Tennis has literally taken Laura Rico around the world.
From her native Colombia…to the South American junior circuit…to her dream tournament at Roland Garros in Paris…to beginning her college career as an Oklahoma Sooner…to joining Miami Tennis in 2019.
But she has found a home in Oxford.
Rico played her final regular-season tennis match as a RedHawk Sunday afternoon, with her parents in attendance for just the second time in her Miami career. They made the 5,000-mile round trip from Bogota to join Rico for her 'super-senior' day at Riverside Athletic Club in Hamilton.
It marked a full-circle moment for Rico, who has been playing the sport she loves since age six and credits her mother and father for helping her get to this point in her career, more than a dozen countries later.
"They're the main thing in my story," Rico said. "When I was little, I was swimming and playing tennis, but I didn't know which one to choose. I asked my dad, 'What should I choose? I have no idea.'
"He was like, 'Well, just play tennis.' I remember a few years ago I asked him, 'Why did you tell me to play tennis?'
"He said, 'I don't know, for some reason I thought we were going to have a better future with it.'
"It worked out well! And it's thanks to them that I'm doing everything that I'm doing right now…they just wanted me to be able to [chase] my dreams and be happy."
Rico has enjoyed a historic career wearing the Red and White for the past four seasons, including First Team All-MAC and Academic All-MAC honors each of the last two years and helping lead the RedHawks to the 2022 regular-season conference title. She became just the third player in program history to be named MAC Player of the Year in 2021, but head coach Ricardo Rosas says she's continued to improve since then and is playing her best tennis now.
"She's a really tough player," Rosas said. "I think she's a totally different player now in terms of her confidence and her ability to find ways to win matches…
"We want every player that comes through our program to be MAC champs, which she experienced. And winning Player of the Year is not easy in our conference; there are very good, tough players. Laura has definitely been an example for the team. They look up to her, and the fact that she stayed for one more year and then still showed more grit and determination than [even in previous seasons] sent a strong message to the team.
"She stepped up to be a captain, and that's exactly what I want to see as a coach: that her final year is the best year in terms of the impact she's had."
It's the culmination of a journey that saw Rico become comfortable 'being herself' as a RedHawk after initially struggling to fit in as a freshman at Oklahoma. She said she's enjoyed the camaraderie of a Miami team with nine different countries represented on the 10-player roster.
Before transferring, Rico remembered, "Because of my culture and my personality, I would start singing or dancing, listening to salsa, just being energetic, and people would look at me like, 'That was weird.'
"But with this team, it's completely the opposite. We have different cultures, but we all just want to learn from each other and try to understand each other as best as we can. 'How do you say THIS in your language? What is a typical song that you like? How do we dance to it? Okay everyone, come to my house and I'll make you food from my country.'
"It's just so much fun…it's amazing how close we all are, and that's something that makes us more like family."
Rico served as a co-captain during the 2021-22 season, but is the only captain on this year's team and one of just two upperclassmen. She said the responsibility of leading has not only helped her grow as a person, but been an amazing experience overall. "I like for people to be okay, and for everyone to be comfortable," said Rico, who has occasionally been called the 'team mom.'
"People are like, 'You always know the right thing to say.' So they don't only see me as this captain or leader, but they just come to me because they know I can help them.
Rico has a 31-24 win-loss record this year between singles and doubles
"It's been unbelievable and good, and I'm just trying, every time I'm on the court, to be my best self. Because it's not only for me, but I'm also setting an example for what they can do for next year."
While the future is indeed bright for Miami Tennis, Rico and her teammates still have their sights set on accomplishing even more in 2022-23, with a postseason trophy at stake. The RedHawks claimed the fourth seed in this weekend's Mid-American Conference tournament, and will square off with No. 1 Toledo Saturday morning at 10 a.m. in Muncie, Ind. in a semifinal match.
The RedHawks and Rockets have played twice already this season, including a narrow 4-3 Miami loss on the road earlier this month. Rosas is hoping for a consistent showing up and down the lineup this weekend from his squad to propel the Red and White into Sunday's final, again with Rico leading the way at No. 1 singles and doubles. "She wants to finish strong," Rosas said. "At this point of her career, she has done so much.
"Senior Day was emotional…I think now she can just have the goal to go out and be free and compete and give everything she has since it could be her last collegiate match."
Whatever happens this weekend, Rico will finish her career as one of the all-time great players in Miami Tennis history. She will also depart Oxford with a pair of academic degrees, having already completed a Bachelor's in Interactive Media Studies and working now to put the finishing touches on a Master's in Business Administration and Management.
Whether on the court, in the classroom, or in the community, Rico knows her time in southwest Ohio has set her up for continued success in the rest of her life.
"When I got here, I was still this little girl that didn't know her place in the world," Rico said. "I've grown incredibly a lot…I just feel more confident in everything."
"Tennis is what you do, and doesn't define you as an individual," Rosas said. "Laura is a very good tennis player but more importantly a great person. I think what she found here is that she can be who she is, and become the best version of herself through her education and her athletic experience at Miami with the consistent support and the opportunity to continue to grow.
"For me, the person is first, and then the player. She relaxed and understood that the support was going to be the same regardless of winning or losing, and that we were going to continue to trust in her, push her and help her in all aspects of her game and life!
"With the acceptance of her teammates and the family [atmosphere] – we know Miami's all about that— I think she's just really felt at home."
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Before transferring, Rico remembered, "Because of my culture and my personality, I would start singing or dancing, listening to salsa, just being energetic, and people would look at me like, 'That was weird.'
Whatever happens this weekend, Rico will finish her career as one of the all-time great players in Miami Tennis history. She will also depart Oxford with a pair of academic degrees, having already completed a Bachelor's in Interactive Media Studies and working now to put the finishing touches on a Master's in Business Administration and Management.
