Despite an eventful week that included time at the Association of Southeastern Biologists meeting in Alabama and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference tennis tournament, senior Biology major and women’s tennis player, Liz Killion, took the time to answer some questions about herself and her time at Guilford College.
“I first started playing tennis when I was eight at the YMCA, and I continued playing in USTA leagues and clinics as I grew up,” wrote Killion in an email interview.
Killion has continued to play tennis while at Guilford, leading the women’s tennis team to 23 victories and securing a team record of 7-3 at ODAC, according to the Guilford Athletics website.
Originally from Cary, NC, Killion learned about Guilford from its entry in the book, “Colleges that Change Lives,” and came to Guilford having already decided to major in Biology.
“I really could picture myself here once I came to visit,” wrote Killion in an email interview. “I knew that the science department had a good reputation, and it was also a plus that I would be able to play tennis.”
One of Killion’s more recent accomplishments is reaching the Blue 2 Doubles Flight semifinals at the 2009 Wilson Intercollegiate Tennis Association Southeast Regional Championships with doubles partner, Nina Bollag.
“(Liz) always tries her hardest on and off the court,” said Bollag. “She brought a lot to the team. Last year, when the tennis team was going through drama with coaches, Liz stepped up and helped the team stay united without a coach.”
Bollag describes Killion as driven, committed, and fun. After hearing about Killion’s schedule as a student athlete, these character traits come into focus. However, Killion does not complain about her busy schedule.
“Being a student athlete has given me very good time management skills between doing my thesis research at Wake Forest, practice every day, having at least 2 classes with labs every semester, and traveling for tennis,” wrote Killion in an email interview.
These skills will certainly benefit Killion after Guilford, when she plans to go to Tufts University to complete a PhD in Biochemical and Molecular Nutrition. She plans to continue playing tennis with a Tufts club travel team or a United States Tennis Association league in Boston.