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Tanya Fan began researching colleges she may want to attend in middle school. Fan was particularly interested in Ivy League schools, and Cornell captured her attention from the start.

The Ames, Iowa native received a call from Cornell assistant coach Katie Zordani on the first day coaches could begin contacting recruits. Zordani, who was recently named Cornell’s interim head coach, had familiarity with Fan’s home state. She played at the University of Iowa.

Five-Star Senior Tanya Fan Has Committed to Cornell
© Contributed Photo

“Talking about Cornell with her made me want to go there even more,” Fan said. “It wasn’t just the tennis, but the strong academic programs. As a person, she seemed to really care about the players and really understand tennis.”

Fan met Zordani in person once the Covid recruiting restrictions were lifted. She provided feedback on her play, and eventually made her an offer to play for Cornell.

The five-star senior had a “gut feeling” about the decision and committed to Cornell.

“It’s been really like a dream school for me since I started the process,” Fan said. “It checked off everything I had on my checklist. It was perfect timing too because some of the other coaches I was talking with were not willing to wait anymore.”