Women's Tennis Announces 2020 Signing Class
8/25/2020 12:00:00 PM | Women's Tennis
Rachele Rimondini, Sasha Wood, Anna Zhang, and Tatiana Ziff join 2020-21 Lions roster; Lions put together fifth top-25 recruiting class in last seven years.
NEW YORK—Head Coach Ilene Weintraub '02CC and the Columbia Women's Tennis program has announced its 2020 recruiting class as the Lions welcome four players to the 2020-21 squad: Rachele Rimondini, Sasha Wood, Anna Zhang, and Tatiana Ziff.
Columbia's four-member 2020 recruiting class was ranked No. 22 nationally and the Ivy League's top group by Tennisrecruiting.net. The 2020 class is Weintraub's fifth top-25 recruiting class in each of the last seven years.
Rimondini, Wood, Zhang, and Ziff join 11 returning letterwinners to the Lions' roster including seniors Paulina Ferrari, Jennifer Kerr, and Sarah Rahman, juniors Yekaterina Alferova, Akanksha Bhan, Melissa Sakar, and Caitie Sullivan, and sophomores Shivani Amineni, Julia Haynes, Sophie Raiszadeh, and Michelle Xu . Columbia's 2020-21 roster can be found at this link.
Columbia finished 11-2, captured its second straight ECAC Championship and concluded the 2019-20 year ranked No. 30 nationally before the COVID-19 pandemic ended the season.
2020 COLUMBIA WOMEN'S TENNIS SIGNEES
RACHELE RIMONDINI
First-Year | 5-8 | Boca Raton, Fla./Spanish River H.S.
Quoting Weintraub: "I was impressed with Rachele's footwork and movement when I first watched her play in person. She has that graceful athleticism like Federer where she looks like she's gliding on the court. She is not afraid to come forward and attack the volley which is something we emphasize. Rachele, being dedicated to the sport, spent her senior year training and competing in Italy."
HIGH SCHOOL
A May 2020 graduate of Spanish River High School in Boca Raton, Fla. where she played for Coach Miller … Rated a five-star recruit by Tennisrecruiting.net … Ranked the nation's No. 30 player in 2020 and No. 32 in 2019 … Also ranked the No. 2 player in Florida and No. 11 player in the Southeast in 2020 … Ranked among the nation's top-40 players from 2017-20 … National Level 3 singles and doubles champion … Was a National Level 3 individual champion … Won a National Level 2 doubles championship … Reached the Level 1 quarterfinals at the National Clay Court … At Under-18 Clay Court Championships, split sets with a highly ranked player in the quarterfinals … Named to the All-Palm Beach County First Team in 2017 … Played high school tennis for two years as both a sophomore and junior … Played as the No. 1 singles players for the Sharks as a sophomore and junior in 2017 and 2018 respectively … Served as team captain in 2017 and 2018 … Led the Sharks to a Class 4A regional championship in 2018 … Four-year Honor Roll student … AP Scholar student … Involved in a variety of volunteer activities including beach cleanups and raising awareness for Climate Change.
PERSONAL
Born Rachele Rimondini on September 10, 2002 in Milan, Italy … Daughter of Raoul Rimondini and Marina Colombo … Has an older brother Pietro … Her brother also played tennis at a competitive level … Family lived in Italy most of their lives … Speaks Italian fluently … Hobbies and interests including drawing mandalas and minimalistic drawings and learning different dishes to make … Nickname is Rachi or Chele … Role model is her mother because she is the most influential person in her life and cultivates her personal growth … Selected Columbia because of its energetic atmosphere, diverse culture and future plans which include working and building a life in New York City … Also picked Columbia to educate herself with the Core Curriculum and gaining a life changing experience … Chose Columbia over offers from Harvard and Penn … Enrolled at Columbia College.
ARTICLES
https://www.oltrepotennis.it/news/rimondini-vince-a-sorpresa/
https://www.superiortennisfl.com/latest-news/rimondini-doubles-runner-up-at-international-grass-court-championships
SASHA WOOD
First-Year | 5-11 | Topsfield, Mass./Laurel Springs School (Calif.)
