Yang Lee, graduate assistant coach of the Saint Leo men's tennis team, knows what it's like to face and overcome adversity.
The former Division I women's tennis player at Washington State was an international student-athlete from Taiwan who battled several injuries during her college career. While she dreamed of pursuing a professional playing career after college, her injuries motivated her to instead explore a different way to stay involved with the sport: coaching.
Lee's coaching career began when she took on the role of graduate assistant at Saint Leo for the 2024 season. However, when the head coach of the team had to step away and Lee was asked to take over alongside other graduate assistant coach Johann Frühling, the trajectory of her career quickly changed.
Lee was ready.
"I like challenges," she said. "This is my first year coaching, and to step up and try to be a head coach and lead the team by myself, it's definitely a lot … but we all want it really bad. We have the same goal."
This isn't beginner's luck. The team's unifying desire guided the team throughout the season, leading it to a 22-3 overall record, a 7-0 record in the Sunshine State Conference and a regular-season conference title.
Despite challenging and unexpected circumstances, the team has found its way to the Division II Championships as the No. 3 seed. This marks the first season that the Lions have punched their ticket to the tournament since 2016, when they finished as national runners-up.
"It means a lot," said Ghali Mensour of having the opportunity to compete at this year's Division II National Championship Festival in Orlando, Florida. "I've been on the team for six years, and we always got stuck at the finals of regionals. Being able to overcome that and come through and make it to the national championship in my last year means a lot."
Both Lee and Mensour credit the team culture and perseverance of each player for allowing them to find motivation and success in their respective roles this season.
"We have a really good team. They take care of each other," Lee said. "So they motivate me a lot of the time. They will be like, 'Hey, coach, I really appreciate what you did.' I think just from those small things, it really motivates me. … They know how much work I put in for them."
"We've had our struggles," Mensour said. "Especially with our coach leaving at the beginning of the season, … we just decided not to let that affect us. Everybody was on the same page, and I think that's what made a difference. Everybody wants to win. Everybody's ready to compete."
For Lee, finding commonality with members of the team has allowed her to build strong relationships and learn how to be an effective leader. One of the unique ways Lee can relate to her team is through her experience as a former international student-athlete. This year, 12 countries are represented on the 15-person Saint Leo roster. During Lee's fifth-year season at Washington State in 2023, the nine-person roster represented eight countries, including her home country of Taiwan.
"My team was really international at Washington State, which is really unique," she said. "I learned about all the different cultures … I think that really made us like a family just because everybody was far from home.
"I kind of have a little bit more empathy," she added about now coaching international student-athletes. "I know the struggle it can be, and seeing them struggle just like me before. … The way I can help them is just tell them my story."
Being in the early stages of her career, Lee says it has been beneficial to take on tasks that are normally reserved for head coaches, such as administrative duties and recruiting. While it has been challenging to manage at times, learning some of the behind-the-scenes operations has provided Lee with opportunities that have surpassed anything she could have imagined during her first year.
"I think a takeaway for me is really I get to know myself a little bit better and what kind of coach I want to be," she said. "Also, how I can build a team better, not just on the court but off the court? … I think a lot of the things that normally head coaches do, graduate assistants don't, and I'm already doing it. I think that's going to just help me out a long way from now on."
As her student-athletes reflect on the season, they recognize the hard work that has been put in by their co-leaders to set them up for success and a chance to win a national title.
"I know it's not easy to be able to jump from being an assistant coach to basically a transition head coach," Mensour said. "It's very hard, and they've been doing a great job. I don't think they get enough credit for that, but they've been doing amazing. Thanks to them and their help, we've been able to make it to the national championship."
Describing herself as a passionate teacher, Lee aspires to have a long career in coaching and thinks this experience has laid a strong foundation for her future. Most importantly, she is grateful to remain involved in the sport that has played such a big role in her life.
"Tennis really means a lot to me," Lee said. "I'm really lucky to get the chance to make what I love my work. … Not everybody has the opportunity to do that. There's a lot of tough times, but that keeps me going."
