Commitment Profile
Fall Signing Week '14: Yates Set to Join Tiger Squad at Mizzou
by Clair Maciel, 11 November 2014
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When Turner Yates began her college search, among the top criteria in narrowing her decision were that she wanted to be a part of the SEC, and she wanted to be part of a team that developed American players. After weighing the options of several different universities, not only did she feel that the University of Missouri was the best fit, but there was also one quality about the Tiger tennis team that stood out to her most of all - the feeling of being part of a close-knit family.
"I really liked the coaches, Sasha Schmid and Jason Potthoff, from our first meeting, and their enthusiasm and vision really resonated with me," Yates said. "When I went on my official visit, I completely fell in love with it. The people I met there were all so kind, and I absolutely adored the team. All of Mizzou's facilities are so impressive, and I immediately knew it was where I wanted to go."
Even after considering other schools such as TCU, South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Richmond, College of Charleston and Ole Miss, Yates still felt strongly about what she saw at Missouri, and she has committed to joining the Tiger tennis team in the fall of 2015.
As she concludes her high school career at Jackson Academy in Mississippi, Yates said she feels pretty confident about her ability to take her tennis to the NCAA Division I level. Not only has she been ranked No. 1 for her age group in Mississippi for the better part of a decade, but Yates also notched a big win at a 10K tournament this summer over a 25th ranked NCAA opponent. Needless to say, that win was a huge boost in confidence for the senior 5-Star Recruit.
But her success on the court should come as no surprise considering her background in the sport. Not only did both of her parents play tennis growing up, but Yates' first introduction to the sport came at a young age when her older sister, Ellie, started taking lessons. Yates' athleticism, which she gained from a lifetime of participating in basketball, soccer, swimming, track and cheerleading, made her a natural on the tennis court. And it didn't hurt that she was often competitive with her sister, who now plays for the Vanderbilt tennis team, as she rose up the junior rankings.
"Since the seventh grade, I had won the No. 2 spot at the high school state championships behind my sister," Yates recalls. "Then in my sophomore year, after Ellie graduated, I won it. And my win at the 10K tournament over the college player this summer gave me a lot of confidence in my ability to contribute to any team."
