Tennis star transfers
Following the trailblazing footsteps of Pete Oberle '96 and Crawford Palmer '93, Brooke Galardi has elected to pass up her final two years at the University of Georgia to come play tennis for the Big Green.
"My direction has changed," Galardi said in an interview with the Valley News last week. "I am no longer interested in dedicating all of my time and energy into tennis and athletics."
In high school, Galardi was ranked number one in Southern California and 29th nationally. Two years later, fresh off playing a dramatic role in Georgia's upset of Stanford University in the NCAA championships, she is coming to Dartmouth.
"Brooke felt it was time to put more emphasis on her academics," tennis Coach Chris Kerr said.
Team co-captain Trudy Muller '96, who met Galardi in May, said, "Brooke seemed to fit in well with us, which is important because we are such a small team and are very close knit."
Kerr said Galardi's abrupt entry into the program will not disrupt team chemistry.
"The girls went out of their way to meet Brooke in May. The team has received her very positively," she said.
According to Kerr, Galardi will assume the first singles spot when the team's hectic fall schedule -- including three four-day tournaments -- begins with the Eastern Collegiate Tournament at Princeton University Sept. 23.
First singles has been a weakness for Kerr's program since Allie Boss '93 graduated. With the arrival of Galardi, that most definitely will change.
"I feel confident [that Brooke] will play first singles," Kerr said. "She will still have to try out like all of the other girls, but she and Deb [Healy '95] will be battling for the position."
And the team feels that Galardi's presence will only help.
"There won't really be any disruption. We are psyched to have a top player on the team," Muller said.
