As the Clemson women’s tennis team practices at Duckworth Family Tennis Facility, a flurry of languages can be heard from across the courts. Italian, Greek, Slovak, Spanish and Czech accompany the English direction provided by head coach Boomer Saia.
Saia, in his second season with the team, is used to this sort of multiculturalism. In fact, he seems to prefer it that way.
Before Clemson, Saia spent five years as head coach at Iowa State. There, he had a similar commitment to bringing in players from all over the globe — in fact, his entire roster with the Cyclones was international.
At Clemson, he has already brought in four international freshmen, including 30th-ranked Amelie Smejkalova of the Czech Republic. One thing is clear: Saia is committed to international recruitment, and he has brought this commitment to Clemson.
Across women’s collegiate tennis, there is a stark divide in recruitment philosophy. At top-ranked schools such as Texas A&M and Oklahoma State, a commitment to the old ways remains.
Mark Weaver has been head coach at A&M for 25 years, and his roster is home to only three international players. Chris Young, head coach at Oklahoma State for 14 years, has roster numbers identical to Weaver’s.
While these programs have enjoyed success, their strategy has not changed throughout each coach’s tenure.
On the other hand, a new generation of young, risk-taking coaches has emerged. At Georgia, where Drake Bernstein took over at the same time as Saia was beginning at Clemson, the roster boasts seven international players. Saia and Bernstein are only two examples of young coaches choosing to focus their recruiting resources overseas, and international players are interested in answering the call.
In the past 10 years, the number of international players in college tennis has increased by 30%, and the international talent isn’t just competing; they’re winning. In 2023, 26 out of 64 spots in the women’s NCAA singles draw were held by foreign players, as are three of the top five spots in singles preseason rankings.
The future of collegiate tennis success is not bound by borders, and the most successful coaches will be those willing to change with the times.
At Clemson, the effects of internationally focused recruiting can already be felt. In 2021, the Tigers were ranked at No. 73 out of 264 programs in the country. With Saia’s new international players, they’ve leaped to No. 42.
With the addition of promising young players and the Tigers’ ability to keep top athletes around for many seasons, the team seems poised to keep climbing. Next season, Saia has secured the No. 7 recruiting class in the country. With most of them internationally recruited, Clemson looks to lead the charge into the next era of women’s tennis.
