 "Photo: Matt Begola")
Have you seen those new commercials promoting the NCAA? You know the ones. They have a basketball player/psychologist or water polo player/protein chemist explaining that a majority of college athletes will go pro in something other than sports.
Well, whoever makes those commercials should contact Boston College tennis player Amy Molden because the junior is the epitome of the scholar-athlete. She uses her smarts to overmatch an opponent on the court and in the classroom.
As a young girl in San Diego, Molden was not concerned with athletics or academics. She was content to ride her bike around her home tennis court while her parents played the game she would dedicate herself to in high school. It wasn't long, however, before Molden put down the bike and picked up the tennis racket.
"I played almost every sport growing up - soccer, softball, basketball - but didn't really want to play [tennis]," recalled Molden. "I always got dragged to the tennis club so I think I decided that, instead of picking up balls or riding my bike on the court, I'd play [tennis] instead."
Molden began playing competitively at age 10 and the other sports save soccer eventually fell by the wayside by the time she entered University of San Diego High. Soccer and tennis were her two passions until a bone problem in her left knee forced her to choose between them.
Molden's knee surgery required her to be in a cast for three months, not able to put weight on her left leg for the duration. The three months were a difficult stage in Molden's life not only because she couldn't walk for that time, but because she was not able to battle athletically as she had most of her life.
Too eager to return to competition, Molden suffered a stress fracture in her other leg from overcompensation. The time off allowed her to decide which sport to concentrate on in her high school career.
The knee injuries certainly detracted from Molden's time for sports, but her academic career didn't suffer at all. She created a scholastic foundation, was a National Merit Scholar, and a member of her school's chapter of the National Honor Society.
Head coach Nigel Bently is not one to overlook Molden's intelligence on and off the tennis court. "The thing that separates Amy from the pack is that she's incredibly smart. She's the smartest tennis player. Particularly early on in a match, she can develop a feel and understanding for how the match is being played and is able to evaluate her opponents to figure out what is necessary to win. Everything that a 'student-athlete' implies, Amy represents. She's a terrific academic student as well."
Molden chose to play for Bently and the Eagles all the way from El Cajon, Calif., upon the culmination of her high school career.
During that time, she was ranked in the top 100 nationally and ranked number one in San Diego singles play.
She had a great freshman year at BC with a record of 20-12, winning four in a row twice. She followed her rookie campaign with a team-best 20-11 record as a sophomore. Seven wins in that record came consecutively in Big East play - the most notable of which was against a player from national powerhouse Miami.
Amazingly, Molden juggled her life as a student and the major time commitment that comes with playing a collegiate sport.
Her focus on academics is clearly unrivaled by most student-athletes. She has squeezed into her tight schedule economics and international studies majors and a Spanish minor. Additionally, she tutors at the BC Neighborhood Center, volunteers for the Student Admissions Program and BC's International Assistants. She has interned over the summer for international nonprofit organization World Boston, as well. Got all that?
With all these things on her plate, Molden needed some guidance early on to help her organize her multiple commitments.
"Our assistant coach, Katie McNamara, was kind of a mentor for me [those first two years]," remarked the junior. "She played tennis at BC and she's been a really good friend and supporter."
Molden entered this season as part of an experienced squad, with four juniors and two seniors. Along with that experience usually comes higher expectations. And, being the competitor that she is, Molden has lived up to those expectations so far this season. She has been on fire, compiling a 12-4 record and winning seven matches in a row and 11 out of her last 14.
Molden piled big win upon big win during that stretch, including victories against Notre Dame, Harvard, and Yale. It got to a point where Molden expected to win every time she stepped onto the court.
"I feel a little more like a leader now, and before I assumed the freshman and underclassman role and let the older girls lead. Now I see myself in more of a position as leader," said Molden on how this season is different from her previous two.
Bentley disagrees somewhat. He believes that she has been a leader her entire career at BC. "[Molden] is as consistent a performer as you could ask for. She's a hard worker. She has a passion for tennis which carries over to her teammates. She's always at practice 30 minutes early and always wants to get extra hitting in. She's always been a leader in her own way."
Aside from her high level of play on the tennis court, Molden has a sense of loyalty and devotion to her teammates and coaches that she carries with her everytime she plays an opponent. There are only eight girls on the team and Molden came to BC with three of them.
The deep bonds with her teammates are the strong forms of motivation that drive her to play her best at every match.
"Nigel Bently has been very supportive and a great motivator. He's been very patient with us. I know it sounds trite, but I wouldn't be where I am without my team and my coach. They have brought me to where I am."
Where Molden finds herself today is at the head of a talented Eagles squad that is streaking into the Big East Championships.
She may yet find herself in one of those NCAA commercials as a successful economist, but before that day comes, Molden has the responsibility of leading her teammates toward further success on the tennis court.
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