think working hard in practice and concentrating on areas that I am lacking will be my focus."
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Thursday, April 10
Friday, May 12
Friday, May 12
Saturday, May 06
