TicketsCINCINNATI – Redshirt seniors Ioana Guna and Emma Miceli have been Bearcats tennis teammates and best friends for five seasons. Guna, who originally hails from Craiova, Romania, graduated in December 2020 with a Bachelors degree in finance and minor in information systems. She is currently working towards her masters in Science and Information Systems with a data science certificate, with plans to graduate in May. Miceli, who is from Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, graduated with her bachelors degree in accounting in May of 2021 and is currently working towards a masters degree in accounting.
In honor of senior day coming up on March 30, we sat down with both seniors to talk about how they both have grown on and off the court together over the last five seasons.
You both are fifth year seniors and have been here for five seasons. What does this senior day mean for you?
Emma: "Yea I think it's hard because all the time I just try and think, I will be finishing practice and I will be like 'what do I say on my senior day?' – so much has happened. We have been through a pandemic, I got to meet my best friend, coach has become such a big part of our lives. When you first come, it is all about the tennis. But then it just became Cincinnati is such a big part of my life. I am going to live here, I am going to work here. And a lot of the people around us, like Karen Hatcher has been such a great person and a role model for us. Just like our staff around us, we go to the training room everyday. These people have become seriously a second family since both of us haven't gotten to go home a lot. So, five years, when I think of home sometimes, I forget my home is Canada. Cincinnati is now my home, which is pretty special."
Ioana: "I think all the memories that we have gained over these five years, like the people we have met are now pretty much our family. Knowing Cincinnati will now be our home for the future and stuff. Karen Hatcher, she really helped me so much in even finding my internship, she gives advice that is so helpful. And how much we trust her. And with Coach, how we have spent so much time with him. I think I spend more time with him than my parents in the past 10 years! Yea, it's going to be so emotional, so we look forward to this senior day."
Emma: "Like even together, we've had..."
Ioana: "We have lived together for four years!"
Emma: "…we have had different trainers, different athletic support staff, different teammates. But five years and living with someone for four years, like that is something super special that this school brought us this friendship, which is really cool."
Also this year, historic 11-match win streak. The longest win streak in program history. Before that, the longest was 10 in a row in 2016-17. You both have been a part of two big runs both under Coach Toth, what does that mean for the program to see this win streak but also for you both to be a part of it?
Emma: "I think that It's really special that it's happening our last year too, because it's a bit of the icing on the cake. Fifth year, we are already dealing with so many things, but it makes this season so much more sweet. I am so happy for our team, I am so happy for Coach. We look at a lot of these teams on our schedule and we are like 'we can beat them!' in the past, and we have been so close. We have been right there. But for it to finally come together and just to be able to enjoy it with your team is so nice."
Ioana: "I think it's even better not knowing what the record actually was, like even for myself I didn't know about it. But I would go out and give my best every match. It ended up being so good, so many wins in a row! The surprise of it was really cool."
You both mentioned Coach Toth is like a father figure for you guys. How would you describe Coach Toth?
Emma: "He is the nicest person, like I am not even that nice! But he will always try and do what's best for someone else. He's always tried to help us out. He's just gotten really close to us, he always tries to see what we need to do on the court, especially as we've gotten older."
Ioana: "We've definitely gotten more comfortable with each other. We even send each other our Wordles every day."
Emma: "He's just super nice, he always tries to make these corny jokes…"
Ioana "The jokes have definitely gotten better, actually!"
Emma "I think he's enjoying it more now, too. I think the relationship we have built with him, he's just enjoying it more. It's a nice environment, we just have that trust and respect in each other and he knows we will put the work in on the court and we trust him that he wants to fully support us. I think once the other girls see that too and they realize it, it's really special."
What is it about the sport of tennis that you love so much?
Ioana: "I think competing pretty much. It's been pretty much everything in my life until now. So yea, competing I would say. The way it develops you mentally not just physically. I have given everything for this sport pretty much so yea, I love it."
