11th and final in a series of stories highlighting the academic, community and personal achievements of University of Toledo student-athlete.

By Rachel Rusnak, Assistant Director of Athletic Communications

TOLEDO, Ohio – First impressions may be important, but Patricia Panta's initial experience on the tennis court left something to be desired.

A native of Piura, Peru, Panta was five years old when she was introduced tennis, but it took a long four years until she came to love the sport that helped her eventually grow into a Division I athlete.

Panta grew up in a neighborhood where she and her friends could easily go outside and play in the street, whether it was soccer, volleyball or any type of game. She did not have television or technology for entertainment. Instead, she did her homework after school and then went outside to play with her friends.

"Asking my mom for permission to let me go out and play in front of my home was one of my greatest joys," she recalled.

Panta's older Brian, on the other hand, didn't have the same opportunity to play with his friends because his life was already focused on tennis. Seeing her brother spending all his free time playing tennis initially turned her off from the sport.
 

But when she was nine years old, Panta saw Brian (11 at the time) travel to Paraguay for the first time to play in a South American Tennis Tournament. The tournament featured the best three players from each Southern American country, with Brian representing Peru. Seeing her brother play as the No. 1 ranked player in Peru and sparked something inside Patricia to give the sport another try.

"I remember I started to read the newspaper and instead of saying my brother's name, I used to say my name," Panta said.

Panta was inspired by her brother, who broke into the elite world of competitive tennis as someone from the middle-class.

"Brian has been an example of perseverance for me and never giving up," Panta said. "His continuous effort was necessary for him to achieve the goals he set for himself. Despite the difficulties he encountered along the way and the doubts of others that he would achieve his goals, it was always important for him not to give up and never lose his will and hope."

Panta and her brother have always had a good relationship, and have gotten even closer recently despite living on different continents. They talk every couple of days and Brian always makes sure to call to check to see if his sister is doing well. "I have learned a lot from him, and I always look for solutions to overcome any obstacle," Panta said.

Panta worked tirelessly to develop her game and became No. 1 ranked in Peru in her age group when she was 12, and again at 13, 14, and 15. One major obstacle she had to overcome was an injury out of high school at a point where she was doing very well on the court, which withheld her from playing for a year. To fill the boredom of not playing that year, Panta started working as a tennis coach with her dad and became certified Level 1 by the International Tennis Federation (ITF).

During her recovery, Panta tried playing juniors again, but it was not the same. The risk of another injury bothered her until she was completely healed. At this point in her career, playing college tennis in the U.S. was not on her radar.

"I never thought about coming to the United States to play college tennis," Panta said. "I loved working with my dad to the point that I just wanted to stay in Peru."

However, Juliana Monroy, a close friend of Panta's, helped her connect with Greg Owen, the head coach of Seward Community College in Liberal, Kansas. In 2017, Panta enrolled at Seward where she played No. 1 singles and doubles for two seasons. She was named a 2017 ITA All-American, a two-time Region IV singles and No. 1 doubles champion, and a 2018 ITA "Player to Watch."

Seward was also where former Toledo women's tennis standout Thalita Rodrigues played. Rodrigues relayed Panta's information to head Toledo women's tennis coach Tracy Mauntler, who went down to Waco, Tex. to watch Panta in action at the 2018 Juco Nationals.

"I was impressed by the way she competed and carried herself on the court," Mauntler said. "I brought her in on a visit to Toledo to meet the team and spend some time on campus before I offered her a spot on the team. It's always important that recruits understand the culture and goals of the program, and I felt like Patty fit in perfectly."

Panta has been an integral part of the Rockets since her arrival in 2019. She compiled a career record of 35-30 (12-12 MAC) in singles and a 23-26 (8-9 MAC) record in doubles. Panta finished her senior season on a high note, going on a career-high seven-match winning streak from Jan. 15-Feb. 18, on her way to 14-10 singles mark.

"Patty's serve and forehand have really improved over the last few years," Mauntler said. "She's got a huge game for being such a peanut. She's had some unbelievable wins for our program and was a big part of the nine-match MAC win streak that ended our 2021 season."
 
In the classroom, Panta earned two degrees, in communications and in Individualized Studies (IDVP) with a focus on sports management. She has accepted a position working in social media and is awaiting approval for an OPT visa to begin work at the end of the month. The visa allows international students to stay for one year in the United States after graduation.

As Panta begins her professional career, she will always remember the lessons she learned as a student-athlete.

"The best experience as a student-athlete is the joy on my teammates' faces when we are playing for each other," Panta said. "Tennis has made me a better person. It's certainly helped define who I've become, and I love witnessing how the game impacts others in the same way."

Previous Stories
March 15 - Nick Rosi Follows His Parents' Footsteps into the Healthcare Field
March 28 - JT Shumate: Scoring Points on the Court and Impacing Lives in the Classroom
March 31 - Lou Trois Dedicates Herself to the Memory of Her Late Mother 
April 4 - Jamal Hines Found His Path Thanks to Sports (and His Mom)
April 8 - Claire Cahalan Makes Her Pitch for Law School 
April 12 - Lukas Clark Leads Men's Golf Team On and Off the Course 
April 25 - Swimming Taught Kennedy Lovell How to be a Leader
April 28 - Positive Support Helped Guide Aubrey Reed in Softball, Academics
May 2 - Few Bleed Midnight Blue Like Nicky Winterstein
May 6 - Lexi Lance Followed the Lead of Her Teammates