Minha Nova Casa

WRITTEN BY Flávia Araújo

It’s been an incredible journey for me these past four years and I think I’m going to finish my career in the best note possible as an Arkansas Razorback.

My reality changed the minute I decided to work with an agency that works to bring athletes to American colleges. I remember giving them my profile that included things like my interests and my values, and they found the perfect match for me: The University of Arkansas.

I’d never heard of Arkansas before. I had to use Google to find more information about the school and state. I had to look it up on maps and read articles on the web to better understand what I was getting myself into before my recruiting visit.

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But as soon as I arrived on campus, it was just like I’ve been here before and it felt like home right away. People were so welcoming. They really cared about me and made me feel important. People already knew who I was when I came here and they knew a little about my background so it helped with the conversations. The staff understood what kind of student-athlete they were recruiting, and all of those factors – combined with our incredible facilities, the culture and the entire state supporting the Razorbacks – were all very powerful and I noticed it right away.

In Brazil, if you want to be a student-athlete, there isn’t a lot of avenues for you to take in order to be successful in both worlds. I always wanted to succeed in school because that’s a very important family value; but tennis is my passion. I grew up with it and I love the sport.

When I saw that I had the chance to be successful both as a student and as an athlete at Arkansas, my decision was clear.

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As soon as I got to the airport to head back to Brazil, I remember looking back to coach Hegarty and saying, “I’m coming back. There’s no doubt in my mind that this is it. This is my new home.” I committed that day at the airport, and all the way back home I was thinking, “I’m a Razorback!”

It felt unbelievable. I remember telling my parents all about it and they were super excited. I recall my first day on campus as a student-athlete and it was the best day I’ve ever had.

In 12 years of tennis, no transition has been more challenging than college tennis. The level of competition in the Southeastern Conference was insanely high. It took me a while to get used to it, but after lots of hard work and extra time in the courts and weight room, I earned my spot and played in many big matches. The biggest payoff came during my junior year at Auburn. My teammates gave it their all for so many hours and everything came down to my court. It was what I’ve always dreamed about. After some very long points, I clinched the match with a third set win and we punched our ticket to NCAAs for the first time in three years. Everything clicked. My dream came true.

I want to thank my family and friends in Brazil and here in Arkansas for never failing to support and encourage me through every ups and downs. I would not be here without them believing in me. I also want to recognize every student-athlete for the friendships and for making me the leader I am today. In addition, I want to give a shout-out to the academic and athletic staff who gave all of us the tools to succeed in college and in life. There are lessons that can only be gained in a university, and I was lucky to learn them as a Hog.

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Last, but not least, I want to thank every Razorback fan or alumni who attended tennis matches, awards, banquets and many other special events which I have been a part of. Your dedication to us is indescribable and I’m so thankful for that.

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Go Hogs!

Flavia graduated with a bachelor’s degree in management from the Sam M. Walton College of Business and a minor in retail. She plans on attending graduate school in the spring to earn her MBA.