Emma: "I think too, the competition. Just being a competitive person. Tennis teaches you so many things. Like you have to think on the spot, no one else is there to just step in. And that's whats different from college [compared to middle school], right away we were confused by the yelling and the cheering and someone coming to coach you. Our whole life it's been, you have to problem-solve right on the spot…"
Ioana "You could never be coached on the tennis court in juniors…"
Emma: "I mean yea, it's just you. You can never be substituted in by a teammate. You have to figure it out. I think those qualities have helped us so much in life too. Tennis teaches you so much about strength and having belief in yourself."
Ioana "Sometimes it's so different being an individual sport and also a team sport. I think, people don't realize how important like, mentally being so tough it is just to get through a match. Even pro athletes, they can struggle when they are at the top. It teaches you how to be tough."
When you look back on your time here over the last five years, is there a memory that sticks out the most for you both? What's one of your favorite moments that you'll never forget?
Ioana: "For me, it would be Marshall because I clinched that match and it was so close. My body started cramping, like I gave my everything. It was pretty hard conditions to play tennis in, cold and windy. And then I think every time we [Emma] played doubles together is a memory, like I am still waiting for the end of the season to pick my favorite because we are still playing and building so many memories. Every doubles match is a memory for us."
Emma: "It's just so much fun to play together. When coach first put us together he goes 'you both pretty much have the same brain it's going to be great.' It didn't really start off great, but it's true we have played really well together. And with more time playing together, it's been so much fun. And we can be honest with each other on the court. For me one memory in particular though, I think is when we went to conference in 2018. One of our last regular season matches was against ECU and we lost 4-3. But we go to conference right away and we beat ECU in the first round… it was special because we want to do well in conference, we want to fight. But knowing we had the tight turnaround playing the same people, and to beat them after losing to them and to prove that to ourselves - it was great."
Emma, how would you describe Ioana in three words?
Emma: "I would say super loyal, because no matter what, I know she will be there for me and she's so honest and truthful. That matters the most to me. I would also say stubborn because she is set in her ways and she likes things a specific way, but that's a good thing. I also think shes hilarious and she doesn't know it. Like so many things she does and her mannerisms and the things she says, the way things come out, we just laugh so much together and have so much together."
Ioana, how would you describe Emma in three words?
Ioana: "Good friend. I will always go to her, because she will always be honest with me no matter what. Even if it hurts my feelings, you don't really see that that often and I appreciate her so much for that. I would also say hardworking - she would always try to achieve the best and put so much time into homework, tennis. Even if practice didn't go the way she wanted she would want to spend more time on the court."
Emma: "I want to add perserverance to describe Ioana. I mean, even imagine, this is not her first language. English is not. She's doing so much better, and with all these courses she would have to go back and re-watch the lecture. Imagine having to look up words that your professor says because they aren't a part of your language. That's a testament to her hard work."
Ioana: "One more word for Emma, I would say she's family for me. She's like my sister. We do everything together, we spend the most time together pretty much. We talk about everything, there would not be a single thing I wouldn't want to tell her and the way we support each other. We are so happy about each other's success and everything that we achieve."
You both have been here five years, each year with new and different teammates. How would you describe this years team dynamic?
Emma: "Even when people say, the different personalities…"
Ioana "..It's not as common for us to get along, but we are all really good friends. And even the age difference, you don't see it."
Emma: "There are no big fights. We are pretty lucky that, even though we all have our own personalities, and I think that it's good that we have different interests in life and we have different outside people. When we come to the court, it makes things not hard or competitive. It's a supportive environment and everyone knows what they are supposed to do:"
Ioana: "And support each other. And you are so happy when your teammate wins."
Emma: "And I think this year, we have really had so many different people step up. Like both of us have been injured and some matches not be there, and other girls have come in and done a great job and it's been that Bearcat mentality and fighting for the team. And that's why we have had those 11 wins this year."
UP NEXT
The Bearcats will host NKU on Senior Day on Wednesday, March 30 at the Trabert-Talbert Tennis Center.
FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati tennis, please visit GoBEARCATS.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the team (@GoBearcatsWTEN) and Head Coach Eric Toth (@EricToth1) on Twitter. You can also find the Bearcats on Instagram and Facebook.
In honor of senior day coming up on March 30, we sat down with both seniors to talk about how they both have grown on and off the court together over the last five seasons.
You both are fifth year seniors and have been here for five seasons. What does this senior day mean for you?
Emma: "Yea I think it's hard because all the time I just try and think, I will be finishing practice and I will be like 'what do I say on my senior day?' – so much has happened. We have been through a pandemic, I got to meet my best friend, coach has become such a big part of our lives. When you first come, it is all about the tennis. But then it just became Cincinnati is such a big part of my life. I am going to live here, I am going to work here. And a lot of the people around us, like Karen Hatcher has been such a great person and a role model for us. Just like our staff around us, we go to the training room everyday. These people have become seriously a second family since both of us haven't gotten to go home a lot. So, five years, when I think of home sometimes, I forget my home is Canada. Cincinnati is now my home, which is pretty special."
Ioana: "I think all the memories that we have gained over these five years, like the people we have met are now pretty much our family. Knowing Cincinnati will now be our home for the future and stuff. Karen Hatcher, she really helped me so much in even finding my internship, she gives advice that is so helpful. And how much we trust her. And with Coach, how we have spent so much time with him. I think I spend more time with him than my parents in the past 10 years! Yea, it's going to be so emotional, so we look forward to this senior day."
Emma: "Like even together, we've had..."
Ioana: "We have lived together for four years!"
Emma: "…we have had different trainers, different athletic support staff, different teammates. But five years and living with someone for four years, like that is something super special that this school brought us this friendship, which is really cool."
Also this year, historic 11-match win streak. The longest win streak in program history. Before that, the longest was 10 in a row in 2016-17. You both have been a part of two big runs both under Coach Toth, what does that mean for the program to see this win streak but also for you both to be a part of it?
Emma: "I think that It's really special that it's happening our last year too, because it's a bit of the icing on the cake. Fifth year, we are already dealing with so many things, but it makes this season so much more sweet. I am so happy for our team, I am so happy for Coach. We look at a lot of these teams on our schedule and we are like 'we can beat them!' in the past, and we have been so close. We have been right there. But for it to finally come together and just to be able to enjoy it with your team is so nice."
Ioana: "I think it's even better not knowing what the record actually was, like even for myself I didn't know about it. But I would go out and give my best every match. It ended up being so good, so many wins in a row! The surprise of it was really cool."
You both mentioned Coach Toth is like a father figure for you guys. How would you describe Coach Toth?
Emma: "He is the nicest person, like I am not even that nice! But he will always try and do what's best for someone else. He's always tried to help us out. He's just gotten really close to us, he always tries to see what we need to do on the court, especially as we've gotten older."
Ioana: "We've definitely gotten more comfortable with each other. We even send each other our Wordles every day."
Emma: "He's just super nice, he always tries to make these corny jokes…"
Ioana "The jokes have definitely gotten better, actually!"
Emma "I think he's enjoying it more now, too. I think the relationship we have built with him, he's just enjoying it more. It's a nice environment, we just have that trust and respect in each other and he knows we will put the work in on the court and we trust him that he wants to fully support us. I think once the other girls see that too and they realize it, it's really special."
What is it about the sport of tennis that you love so much?
Ioana: "I think competing pretty much. It's been pretty much everything in my life until now. So yea, competing I would say. The way it develops you mentally not just physically. I have given everything for this sport pretty much so yea, I love it."
Emma: "I think too, the competition. Just being a competitive person. Tennis teaches you so many things. Like you have to think on the spot, no one else is there to just step in. And that's whats different from college [compared to middle school], right away we were confused by the yelling and the cheering and someone coming to coach you. Our whole life it's been, you have to problem-solve right on the spot…"
Ioana "You could never be coached on the tennis court in juniors…"
Emma: "I mean yea, it's just you. You can never be substituted in by a teammate. You have to figure it out. I think those qualities have helped us so much in life too. Tennis teaches you so much about strength and having belief in yourself."
