Texas Tech University Athletics
Lady Raider Profile: Camryn Stepp
March 17, 2021 | Women's Tennis
In 2017, as the Lady Raider tennis team was in the middle of a monumental season that brought its first Big 12 Tournament championship and a run to the NCAA Elite Eight, Camryn Stepp was just beginning her competitive tennis career.
"My tennis story is very different from most college tennis players who have been playing competitive tennis since they were young," Stepp said. "I didn't start playing competitively until I was 14, but my middle school coach, Coach Axton, predicted that I would play college tennis. He spoke life into these words, even though I really didn't know what my options would be."
Stepp now finds herself one of the newest members of the Lady Raider program she grew up watching and has already played a role in a couple of Texas Tech's six wins so far this year. The current freshman is no stranger to Lubbock, having had a successful career at Frenship High School—just minutes from the McLeod Tennis Center her new team calls home.
At Frenship, Stepp racked up a two-year record of 40-4 in singles and 83-8 in doubles. She helped the Tigers to back-to-back trips to the Texas High School 6A State Tournament, and was a three-time All-District first team selection. She was slotted as a three-star recruit out of high school and was the No. 19-ranked player in Texas in the class of 2020.
"It was during the spring of my junior year while playing for Frenship High School at the State tournament that I started having college coaches approach me," Stepp said. "That sparked a fire in me to play college tennis. Fast forward through the whole recruiting process, I eventually narrowed it down to a few offers, but I still had two "dream" schools that I wanted to pursue.
"I took the chance and reached out to those two coaches just to let them each know that I was interested in playing for them and their program. Coach Petty was one of them. A few days later, he offered me a spot on the team as a walk-on. I was so excited, and even though I had opportunities to play on scholarship at other schools, I didn't hesitate to choose Tech."
A dream come true, Stepp became a member of the program she had spent so much time around while growing her tennis game at numerous clinics and camps throughout her high school years.
"I have been watching Tech tennis for years, and I had the opportunity to get to know some of the Tech players through the summer tennis camps," Stepp said. "As for the coaches, I hit with Coach (Tim) Siegel when I first started tennis in middle school. Then throughout high school, I did quite a bit of hitting with Coach (Michael) Breler, who was coaching high school tennis at the time and was pivotal in my development as a tennis player. During that same time, I also started getting to know Coach Petty through the Tech tennis camps and clinics."
Now, through one-plus semester of her college career Stepp has experienced the school and competition side of being a Tech student-athlete.
Stepp picked up her first collegiate singles win in a three-set win over Claire Slaughter of Arkansas at the Oklahoma Invitational. Her first doubles win came at the same event, teaming up with Nell Miller to knock off North Texas's Sophia Hummel and Saki Oyama, 6-2.
Despite challenges with navigating the new COVID world that has impacted all levels of competitive sports, Stepp has adjusted well to her new college life, thanks to help from her Lady Raider teammates.
"My first semester at Tech went fairly well despite all the craziness of COVID," Stepp said. "There was so much that we weren't able to do, so the one saving grace is that all the girls on the team live together so it was good for me to rely on their experience and guidance to help me with the transition into college athletics and online classes. Thankfully, we all get along, which makes it fun both on and off the court.
"The biggest adjustment as an athlete going from high school to college is definitely the increased level of intensity, which college practices and workouts demand on a daily basis, but I thrive on high intensity, so it's been a good adjustment."
Although she's just a freshman, Stepp has already found a role for herself on the team as well, and serves as a good spark for her teammates whether she's competing alongside them or cheering them on.
"We have nine girls on the team, and we are from five different countries," Stepp said. "This makes for an interesting combination of cultures, but we are all very accepting of each other. As for my role on the team, the girls see me as the caring, encouraging and energetic one, so I have combined those traits into positive energy to use with the team during practices and matches."
"Camryn is absolutely a coaches dream," Petty said. "She is one of the most improved players I have ever coached. In many ways she is the heartbeat of this team and a lot of our success is dedicated to her."
Stepp made her first career dual start in a win over Arizona, picking up a doubles win with Olivia Peet to help Tech take the doubles point over the Wildcats, and also starting on the sixth singles line. Texas Tech knocked off Arizona, 4-1, to open the season 1-0, and Stepp was a key contributor. She also made starts in the 4-0 win over UTEP the following day.
"I was so excited to be able to contribute to the wins," Stepp said. "Liv and I did well in dubs, and I was able to take what I learned in my first singles match to dominate my second match."
Having brought her tennis game and career such a long way in only a few years of playing competitively, Stepp doesn't take the opportunity to be a Lady Raider for granted, and has fit right in with the culture Petty and the team have established in Lubbock.
"I can sum it up in one word: Ubuntu," Stepp said. "We have been working on developing a team culture of unity, support, respect, and unselfishness. This positive mentality has us working together to achieve more, so I am excited to be a part of this process."
Stepp is majoring in Early Childhood Education, and hopes to someday teach kindergarten. But she hopes there's plenty of success on the tennis court for both her and the Lady Raiders in the years between now and graduation.
"As a team, we have set several goals, which include being a top 25 team, playing in the NCAA Tournament, and winning a Big 12 title," Stepp said. "As for individual goals, I feel that I have come a long way in a short amount of time, but I know that I am still in the process of making my game stronger so that I am able to play competitively and consistently at this higher level. And as my tennis continues to grow, I know that I will help the team accomplish our goals."
