Where Are They Now?
Countdown: Q&A with Alexandria Livingston of Saint Peters
by
Harry Cicma, 5 November 2014
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In 2010, Alexandria Livingston was a standout tennis player at Columbia High School in Maplewood, N.J., who had committed to Saint Peter's University.
Fast forward four years, and Livingston has completed her college tennis career and graduated from Saint Peter's. As a recent graduate, Livingston has persepctives on college and college tennis that are still fresh in her mind.
Harry Cicma of NBC Sports recently talked with Livingston about her college tennis experience.
Questions and Answers
Harry Cicma (HC): What did you enjoy most about playing Divison I College Tennis at Saint Peters?
Alexandria Livingston (AL): One of the most enjoyable parts about playing D-I tennis was having the opportunity to travel and play in major tournaments with some really tough competition. There was always a challenge for me - whether it was within my own conference or in teams we met in tournament play. I always knew that with every match I played I was getting better in some way, and it's important to continually develop your game.
It's also a lot of fun when you get to hop on a bus or a plane with your team and visit new places.
HC: What were some of your best memories from college tennis?
AL: One of my best memories was making it to the MAAC conference tournament at the end of our season. Saint Peter's hadn't gone to the conference tournament in years so it was a really great to represent my university on a bigger stage.
Another great memory is when my team beat Loyola University -another thing we hadn't done in awhile. It was such an adrenaline rush and everyone really came together as a team and it was great to see.
HC: What advice would you give a young player looking to compete at the Division I Level?
AL: If I were giving a younger player advice, I would first say to not only focus on on-the-court drills and simulated match play - but also to work on the fitness aspect of the game. With players getting bigger and stronger over the years, it's even more important to supplement hard work on the court with even harder work off the court.
Another major piece of advice has nothing to do with tennis, but with academics. A student athlete - especially on the D-I level - has a lot of responsibilities, and being a student first is one of them. Time management is an essential skill to have going through college, and it's even more important for an athlete to master this skill so they can balance everything efficiently on and off the court.
HC: You have been doing some TV work since College, such as Taste of Tennis in New York City with the legends. How is that going?
AL: My experiences with doing some TV work after graduating from college have been nothing short of amazing. I've fortunately had the opportunity to be around some major tennis legends through this work, and it's been both a lot of fun as well as great work experience.
I believe it's always important to find your niche when it comes to choosing a career. Being on camera, interviewing people, and meeting so many new and interesting people is something I truly love doing.
Big Finish
Tomorrow, the Countdown takes a look at 4-Star senior and Lehigh recruit Chris Auteri. Find out why Auteri is heading down to Pennsylvania to compete on Wouter Hendrix's Mountain Hawk squad. And check out all of the great articles from our Countdown to Signing Day article series.
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About Harry Cicma
When it comes to college tennis, Harry Cicma is your man. Cicma
covers tennis and other athletic stories for
NBC Sports,
writing articles and producing video segments.
He is co-founder and host of World Tennis
a weekly tennis show on NESN, and host of of Tennis Live Radio's
College Corner.
Cicma competed as a junior in USTA/New England and went on to play
college tennis at Rutgers University. As a professional, Cicma
competed at the ATP Newport tournament and the San Jose Siebel Open.
He reached a career-high #75 in the ATP doubles team rankings and
#1262 in the ATP Entry System.
In media, Cicma has run the gamut. He has worked for NBC, CBS, ABC,
ESPN, FOX Sports Net, the Tennis Channel, and World Team Tennis.
Cicma has announced NCAA sports as well as the US Open Tennis
Championships on both TV and radio.
