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Karl Collins has always been willing to go the extra mile for tennis. The Richmond, California native has been taking public transportation to get to his training location the last few years.

Five-Star Karl Collins Has Signed With Fresno State
© Bill Kallenberg/CapturedInAction

Collins will hop on and off buses and ride his bike for the last few miles to reach the Claremont Club & Spa in Berkeley. The Bay Area route can take up to an hour one way.

"It shows his dedication to the sport,” said Dale Evans, who has been working with Collins since 2012. “He really wants to develop his game and try to reach his potential. He is a great ambassador for our academy."

When it came to college, Collins didn’t put any geographic limitations on his destination. He was open to going anywhere, but ended up relatively close to home. The five-star senior signed with Fresno State.

"The reason I chose Fresno State is I really like the coaches and the guys at the time were mostly seniors, so the team coming in was going to be a lot of freshmen,” Collins said. “I was kind of excited to build a squad with some guys that were my age."

That dynamic has shifted a bit because of the coronavirus pandemic cutting short the 2020 season. Spring sport athletes have been granted another year of eligibility if they want to return and schools allow them to return.

"I am hyped for that. I think we will have a really good squad,” Collins said. “My position on the roster will obviously now be moved down a couple of spots, but I am looking forward to competing for my spot in the lineup and getting better with them."