David Jumes — Men’s Tennis
Since the beginning of his first season on the men’s tennis team, freshman David Jumes has been a standout player. Jumes paired with sophomore Adam Busch in the No. 2 doubles spot, and he also excelled as the Vikings’ No. 2 singles player. He finished the season with a 4-0 record in the North Division of the Midwest Conference (MWC) and 2-1 in the South Division. Jumes’s season culminated at the MWC Championship on April 26, where he won 6-1, 7-5 in the quarterfinals before being eliminated 6-0, 6-1 in the semifinals.
What is the most memorable match you’ve ever played?
I had a really fun and interesting doubles match against Lake Forest out here on the Lawrence tennis courts. It didn’t turn out what I hoped or expected, but it was really great to have my family and friends come out and watch.
What has been your favorite LU tennis moment?
Our Spring Break trip to Florida was my favorite part of the tennis season. We played St. Olaf College, relaxed at the beach and played a lot of shuffleboard.
How is playing at the collegiate level different from high school?
Every match is a lot more intense than at the high school level, which has really pushed me as a player to play more consistent from match to match. Also, playing singles and doubles is much different than just one match in high school and I really like playing doubles first because it’s a good warm-up for singles.
If you weren’t on the tennis team what sport would you want to play?
Probably either soccer or cross country. They’re both a ton of fun and I loved the fall sports pre-season in high school because you can really bond as a team without all the stress of classes.
Kelsey Miles — Outdoor Track and Field
Freshman Kelsey Miles has made it her mission to work hard and perform well for Lawrence’s cross country and track teams. Over the course of the outdoor track and field season she has tried her hand at several distance events, zeroing in on the 3000 meter steeplechase. At last week’s Lawrence Invitational, she won the grueling distance hurdle event on the Vikings’ home turf with a time of 13:34. Miles will compete again this weekend at the MWC Championships at Grinnell College.
What is the most memorable race you’ve ever run?
My sophomore year of high school, the conference race was at our home course and I knew I had a shot at all-conference. I had no idea what place I was in during the race until my coach screamed that I was 10th. The last 400 meters of the course was completely uphill, but I had so much support from all of the spectators and I had the best finishing kick of my life. I felt so proud to represent my team at our home course by earning all-conference honors.
How do you balance the rigors of academic life with your athletic involvement?
I think that having responsibilities outside the classroom, like being an athlete, drives me to be a better student. Through a lot of trial and error, I have learned how to prioritize academics with practice, competitions, sleep, and my own sanity. Sometimes it can seem a bit overwhelming, but it’s never anything that a good run can’t fix.
How do you get yourself into the zone?
Long distance races are more a mental competition than anything else. No matter how bad physically you’re feeling, you have to convince your mind that you’re ready to go. For me, that starts during the warm up run. I envision my best races and workouts to remind myself how well I’ve done in the past, and how today shouldn’t be any different. I also listen to my favorite song, Hall of Fame, before every race. Finally, when I’m standing on the starting line, I think about how lucky I am to have another opportunity to better myself in this race.