Austin Mayo Commits To Northern Colorado
Austin Mayo, a life-long ATA junior athlete, committed to extend his academic and athletic careers at the University of Northern Colorado this coming fall.
“I couldn’t see myself anywhere else like I could at UNC,” Austin said. “I loved everything about the campus and the people at the school.”
For Austin, the college process was a three year endeavor, and Northern Colorado didn’t enter the picture until two and half years into it. Like many, Mayo created a first list of schools, then revised over time, and, with the help of Coach Strecker, his primary coach, he eventually pinpointed UNC.
“I really was set on playing Division 1 tennis so Coach Streck helped me make a list of about ten schools that competed in Division 1 tennis, Northern Colorado being one of them. I didn’t think much of any school on my new list at first and then I called the UNC coach and instantly connected with him,” Mayo said. “Surprisingly, I knew 2 of the players already on the team from juniors and I thought the coach himself was just as cool, if not cooler than Streck.”
UNC is located in scenic Greeley, Colorado, near Fort Collins in the north central part of the state about 45 minutes from Denver. For Mayo, the location was a major factor in why this was the right school for him.
“I ended up choosing UNC because it has a lot of outdoor activities close to campus,” Mayo said. “To be honest with you I will probably be out white water rafting, hiking, and skiing more than I will be in school. Northern Colorado has a great campus and a very favorable girl to guy ratio. It is all set up like A&M, the city built around the school, but you can see the mountains at UNC in the distance. It also is about 1000 miles from home which kills my mom.”
Academically, the university offers both undergraduate and graduate degree paths, with a total enrollment of about 12,500 students. Austin plans to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Sports and Rehabilitation.
“At UNC, they give students the opportunity to use new technology and work hands on with patients at companies in Colorado as interns,” Austin said. “They told me during the campus tour that UNC is known across the nation for its sports rehabilitation program.”
Athletically, Mayo will join a UNC Bears team that competes in the Big Sky Conference of Division 1 NCAA tennis.
“I am looking forward to being a part of the tennis team at UNC,” Austin said. “They just hired a new coach a few years ago and since then he has strengthened his team to one of the best in the Big Sky conference. In the four years that I will be there, he told me he plans on winning our conference and maybe going a step further. I’m not that versed in the athletic college talk so I don’t know what a “step further” means but he got me pretty excited about it.”
Mayo has been a part of ATA for 12 years. In 2004, he was awarded the Lindsey Pereira Scholarship, and has received it ever since. This scholarship is awarded to the player who possesses and demonstrates the characteristics reflecting what Lindsey represents both on and off the court: passionate ambassadorship, contagious enthusiasm, conviction and achievement.
“There probably isn’t enough room on the webpage to tell you all the things ATA has done to prepare me for college and life after. The staff, the families, the alumni, and everyone else that has come and been a part of the ATA family has influenced my life. I was given the Lindsey Pereira Scholarship in 2004 and I have been lucky to keep it since then. Over the years I started understanding exactly what that scholarship meant to my family and me and I was humbled to think that a group of people had so much faith and trust in me because they saw my potential to grow, not only as a tennis player, but as a person. The coaches at ATA hold their players to a high standard because they see the potential in us to reach whatever goal we set for ourselves and drive us to reach it every day,” Mayo said.
“To sum all of that up, ATA has instilled in me the confidence to set high goals and drive myself to achieve them, whether they be conference titles in tennis or a higher position in a company. Also, ATA is about giving back. We have so many charities that help benefit the less fortunate around the world and the scholarships that they give out each year. All of this has taught me to never take anything for granted and be grateful for the opportunities that are given to you.”
Congratulations, Austin! The ATA community will be rooting for you and the UNC Bears for the next 4 years!