After North Florida tennis head coach Catherine Dunagan stopped practice, Kit Gulihur casually juggled a tennis ball on her foot as she made her way off the court in Champaign, Illinois, in preparation for the 2022 NCAA Division I Women's Tennis Championships.
The moment was fitting for Gulihur, who juggled six sports growing up before choosing tennis as her best option to pave her way to a college education. The senior had no idea, however, that she was about to be honored for her achievements since then, which include holding a 4.0 GPA while majoring in psychology.
"At this time, we'd like to present the Elite 90 award," John Bugner, NCAA associate director of championships and alliances, started to say to the team.
He went on to explain that the NCAA Elite 90 award was instituted to recognize the true essence of the student-athlete by honoring individuals who have reached the pinnacle of achievement at the national championship level in their sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among their peers.
To Gulihur's surprise, her name was then read off as the winner.Â
"I was in complete shock, and didn't expect it whatsoever," Gulihur said of the Elite 90 honor.
It gave her a chance to reflect on the many opportunities sports provided her, especially tennis — "the last one standing," as she described it.
"I told myself, if I work hard in this sport, I'm going to be able to go to college," Gulihur said. "And then once I'm at college, I can study, get a degree and pursue my career. It was really just putting in a lot of hours on the court, so I could put in a lot of hours in the classroom."
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She became the first student-athlete in North Florida history to receive the prestigious accolade. Holding a perfect GPA, Gulihur plans to pursue a master's program in international affairs or global studies. The Camp Pendleton, California, native would like to apply her psychology degree to a more global or broader scale in the future. Gulihur has always been fascinated with how the human brain works, how people operate and how the human race handles obstacles.
When facing a challenge on the tennis court, Gulihur reflects on her psychology classes. The same is true when she experiences a difficult moment in her studies.Â
"I have a lot of experience in high-stress situations on the tennis court, and I use those experiences on the court to see how what I learn in my psychology classes applies in real life, and then also vice versa using what I learn in class to help me on the tennis court," she said.
Gulihur's hours on the tennis court certainly paid off. The 2022 ASUN Conference Player of the Year, Gulihur tallied four ASUN Player of the Week honors this season and finished the year with a 17-3 overall singles record. When the stakes are high, Gulihur looks outside the court for a chance to reset.Â
"Sometimes I get so focused on what's happening on the court, in my shots, and in my head, and in the opponent, that I'll just take five or 10 seconds to just stare off into the horizon," Gulihur said. "Look at the trees, look at the sky, and think, life is greater than just a tennis match, and then I don't feel so pressured anymore."
The perspective Gulihur now possesses took time to develop, and she admits that as a younger player the mental aspect of her game was something she struggled with. Over time, she has learned it's OK to take the pressure off and enjoy the moment.
"I've learned that it's better to take pressure off myself," Gulihur said. "I just want to have fun out here, enjoy the moment. I'll laugh. I'll dance. If I make a mistake, it's just one ball."
Gulihur offered advice to others looking to succeed as college athletes, both in their sport and in the classroom.
"Always remember that you're a student first," Gulihur said. "The grades are more important than the results on the tennis court or in any other sport."
