Special from
Zoo Tennis
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Growing up in a Wisconsin township of 700, Reese Brantmeier regularly drove hours to find competitive tennis while she was mastering the sport. Her ultimate destination is professional tennis, but first, the nation's top recruit in the class of 2022 is traveling east to Chapel Hill to join top-ranked North Carolina this fall.
Reese Brantmeier Will Join North Carolina in the Fall
© Zoo Tennis
With her success playing the professional tour as an amateur, including two wins in women's qualifying at the US Open last summer, Brantmeier debated whether to include a year of collegiate tennis in her development plans, but ultimately opted to sign with the Tar Heels last month.
"Going pro was the goal beforehand and that hasn't changed," said the 17-year-old from Whitewater, Wisconsin. "It was obviously a difficult decision. I just decided that college tennis is such a unique opportunity, and I think it's a great competitive atmosphere. I think that even just having a year of college is going to be so helpful in the long term."
Ranked No. 1 in her class in 2021, Brantmeier had offers from many top programs, but North Carolina felt right, even without a customary official visit.
"I did have a lot of options and I took my time with my decision," said Brantmeier, who turns 18 in October. "There were a lot of coaches I did talk with, but something stood out about North Carolina. The college decision is going to be very different for everybody and it's just a feeling. I really had that feeling with the coaches."
