Q & A with 2017 Girls State Tennis Champion Ayana Akli

Ayana Akli (Class of 2019) is the first Girls state tennis champion in the history of Wheaton High School. The Wheaton Athletic Department recently had the opportunity to interview Ayana about her historic accomplishment. Here are her thoughts:

Why was winning the State Tennis Championship important to you?

It is important to bring good representation to Wheaton High School. I believe Wheaton is underrepresented both academically and athletically I want people to know how good we are.

Speaking of academics, what is your current academic status?

I currently carry a 4.5 weighted GPA and I am in the Engineering Magnet program.

Why did you select Wheaton?

When I visited Wheaton I got a great initial vibe from the teachers. There is such a positive learning environment at Wheaton.

How did it feel to defeat the 3x state champion to win the state championship?

I hasn’t really set in yet, as I am still in shock. She is such a well know player who has already committed to the Naval Academy.

You are a 3 sport athlete, why is playing multiple sport so important to you?

I don’t like doing one thing all of the time. I like to challenge and push myself to improve. For example, I am not the best swimmer on the swim team, but I continue to get better everyday because of practice.

What schools are you currently interested in?

Duke, Princeton, and Georgia Tech among others. It is very early in the process.

Is there anyone you would like to say thank you to?

I want to thank my friends for attending the match. It felt good to have the support as it help light a fire on me. I want to thank Coach Scott Woo for his continued support. Finally, I want to thank our principal Dr. Mugge for her complete understanding in terms of supporting student-athletes academically and athletically.

#New #Picture