Quoting Weintraub: "Sasha's persistence, passion and drive throughout the recruiting process caught my attention as well as her height, presence at the net and big lefty serve. Sasha has had a lot of success on the doubles court. Her commitment to volunteer work to serve underprivileged communities throughout the world is quite admirable and something we hope to translate to the local Inwood neighborhood when our new facility emerges."
HIGH SCHOOL
A 2020 graduate of Laurel Springs School in California … Ranked the No. 1 player in New England in the Under-16, Under-14, and Under-12 age groups … Won New England Sectionals singles and doubles titles eight times, including two at the Under-12, three in Under-14, and three at Under-16 levels … Won over six National Open singles titles and over 10 National Open doubles titles … Won Gold Ball at National Spring Championships … Won over 50 New England singles and doubles titles over prep career … Competed in the Main Draw of both singles and doubles Junior Australian Open (Jan. 19-26, 2019) … Ranked as high as No. 146 in the ITF World Rankings … Competed in 23 total ITF Finals matches … Won ITF Grade 2 doubles title, three ITF Grade 3 doubles titles, seven ITF Grade 4 doubles titles, and won ITF Grade 5 doubles title … Also won two ITF Grade 4 singles titles, two ITF Grade 5 singles titles and reached the semifinal of the ITF Grade 1 tournament … Earned Sportsmanship Awards as the USTA Spring Championships and USTA National Open in California … Heavily involved in volunteer and community service activities including mission trips to African countries: Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi, Tunisia, Morroco, and South Africa in order to distribute resources such as clothing and toiletries and coach tennis to underprivileged children living in orphanages … Coached tennis to underprivileged youth in Panama, Colombia, Nicaragua, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Peru, Bolivia, Mexico, Antigua, Costa Rica, and Trinidad.
PERSONAL
Born Sasha Gabriella Wood on January 28, 2002 in Beverly, Mass. … Daughter of John and Nancy Wood of Topsfield, Mass. … First generation college student … Father played professional baseball for the Toronto Blue Jays … Loves to write, especially when traveling and documenting her experiences and adventures around the world …Began playing tennis when she was two years old … Also loves to volunteer in any way possible including tennis coaching, serving as a math and science tutor and/or helping to provide resources such as clean water, food, clothing, and toiletries on medical mission trips to disadvantaged communities … Role models are her parents, who taught her the value of hard work and value of education … Favorite sports memory was competing at the Australian Open alongside Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Serena Williams … Favorite book is the Power of Now … One word that describes her: balanced … Columbia because she fell in love with the campus the first time she stepped foot in Morningside Heights … Additionally, the spirit and zealousness that both Coach Ilene Weintraub and Assistant AJ Nelson possess captured her attention … Selected Columbia over offers from Harvard, Penn, Brown, Cornell, and Dartmouth … Enrolled at Columbia College … Plans to major Biology/Pre-Med and intends to pursue a career in medicine.
ARTICLES
https://www.salemnews.com/sports/topsfields-wood-reflects-on-experience-of-a-lifetime-at-australian-open/article_a028fb7d-a960-55f8-ac53-e556ea62cf3a.html
https://boxford.wickedlocal.com/article/20150805/sports/150808328
https://blog.universaltennis.com/2018/02/09/serving-with-or-without-a-racquet/
https://www.patriotledger.com/article/20150805/SPORTS/150808328
ANNA ZHANG
First-Year | 5-8 | McKinney, Texas/McKinney North H.S.
Quoting Weintraub: "Anna is a high-level player who has achieved blue chip status given only to the best 25 recruits in their class. She brings a wealth of experience after having competed in all the most competitive junior events."
