The Valparaiso University women’s tennis program has announced the addition of Olivia Czerwonka (Kenosha, Wis. / Saint Joseph Catholic Academy), who will join the team for the 2019-2020 academic and athletic year.

Czerwonka will come to Valpo’s program after a distinguished prep career in Wisconsin, where she had state runner-up finishes as a junior and senior after finishing sixth as a freshman and fifth as a sophomore. She also led the way to a team runner-up finish, helping Saint Joseph Catholic Academy reach state for the first time in program history.

“The biggest factor in my decision to come to Valpo was the girls on the tennis team,” Czerwonka said. “They have a strong bond with each other, and that was something I wanted to be a part of. I’m going to study nursing, so I’m excited that Valpo has a great program for my major.”

Czerwonka was named the MVP of her high school team in 2018 and became a team captain in 2017. She received the program’s Rookie of the Year honor in 2015. A four-time Metro Classic Conference champion, Czerwonka was nominated two years in a row for the Southeast Wisconsin Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Tennis Athlete of the Year award.

“She always ended up playing against my recruits, and I kept watching her play and always knew in the back of my mind that she’s really good,” Valpo head coach Tammy Cecchini said. “I know proximity to home was very important to her. When I started talking to Olivia, it became clear how badly she wanted to come to Valpo. She’s a great tennis player. She’s both aggressive and quiet at the same time, which is an impressive balance. She’s a great student. She’s one of those people where if you say ‘jump,’ she’ll say, ‘how high?’ I’m so excited for her to be a part of this program.”

Czerwonka will be joining her sister Claire, who is currently a sophomore on the team.

“Playing with Claire is going to be amazing,” Czerwonka said. “My sister and I are really close. We’re best friends and had most of the same friends growing up. It’s going to be a wonderful experience to share our college careers together. She’s also a nursing major and loves Valpo’s nursing program. She likes all of her teachers and enjoys the overall feeling of Valpo’s campus. All of that made this an easy decision.”

In addition to her athletic success, Czerwonka has thrived in the classroom in high school. She owns an unweighted GPA of 3.93 and is a member of National Honor Society. In addition, the incoming Valpo freshman will be going on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic from May 19-25 to help build homes for people without the necessary material means. She will be staying in an orphanage and interacting with children there.

For the last three summers, Claire and Olivia have organized and hosted a free “Game, Set, Match Camp and Social” for children and adults with special needs. Each year, they teach tennis and recruit a team of six to eight coaches to assist with the camp as a means of giving back to the community. Olivia also attended the community-wide Night to Remember, a free prom honoring individuals with special needs.

Czerwonka will join Demetria Jhaveri (Westlake, Ohio / Westlake) and Amanda Tabanera (Valencia, Calif. / Valencia), who signed in November, to form Valpo’s 2019-2020 freshman class.

“I’m so happy for the three freshmen coming in,” Cecchini said. “They’re all coming to FOCUS (Valpo’s freshman orientation) at the same time. They’re starting to bond with each other, which is very important to me. Next year is going to be great for the three of them as they join our returning players here at Valpo.”