Sophomore Haakenstad Takes Control of Leadership Role

Hayley Haakenstad likes to be in control.

The sophomore from Chanhassen, Minn., initally exerted control when she picked up her first racket at 7 years old. Although she grew up a soccer and softball player, Haakenstad remembers the day she was watching her older brother’s tennis match, when she told her parents, “Give me a racket too. This sucks just sitting here.” Her motivation to play started off as free candy at practice, but she soon found herself naturally drawn to the feel of the tennis court. That day at her brother’s tennis match and that urge to get off the bench is what brought the 2015 Minnesota Class 2A Singles Champion to Nebraska last year.

“I really liked the coaches and the team when I came and visited, but there was just something about it when I stepped on campus,” Haakenstad said. “My mom went to Texas, so she was kind of like, ‘Really? Nebraska?’ But then when I got on campus, she was like ‘OK, this place is awesome.’ I was like ‘Yeah, this is where I want to go.’”

Growing up, as Haakenstad’s parents allowed her to make her own choices about her future, she realized her passion for tennis was more a feeling than a decision.

“My parents were just really good about having me try different things,” Haakenstad said. “They never really pushed me toward a certain sport, it’s just that when I stepped on a tennis court, there was just something special and unique about that. So that was something that I always wanted to pursue.”

Haakenstad had the opportunity to travel all throughout the United States in high school as she competed in USTA tournaments, in addition to playing for her Chanhassen High School team. She captained her tennis team in grades 10-12, and in her junior year, she was ranked No. 92 nationally. Haakenstad finished her high school career with a record of 149-10.

The feeling of each match was inherently different from the feelings she experienced on a softball field. The six-time all-conference tennis player was also a two-time all-conference softball player and the MVP for her softball team. On the field, she felt limited because she may bat just three times a game but needed to depend fully on her pitcher for the win. On the tennis court, Haakenstad had complete authority and accountability for her own results.

“There’s just something different about [tennis],” Haakenstad said. “I like that when I win or have a good match, it’s on me. And same thing if I lose. I have the control. Besides the opponent, I mean, the opponent can always change, but I have more control in what I’m doing.”

The sophomore captain also appreciates how each move she makes is a team contribution.

“College tennis is just such a different animal than junior tennis,” Haakenstad said. “So having that experience on court and just how to manage matches, how to compete as a team… because I’ve played team sports before, but tennis, it’s just different. It’s really fun being on court, feeling like you’re playing for something bigger than just your own individual match, that’s definitely my favorite part about it.”

Transitioning to Husker Nation has been a painless process for the Minnesota native, partly because of the strong team atmosphere within Nebraska Athletics.

“The people at home are great, but it’s a whole new level here,” Haakenstad said. “Everyone here is very genuine, especially in the athletic department, everyone’s always willing to help you if you need help with anything. It’s like, you almost have to try to fail. They hand you all these resources, you just have to use them.”

Haakenstad also pays tribute to her teammates for making the sport mean so much more. The player who went 19-9 in doubles and 30-17 overall in her first season at Nebraska said she attributes the thrill of the spring to the building blocks of team bonding and invitational tournaments in the fall.

“The spring was great and definitely fed off of the fall, like all the relationships we built in the fall were great for the spring,” Haakenstad said. “I thought it was interesting, the spring really made you appreciate match play, because off-season gets really long with all the practices and stuff, you just itch to compete. The tournaments we’re playing [in the fall] have a lot of tough teams in them, so it’s good for us to just be on court, playing the matches. The spring was just so much fun, getting to be on court every week, especially as a freshman, it was just such a new experience, but in that sense now it’s really exciting knowing what’s coming for the next season.”

The competitor and leader is also motivated by the quote, “Life is 10 percent what happens to you and 90 percent how you react to it.” She applies this philosophy to losses, injuries and anything else that can happen in life.

“One of my coaches in high school, he always would just say to me, ‘It’s how you react. It’s how you react,’” Haakenstad said. “And I just think that’s so important in life because things are always going to happen to you that you don’t like, and a lot of things you can’t even control.”

Haakenstad’s goals for the next three years include excelling in her mathematics studies and being a contributive force on the team, especially in its goal to reach the NCAA tournament this year. After already picking up eight wins in fall play this season, Nebraska Coach Scott Jacobson said he’s eager and confident in all she’ll achieve.

"Hayley's a tremendous fighter and a phenomenal athlete," Jacobson said. "She brings an aggressive style of play to the court and is eager to move forward when the opportunity presents itself. She always plays with passion and tremendous heart. Her game has grown by leaps and bounds over the course of the last year and she is always willing to put in additional time to improve upon herself. In addition, her doubles skills are impressive as her comfort level volleying is greater than most. Every time Hayley steps on the court you know exactly what you're getting, a phenomenal effort."