HIGH SCHOOL
A 2020 graduate of McKinney North High School, where she played one year of varsity tennis for Head Coach Jonathan Stein .. Played only her freshman season of high school tennis … Named to the Class 5A All-State Tennis team as a freshman … In 2019, registered her highest national ranking of No. 15 by Tennisrecruiting.net and No. 14 by TennisRPI … Also ranked No. 814 world-wide in the ITF women's rankings … Ranked among the nation's top-30 players in each of the last four years by Tennisrecruiting.net … Advanced to the USTA National Level 2 quarterfinals in 2019 … Won two USTA National Level 2 Tournaments in Edmond, Okla. and San Antonio, Texas in 2018 … Placed third at the USTA National Fed Cup in 2018 … Won the USTA National Level 3 Tournament in Midland, Texas in 2017 … Placed fifth in the USTA National Fed Cup in 2017 … Took second place in the state singles championships as a freshman in 2017 and was named the team's Most Important Player … Finished in sixth place at the HOSA … Earned three cords for four years of academic excellence … Involved in a variety of volunteer and community service activities through her high school's Key Club … The many activities included making care packages for the homeless shelter, assisting a chicken coop show in downtown McKinney, and playing baseball with kids.
PERSONAL
Born Anna Zhang on March 6, 2002 in Stony Brook, N.Y. … Daughter of Jincheng Zhang and Fang Li … Has a younger brother Mike … Both parents are tennis coaches and competed in tennis … Mother competed in all the grand slams championships, the Olympics (represented China), played on the Chinese Fed Cup team for seven years, and advanced to the fourth round of the Australian Open … Mother was ranked as high as No. 36 in the world … She turned professional in 1990 and retired in 2001 and competed against players including Steffi Graf, Martina Hinges, Monica Seles, and Lindsey Davenport … Has family living in the New York City area … Hobbies and interests include hiking, concerts, traveling, and cooking … Also assisted her father's summer tennis camps … Has played tennis since she was two years old … Also competed in swimming, golf, dance, basketball, cross country, and soccer … Lists her moth as her role model because she is extremely hard-working and is willing to do anything to help those in need … Chose Columbia because it felt like a home away from home but in big city, the prestigious academics, high-level tennis, and location in New York City … Also chose Columbia for the diversity and opportunities it has to offer … Chose Columbia over offers from Notre Dame, SMU, Georgia Tech, Santa Barbara, Dartmouth, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Texas A&M, and Michigan … Enrolled at Columbia College … Plans to major in Economics.
TATIANA ZIFF
First-Year | 5-6 | North Palm Beach, Fla./The Benjamin School
Quoting Weintraub: "Tati is exceptionally bright and has the kind of maturity and personality that enhances group dynamics. A natural leader, Tati was captain of her high school team all four years! Her dedication to tennis, her teammates and her continued development is going to fit in well with the culture of our program."
HIGH SCHOOL
A May 2020 graduate of The Benjamin School in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., where she earned six varsity tennis letters for Head Coach Hugo Armando … Ranked as a three-star recruit by Tennisrecruiting.net … Ranked No. 30 in the state of Florida and No. 253 nationally on TennisRecruiting.net … Won multiple USTA Level 6 events from 2016-19 … Totaled a 14-17 overall USTA record … Won mixed doubles open tournament in 2019 … In 2019, placed fifth in the Under-18 USTA Level 5 event at Orlando and fifth in the Under-18 Level 5 event in Beverly … Advanced to the semifinals of the Under-16 USTA Level 5 event in Orlando in 2018 … Advanced to the state quarterfinals in 2017 and 2018 … Captured singles and doubles district championships in 2017 and 2018 … First Team All-County singles player … Four-time team Most Valuable Player selection … Earned the Buccaneer Award in 2020 … Four-time team captain who competed as the No. 1 singles and doubles player for five straight years … Led the Buccaneers to four straight district titles and a regional championship in 2017 … Also competed two years in cross country … Named team Most Valuable Player in 2018 with a best time of 21:08 … National Merit Finalist in 2020 … Finished third in her class … Earned Scholastic National Gold Medal for photography in 2020 and Silver Medal in 2019 … National AP Scholar with Distinction in 2020 … Won AP Language and Composition Award … Earned President's Education Award in 2020 … Cum Laude Society member … Earned school's Honors Calculus Award in 2019 … Three-year member of the National Honor Society … Vice President of the National Honor Society in 2020 … Heavily involved in volunteer and community service activities … Volunteer as a surf instructor at Blue Water School of Surfing from 2015-20 … President of the Tutoring Club, where she coordinated 25 peer tutors and personally tutored high school peers in Math and English … Organized a poinsettia fundraiser for local non-profits through the National Honor Society … Volunteer at Vineyard Youth Tennis as a youth instructor.
