Commitment Profile
Countdown: Huryn - From Russia, With Love for Tennis
by Rick Limpert, 2 November 2016
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Alpharetta Ga. senior, Aleks Huryn's journey to college tennis in Philadelphia, started as a five-year old learning the sport from his mother, Sveta, in Russia. When the five-star recruit graduates from high school this spring, he said he couldn't be more excited to announce that he will be a Penn Quaker.
"Penn had what I wanted, and what I really liked," stated Huryn. "It was between Penn and
Princeton, and I decided to go with Penn."
Huryn liked the fact that academics is made a priority for all Penn student-athletes.
"The (education) is very important for me, and it really helped determine my choice of college."
The fast rising Huryn said he loves the balance of the tennis and academics since that is what he has been accustomed to during his high school years.
"I've done a half day where I go to school, and then it's tennis. It's a balance, and I've been successful that way."
Coming out of the successful Lifetime Tennis Academy in Peachtree Corners, Ga., Huryn says he feels prepared for the college years and has become a big fan of Penn's head coach in David Geatz. Geatz has had a long and accomplished career and is leading the Quakers rise in the Ivy League.
"I really love the coaches," admitted Huryn. "I have a pretty good connection with one of the players up there, and I'm going there with the attitude that I just want to help. The coaches there talked to my coach here, Vivian Chhetri, to understand what my game needs."
At this moment, Huryn is probably out working on, or figuring out how to improve his forehand.
"I have been working on my forehand," said Huryn. "I've been looking at it technically and (concentrating) on hitting through the ball. I have to put the work into the right strokes and maximizing my practice time."
