Dear Washington: Nika Zupancic
6/7/2022
Dear Washington…
A letter to UW from Washington Women's Tennis's Nika Zupancic.
Dear Washington!
I can’t believe four years passed so quickly. As my last year has been slowly coming to an end, I’ve had the opportunity to reflect on everything that has happened over the course of my career here. It for sure hasn’t been easy at all moving halfway across the world, leaving my small and comfortable home in Slovenia behind, and stepping into the unknown. It was scary, and it probably would have been even worse if it wouldn’t be for all the amazing people here at UW.
I’ve said a lot of goodbyes in my life, but this one might be the toughest.
Since the first day I got here in September 2018, you; the UW community have accepted me into your family and helped me develop into the person I am today. You have taught me how to proudly carry the W on the shirt and how to become the best version of myself. You have showed me how to put others above me, and how to give back to the community and be grateful for everything I have in my life. But most of all you have opened my eyes to the world around me and made me realize that if you want to change the world, all it takes is for you to believe it is possible and do it.
Thank you Husky nation for giving me a home, thank you for supporting me, but most importantly thank you for showing me that women belong in all positions of power.
The motto of our team is “leave a mark.” It took me a while to fully understand the depths of this statement, but the way I see it now is that whatever you do in life, you must do it with your whole heart. Only then will people be able to feel how much this means to you, how much you want it and the lengths you are willing go to make it possible. I have put everything I have into this sport and this program in the past 4 years. Even though we weren’t always statistically the best team, we were always the loudest team with the biggest heart, and I wouldn’t trade that for the world. Playing for UW has not only opened my eyes to what I want to pursue in my life but has also given me 16 amazing girls who I will call sisters for the rest of my life. If it wasn’t for Washington, I probably would have quit tennis a long time ago and pursue a career that I hated. Instead, I was given an opportunity to play for something bigger than myself, grow up and give tennis another chance and nothing I ever do will repay what UW did for me.
Saying goodbye is never easy. I’ve said a lot of goodbyes in my life, but this one might be the toughest, because I’m leaving so many people that are close to my heart. Thank you Husky nation for giving me a home, thank you for supporting me, but most importantly thank you for showing me that women belong in all positions of power. I promise I’ll make sure every woman knows that. Once a Husky, always a Husky. Go Dawgs!
Nika Zupancic