PERSONAL
Born Tatiana Maria Ziff on December 26, 2001 in New York City … Daughter of Dirk and Natasha Ziff … Has an older brother William … Father graduated from Columbia in 1988 and received his MBA from Harvard … Mother attended the University of Western Ontario … Uncles Daniel '95 and David '61 also attended Columbia and Harvard respectively … Father's first cousin Cameron Ziff competed in tennis at UNC-Greensboro (1997-98) … Father's uncle David Ziff competed in tennis at Columbia in 1957 … Her second cousin, who is from Bolivia, is a professional tennis player and ranked No. 94 in the world … Parents are majority owners of the World Surf League … Hobbies and interests include playing the drums, sneakers and participating in water activities including surfing, sailing, swimming or surfing … Lived in New York City until she was seven years old … Nickname is Tati … Role model is her father because he pursues his many passions, juggles multiple careers while always making time for the people he loves by giving much more than he takes … Father convinced her to reach out to Columbia and that began mutual interest … Selected Columbia for its combination of a prestigious academic institution and the location in New York City … Also picked Columbia because of the uplifting, welcoming, and energetic culture of the women's tennis program and her coaches' commitment to improving as tennis players … Chose Columbia over offers from Yale and Georgetown … Enrolled at Columbia College … Intends to major in Political Science.
ARTICLES
https://neersyde.com/3244/sports/shes-number-one/
https://www.tennisrecruiting.net/article.asp?id=279888372
Columbia's four-member 2020 recruiting class was ranked No. 22 nationally and the Ivy League's top group by Tennisrecruiting.net. The 2020 class is Weintraub's fifth top-25 recruiting class in each of the last seven years.
Rimondini, Wood, Zhang, and Ziff join 11 returning letterwinners to the Lions' roster including seniors Paulina Ferrari, Jennifer Kerr, and Sarah Rahman, juniors Yekaterina Alferova, Akanksha Bhan, Melissa Sakar, and Caitie Sullivan, and sophomores Shivani Amineni, Julia Haynes, Sophie Raiszadeh, and Michelle Xu . Columbia's 2020-21 roster can be found at this link.
Columbia finished 11-2, captured its second straight ECAC Championship and concluded the 2019-20 year ranked No. 30 nationally before the COVID-19 pandemic ended the season.
2020 COLUMBIA WOMEN'S TENNIS SIGNEES
| Player | Height | Hometown/Previous School |
| Rachele Rimondini | 5-8 | Boca Raton, Fla./Spanish River H.S. |
| Sasha Wood | 5-11 | Topsfield, Mass./Laurel Springs School (Calif.). |
| Anna Zhang | 5-8 | McKinney, Texas/Mckinney North H.S. |
| Tatiana Ziff | 5-6 | North Palm Beach, Fla./The Benjamin School |
RACHELE RIMONDINI
First-Year | 5-8 | Boca Raton, Fla./Spanish River H.S.
Quoting Weintraub: "I was impressed with Rachele's footwork and movement when I first watched her play in person. She has that graceful athleticism like Federer where she looks like she's gliding on the court. She is not afraid to come forward and attack the volley which is something we emphasize. Rachele, being dedicated to the sport, spent her senior year training and competing in Italy."