Ioana "Sometimes it's so different being an individual sport and also a team sport. I think, people don't realize how important like, mentally being so tough it is just to get through a match. Even pro athletes, they can struggle when they are at the top. It teaches you how to be tough."
When you look back on your time here over the last five years, is there a memory that sticks out the most for you both? What's one of your favorite moments that you'll never forget?
Ioana: "For me, it would be Marshall because I clinched that match and it was so close. My body started cramping, like I gave my everything. It was pretty hard conditions to play tennis in, cold and windy. And then I think every time we [Emma] played doubles together is a memory, like I am still waiting for the end of the season to pick my favorite because we are still playing and building so many memories. Every doubles match is a memory for us."
Emma: "It's just so much fun to play together. When coach first put us together he goes 'you both pretty much have the same brain it's going to be great.' It didn't really start off great, but it's true we have played really well together. And with more time playing together, it's been so much fun. And we can be honest with each other on the court. For me one memory in particular though, I think is when we went to conference in 2018. One of our last regular season matches was against ECU and we lost 4-3. But we go to conference right away and we beat ECU in the first round… it was special because we want to do well in conference, we want to fight. But knowing we had the tight turnaround playing the same people, and to beat them after losing to them and to prove that to ourselves - it was great."
Emma, how would you describe Ioana in three words?
Emma: "I would say super loyal, because no matter what, I know she will be there for me and she's so honest and truthful. That matters the most to me. I would also say stubborn because she is set in her ways and she likes things a specific way, but that's a good thing. I also think shes hilarious and she doesn't know it. Like so many things she does and her mannerisms and the things she says, the way things come out, we just laugh so much together and have so much together."
Ioana, how would you describe Emma in three words?
Ioana: "Good friend. I will always go to her, because she will always be honest with me no matter what. Even if it hurts my feelings, you don't really see that that often and I appreciate her so much for that. I would also say hardworking - she would always try to achieve the best and put so much time into homework, tennis. Even if practice didn't go the way she wanted she would want to spend more time on the court."
Emma: "I want to add perserverance to describe Ioana. I mean, even imagine, this is not her first language. English is not. She's doing so much better, and with all these courses she would have to go back and re-watch the lecture. Imagine having to look up words that your professor says because they aren't a part of your language. That's a testament to her hard work."
Ioana: "One more word for Emma, I would say she's family for me. She's like my sister. We do everything together, we spend the most time together pretty much. We talk about everything, there would not be a single thing I wouldn't want to tell her and the way we support each other. We are so happy about each other's success and everything that we achieve."
You both have been here five years, each year with new and different teammates. How would you describe this years team dynamic?
Emma: "Even when people say, the different personalities…"
Ioana "..It's not as common for us to get along, but we are all really good friends. And even the age difference, you don't see it."
Emma: "There are no big fights. We are pretty lucky that, even though we all have our own personalities, and I think that it's good that we have different interests in life and we have different outside people. When we come to the court, it makes things not hard or competitive. It's a supportive environment and everyone knows what they are supposed to do:"
Ioana: "And support each other. And you are so happy when your teammate wins."
Emma: "And I think this year, we have really had so many different people step up. Like both of us have been injured and some matches not be there, and other girls have come in and done a great job and it's been that Bearcat mentality and fighting for the team. And that's why we have had those 11 wins this year."
UP NEXT
The Bearcats will host NKU on Senior Day on Wednesday, March 30 at the Trabert-Talbert Tennis Center.
FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati tennis, please visit GoBEARCATS.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the team (@GoBearcatsWTEN) and Head Coach Eric Toth (@EricToth1) on Twitter. You can also find the Bearcats on Instagram and Facebook.