Sophomore Jordan Danielson continues to move up the ranks for Hamline’s women’s tennis team after coming off her first season as a diver for Hamline’s swimming and diving team.

“Jordan is really hard working. She’s also a really good teammate, she puts her team before herself,” sophomore tennis teammate Emily Wollmuth said of Danielson. “She’s just really fun to be around and we all really enjoy having her on our team.”

Danielson began diving last fall and it was the first time she has ever been on the diving team. In her first season, she nearly qualified for the 2015 MIAC Championships. She said from that experience she has learned two things.

“You can do anything you put your mind to and hard work will get you far,” Danielson said.

Jon Henning, head coach of Hamline’s men’s and women’s tennis team, said Danielson definitely puts her hard work on display on the tennis court.

“Jordan is a grinder … she’s a fighter,” Henning said. “Our conference is simply brutal. There’s only six playoff spots and every team is either nationally or regionally ranked that make the playoffs.”

Last weekend, Danielson and her junior doubles partner Emily Butler lost to Gustavus’s number one doubles duo 8-3 on March 14. However, the last time they played outside of the conference, they were undefeated.

That weekend, Feb. 20 and Feb. 21, Danielson defeated Bethel’s number two singles athlete in straight sets to pick up a MIAC singles win. On Feb. 21, against nonconference UW-Stout and Bethany Lutheran, she won both singles matches as well two doubles matches with Butler. Danielson was rewarded on Feb. 24 with a MIAC Women’s Tennis Player of the Week honor.

“It was pretty cool, I didn’t expect it,” Danielson said.

Henning complimented Danielson on her transitioning.

“At the Division-III level that’s kind of the player you want. Someone who is athletic can, play defense but also counterpunch and play offense,” Henning said. “She’s a good hustler…doesn’t make many mistakes. That’s why she’s been successful.”

Henning also said in addition to her physical game, she is mentally tough on the court.

“Tennis is a mental sport,” Henning said. “Mentally, she’s able to focus. She’s able to play every point like its special.”

Danielson’s success in tennis didn’t just happen overnight. She’s been playing since middle school.

“It’s just something that I tried in seventh grade. I got a racket ball and just started hitting against the wall and liked it ever since,” Danielson said.

Danielson also played softball and basketball in high school at Roseville Area High School. It wasn’t until her senior year of high school when she knew she would play tennis on a collegiate level.

That year, her and her doubles partner made a run at the section tournament (conference tournament where the winner advances to the state high school tournament). Although they didn’t advance to state, Danielson said she enjoyed the experience.

“It was a lot of fun. A lot of good competition there and a good experience,” Danielson said.

Her talents didn’t go unnoticed as Henning spotted her and decided to recruit her. Danielson’s family had a history with Hamline as her aunt enrolled at the school and her grandma worked at Hamline. She decided to attend Hamline and now, in her sophomore year, Danielson has proved to be a threat and has moved up the ranks in Hamline’s line up.

“She’s been playing [number] two singles and she’s only a sophomore, so she’ll only get better and better over the years,” Henning said. “It’s tough playing that position at one doubles because you’re playing some of the best players in our region…even nationally.”

This year, Danielson has won two conference matches and is looking for more this season. Piper tennis will face St. Olaf on Friday, March 20, before heading to Orlando, Florida, for their spring break trip.

“[Going to Florida was] a lot of fun last year,” Danielson said. “We played a lot of good teams. It was really good team bonding I think too. I think we got closer after that.”