HIGH SCHOOL
A May 2020 graduate of Spanish River High School in Boca Raton, Fla. where she played for Coach Miller … Rated a five-star recruit by Tennisrecruiting.net … Ranked the nation's No. 30 player in 2020 and No. 32 in 2019 … Also ranked the No. 2 player in Florida and No. 11 player in the Southeast in 2020 … Ranked among the nation's top-40 players from 2017-20 … National Level 3 singles and doubles champion … Was a National Level 3 individual champion … Won a National Level 2 doubles championship … Reached the Level 1 quarterfinals at the National Clay Court … At Under-18 Clay Court Championships, split sets with a highly ranked player in the quarterfinals … Named to the All-Palm Beach County First Team in 2017 … Played high school tennis for two years as both a sophomore and junior … Played as the No. 1 singles players for the Sharks as a sophomore and junior in 2017 and 2018 respectively … Served as team captain in 2017 and 2018 … Led the Sharks to a Class 4A regional championship in 2018 … Four-year Honor Roll student … AP Scholar student … Involved in a variety of volunteer activities including beach cleanups and raising awareness for Climate Change.
PERSONAL
Born Rachele Rimondini on September 10, 2002 in Milan, Italy … Daughter of Raoul Rimondini and Marina Colombo … Has an older brother Pietro … Her brother also played tennis at a competitive level … Family lived in Italy most of their lives … Speaks Italian fluently … Hobbies and interests including drawing mandalas and minimalistic drawings and learning different dishes to make … Nickname is Rachi or Chele … Role model is her mother because she is the most influential person in her life and cultivates her personal growth … Selected Columbia because of its energetic atmosphere, diverse culture and future plans which include working and building a life in New York City … Also picked Columbia to educate herself with the Core Curriculum and gaining a life changing experience … Chose Columbia over offers from Harvard and Penn … Enrolled at Columbia College.
ARTICLES
https://www.oltrepotennis.it/news/rimondini-vince-a-sorpresa/
https://www.superiortennisfl.com/latest-news/rimondini-doubles-runner-up-at-international-grass-court-championships
SASHA WOOD
First-Year | 5-11 | Topsfield, Mass./Laurel Springs School (Calif.)
Quoting Weintraub: "Sasha's persistence, passion and drive throughout the recruiting process caught my attention as well as her height, presence at the net and big lefty serve. Sasha has had a lot of success on the doubles court. Her commitment to volunteer work to serve underprivileged communities throughout the world is quite admirable and something we hope to translate to the local Inwood neighborhood when our new facility emerges."
HIGH SCHOOL
A 2020 graduate of Laurel Springs School in California … Ranked the No. 1 player in New England in the Under-16, Under-14, and Under-12 age groups … Won New England Sectionals singles and doubles titles eight times, including two at the Under-12, three in Under-14, and three at Under-16 levels … Won over six National Open singles titles and over 10 National Open doubles titles … Won Gold Ball at National Spring Championships … Won over 50 New England singles and doubles titles over prep career … Competed in the Main Draw of both singles and doubles Junior Australian Open (Jan. 19-26, 2019) … Ranked as high as No. 146 in the ITF World Rankings … Competed in 23 total ITF Finals matches … Won ITF Grade 2 doubles title, three ITF Grade 3 doubles titles, seven ITF Grade 4 doubles titles, and won ITF Grade 5 doubles title … Also won two ITF Grade 4 singles titles, two ITF Grade 5 singles titles and reached the semifinal of the ITF Grade 1 tournament … Earned Sportsmanship Awards as the USTA Spring Championships and USTA National Open in California … Heavily involved in volunteer and community service activities including mission trips to African countries: Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi, Tunisia, Morroco, and South Africa in order to distribute resources such as clothing and toiletries and coach tennis to underprivileged children living in orphanages … Coached tennis to underprivileged youth in Panama, Colombia, Nicaragua, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Peru, Bolivia, Mexico, Antigua, Costa Rica, and Trinidad.