"My tennis story is very different from most college tennis players who have been playing competitive tennis since they were young," Stepp said. "I didn't start playing competitively until I was 14, but my middle school coach, Coach Axton, predicted that I would play college tennis. He spoke life into these words, even though I really didn't know what my options would be."
Stepp now finds herself one of the newest members of the Lady Raider program she grew up watching and has already played a role in a couple of Texas Tech's six wins so far this year. The current freshman is no stranger to Lubbock, having had a successful career at Frenship High School—just minutes from the McLeod Tennis Center her new team calls home.
At Frenship, Stepp racked up a two-year record of 40-4 in singles and 83-8 in doubles. She helped the Tigers to back-to-back trips to the Texas High School 6A State Tournament, and was a three-time All-District first team selection. She was slotted as a three-star recruit out of high school and was the No. 19-ranked player in Texas in the class of 2020.
"It was during the spring of my junior year while playing for Frenship High School at the State tournament that I started having college coaches approach me," Stepp said. "That sparked a fire in me to play college tennis. Fast forward through the whole recruiting process, I eventually narrowed it down to a few offers, but I still had two "dream" schools that I wanted to pursue.
"I took the chance and reached out to those two coaches just to let them each know that I was interested in playing for them and their program. Coach Petty was one of them. A few days later, he offered me a spot on the team as a walk-on. I was so excited, and even though I had opportunities to play on scholarship at other schools, I didn't hesitate to choose Tech."
A dream come true, Stepp became a member of the program she had spent so much time around while growing her tennis game at numerous clinics and camps throughout her high school years.
"I have been watching Tech tennis for years, and I had the opportunity to get to know some of the Tech players through the summer tennis camps," Stepp said. "As for the coaches, I hit with Coach (Tim) Siegel when I first started tennis in middle school. Then throughout high school, I did quite a bit of hitting with Coach (Michael) Breler, who was coaching high school tennis at the time and was pivotal in my development as a tennis player. During that same time, I also started getting to know Coach Petty through the Tech tennis camps and clinics."
Now, through one-plus semester of her college career Stepp has experienced the school and competition side of being a Tech student-athlete.
Stepp picked up her first collegiate singles win in a three-set win over Claire Slaughter of Arkansas at the Oklahoma Invitational. Her first doubles win came at the same event, teaming up with Nell Miller to knock off North Texas's Sophia Hummel and Saki Oyama, 6-2.
Despite challenges with navigating the new COVID world that has impacted all levels of competitive sports, Stepp has adjusted well to her new college life, thanks to help from her Lady Raider teammates.
"My first semester at Tech went fairly well despite all the craziness of COVID," Stepp said. "There was so much that we weren't able to do, so the one saving grace is that all the girls on the team live together so it was good for me to rely on their experience and guidance to help me with the transition into college athletics and online classes. Thankfully, we all get along, which makes it fun both on and off the court.
"The biggest adjustment as an athlete going from high school to college is definitely the increased level of intensity, which college practices and workouts demand on a daily basis, but I thrive on high intensity, so it's been a good adjustment."
Although she's just a freshman, Stepp has already found a role for herself on the team as well, and serves as a good spark for her teammates whether she's competing alongside them or cheering them on.
"We have nine girls on the team, and we are from five different countries," Stepp said. "This makes for an interesting combination of cultures, but we are all very accepting of each other. As for my role on the team, the girls see me as the caring, encouraging and energetic one, so I have combined those traits into positive energy to use with the team during practices and matches."
"Camryn is absolutely a coaches dream," Petty said. "She is one of the most improved players I have ever coached. In many ways she is the heartbeat of this team and a lot of our success is dedicated to her."
Stepp made her first career dual start in a win over Arizona, picking up a doubles win with Olivia Peet to help Tech take the doubles point over the Wildcats, and also starting on the sixth singles line. Texas Tech knocked off Arizona, 4-1, to open the season 1-0, and Stepp was a key contributor. She also made starts in the 4-0 win over UTEP the following day.
"I was so excited to be able to contribute to the wins," Stepp said. "Liv and I did well in dubs, and I was able to take what I learned in my first singles match to dominate my second match."
Having brought her tennis game and career such a long way in only a few years of playing competitively, Stepp doesn't take the opportunity to be a Lady Raider for granted, and has fit right in with the culture Petty and the team have established in Lubbock.
"I can sum it up in one word: Ubuntu," Stepp said. "We have been working on developing a team culture of unity, support, respect, and unselfishness. This positive mentality has us working together to achieve more, so I am excited to be a part of this process."
Stepp is majoring in Early Childhood Education, and hopes to someday teach kindergarten. But she hopes there's plenty of success on the tennis court for both her and the Lady Raiders in the years between now and graduation.
"As a team, we have set several goals, which include being a top 25 team, playing in the NCAA Tournament, and winning a Big 12 title," Stepp said. "As for individual goals, I feel that I have come a long way in a short amount of time, but I know that I am still in the process of making my game stronger so that I am able to play competitively and consistently at this higher level. And as my tennis continues to grow, I know that I will help the team accomplish our goals."
Players Mentioned
Highlights vs. Boston U (NCAA First Round)
Friday, May 02
Postmatch Press Conference - NCAA First Round
Friday, May 02
Tennis Educational Video
Thursday, May 01
Tic-Tac-Toe Serving Game
Thursday, May 01