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Life on the pro tour can be a lonely existence. Brian Vahaly knew it would be hard to leave the University of Virginia after he graduated because he’d built such a supportive community.

Brian Vahaly

The Cavaliers made sure Vahaly could have the best of both worlds. His professors would often fly to Australia or Wimbledon just to watch him play. Not all of them knew about tennis, but they knew how much it meant to Vahaly.

“It was great to expose them to the sport and see how much they loved it,” said Vahaly, a 2001 UVA graduate. “It was just amazing to see them come that far and take an active interest in me. The professors not only supported me in the classroom, but supported me outside of it.”

Vahaly, 39, chose Virginia because he wanted to get the most out of his college experience. The three-time All-American and two-time ACC Player of the Year didn’t let sports dictate his decision.

“I thought to myself regardless of what happens in tennis, these are the kind of people I want to be around when I grow up,” Vahaly said. “They were thoughtful and driven, but really well-rounded and that was really compelling to me.”