PERSONAL
Born Sasha Gabriella Wood on January 28, 2002 in Beverly, Mass. … Daughter of John and Nancy Wood of Topsfield, Mass. … First generation college student … Father played professional baseball for the Toronto Blue Jays … Loves to write, especially when traveling and documenting her experiences and adventures around the world …Began playing tennis when she was two years old … Also loves to volunteer in any way possible including tennis coaching, serving as a math and science tutor and/or helping to provide resources such as clean water, food, clothing, and toiletries on medical mission trips to disadvantaged communities … Role models are her parents, who taught her the value of hard work and value of education … Favorite sports memory was competing at the Australian Open alongside Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Serena Williams … Favorite book is the Power of Now … One word that describes her: balanced … Columbia because she fell in love with the campus the first time she stepped foot in Morningside Heights … Additionally, the spirit and zealousness that both Coach Ilene Weintraub and Assistant AJ Nelson possess captured her attention … Selected Columbia over offers from Harvard, Penn, Brown, Cornell, and Dartmouth … Enrolled at Columbia College … Plans to major Biology/Pre-Med and intends to pursue a career in medicine.
ARTICLES
https://www.salemnews.com/sports/topsfields-wood-reflects-on-experience-of-a-lifetime-at-australian-open/article_a028fb7d-a960-55f8-ac53-e556ea62cf3a.html
https://boxford.wickedlocal.com/article/20150805/sports/150808328
https://blog.universaltennis.com/2018/02/09/serving-with-or-without-a-racquet/
https://www.patriotledger.com/article/20150805/SPORTS/150808328
ANNA ZHANG
First-Year | 5-8 | McKinney, Texas/McKinney North H.S.
Quoting Weintraub: "Anna is a high-level player who has achieved blue chip status given only to the best 25 recruits in their class. She brings a wealth of experience after having competed in all the most competitive junior events."
HIGH SCHOOL
A 2020 graduate of McKinney North High School, where she played one year of varsity tennis for Head Coach Jonathan Stein .. Played only her freshman season of high school tennis … Named to the Class 5A All-State Tennis team as a freshman … In 2019, registered her highest national ranking of No. 15 by Tennisrecruiting.net and No. 14 by TennisRPI … Also ranked No. 814 world-wide in the ITF women's rankings … Ranked among the nation's top-30 players in each of the last four years by Tennisrecruiting.net … Advanced to the USTA National Level 2 quarterfinals in 2019 … Won two USTA National Level 2 Tournaments in Edmond, Okla. and San Antonio, Texas in 2018 … Placed third at the USTA National Fed Cup in 2018 … Won the USTA National Level 3 Tournament in Midland, Texas in 2017 … Placed fifth in the USTA National Fed Cup in 2017 … Took second place in the state singles championships as a freshman in 2017 and was named the team's Most Important Player … Finished in sixth place at the HOSA … Earned three cords for four years of academic excellence … Involved in a variety of volunteer and community service activities through her high school's Key Club … The many activities included making care packages for the homeless shelter, assisting a chicken coop show in downtown McKinney, and playing baseball with kids.
PERSONAL
Born Anna Zhang on March 6, 2002 in Stony Brook, N.Y. … Daughter of Jincheng Zhang and Fang Li … Has a younger brother Mike … Both parents are tennis coaches and competed in tennis … Mother competed in all the grand slams championships, the Olympics (represented China), played on the Chinese Fed Cup team for seven years, and advanced to the fourth round of the Australian Open … Mother was ranked as high as No. 36 in the world … She turned professional in 1990 and retired in 2001 and competed against players including Steffi Graf, Martina Hinges, Monica Seles, and Lindsey Davenport … Has family living in the New York City area … Hobbies and interests include hiking, concerts, traveling, and cooking … Also assisted her father's summer tennis camps … Has played tennis since she was two years old … Also competed in swimming, golf, dance, basketball, cross country, and soccer … Lists her moth as her role model because she is extremely hard-working and is willing to do anything to help those in need … Chose Columbia because it felt like a home away from home but in big city, the prestigious academics, high-level tennis, and location in New York City … Also chose Columbia for the diversity and opportunities it has to offer … Chose Columbia over offers from Notre Dame, SMU, Georgia Tech, Santa Barbara, Dartmouth, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Texas A&M, and Michigan … Enrolled at Columbia College … Plans to major in Economics.
TATIANA ZIFF
First-Year | 5-6 | North Palm Beach, Fla./The Benjamin School
Quoting Weintraub: "Tati is exceptionally bright and has the kind of maturity and personality that enhances group dynamics. A natural leader, Tati was captain of her high school team all four years! Her dedication to tennis, her teammates and her continued development is going to fit in well with the culture of our program."
HIGH SCHOOL
A May 2020 graduate of The Benjamin School in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., where she earned six varsity tennis letters for Head Coach Hugo Armando … Ranked as a three-star recruit by Tennisrecruiting.net … Ranked No. 30 in the state of Florida and No. 253 nationally on TennisRecruiting.net … Won multiple USTA Level 6 events from 2016-19 … Totaled a 14-17 overall USTA record … Won mixed doubles open tournament in 2019 … In 2019, placed fifth in the Under-18 USTA Level 5 event at Orlando and fifth in the Under-18 Level 5 event in Beverly … Advanced to the semifinals of the Under-16 USTA Level 5 event in Orlando in 2018 … Advanced to the state quarterfinals in 2017 and 2018 … Captured singles and doubles district championships in 2017 and 2018 … First Team All-County singles player … Four-time team Most Valuable Player selection … Earned the Buccaneer Award in 2020 … Four-time team captain who competed as the No. 1 singles and doubles player for five straight years … Led the Buccaneers to four straight district titles and a regional championship in 2017 … Also competed two years in cross country … Named team Most Valuable Player in 2018 with a best time of 21:08 … National Merit Finalist in 2020 … Finished third in her class … Earned Scholastic National Gold Medal for photography in 2020 and Silver Medal in 2019 … National AP Scholar with Distinction in 2020 … Won AP Language and Composition Award … Earned President's Education Award in 2020 … Cum Laude Society member … Earned school's Honors Calculus Award in 2019 … Three-year member of the National Honor Society … Vice President of the National Honor Society in 2020 … Heavily involved in volunteer and community service activities … Volunteer as a surf instructor at Blue Water School of Surfing from 2015-20 … President of the Tutoring Club, where she coordinated 25 peer tutors and personally tutored high school peers in Math and English … Organized a poinsettia fundraiser for local non-profits through the National Honor Society … Volunteer at Vineyard Youth Tennis as a youth instructor.
PERSONAL
Born Tatiana Maria Ziff on December 26, 2001 in New York City … Daughter of Dirk and Natasha Ziff … Has an older brother William … Father graduated from Columbia in 1988 and received his MBA from Harvard … Mother attended the University of Western Ontario … Uncles Daniel '95 and David '61 also attended Columbia and Harvard respectively … Father's first cousin Cameron Ziff competed in tennis at UNC-Greensboro (1997-98) … Father's uncle David Ziff competed in tennis at Columbia in 1957 … Her second cousin, who is from Bolivia, is a professional tennis player and ranked No. 94 in the world … Parents are majority owners of the World Surf League … Hobbies and interests include playing the drums, sneakers and participating in water activities including surfing, sailing, swimming or surfing … Lived in New York City until she was seven years old … Nickname is Tati … Role model is her father because he pursues his many passions, juggles multiple careers while always making time for the people he loves by giving much more than he takes … Father convinced her to reach out to Columbia and that began mutual interest … Selected Columbia for its combination of a prestigious academic institution and the location in New York City … Also picked Columbia because of the uplifting, welcoming, and energetic culture of the women's tennis program and her coaches' commitment to improving as tennis players … Chose Columbia over offers from Yale and Georgetown … Enrolled at Columbia College … Intends to major in Political Science.
ARTICLES
https://neersyde.com/3244/sports/shes-number-one/
https://www.tennisrecruiting.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
Columbia Classics Shorts - Women's Tennis 2013 Ivy League Championship
Monday, April 12
