For CHS students, any athletic achievement is more than remarkable. Still, some students, like senior Ronit Khromchenko of Manalapan, find ways to take their accomplishments to a whole new level.
With signing day having passed on Nov. 8, Khromchenko moves towards finalizing her tennis commitment to Lehigh University.
“It’s been a dream of mine,” Khromchenko said. “Ever since I started, I’ve wanted to play college tennis.”
Her commitment to Lehigh has served as quite a significant achievement in her 15-year tennis career. Khromchenko has played the sport since she was just three years old, commenting that tennis has held a special space in her heart for as long as she can remember.
“My brother started playing first when I was about one, and then my sister started playing,” Khromchenko said. “I kind of just got thrown into it as soon as I could hold a racket.”
From that point on, Khromchenko never stopped playing. During her freshman and sophomore years of high school, she was an active member of the Manalapan High School’s girl’s varsity tennis team. She served as the one singles player during both years, meaning that the team regarded her as their strongest player, according to New Jersey High School Sports.
For her junior and senior year, though, she decided to just play for Mountainside Racquet Club in North Jersey to further focus on her academics and training. Through this effort, Khromchenko was able to build up her skillset tremendously, resulting in her getting recognized by various college scouts at her following events.
“The summer before junior year, I did college showcases, which is basically where you play matches and college coaches come to watch you,” Khromchenko said.
As of June 1, the colleges were allowed to start talking to players that sparked their interest. By the end of the summer and into the fall, it was time for the universities to begin giving out their offers.
“Then I had the verbal commitment, which was just me saying yes,” Khromchenko added. “But on November 8, that’s when it’s official.”
Lehigh wasn’t the only school with Khromchenko on their minds; three other colleges had offered her a spot on their team, and the choice of where to go was a difficult one for Khromchenko.
“It’s like you’re setting yourself up for the next four years, which creates a lot of hard questions,” Khromchenko said. “Is the location good? Is it going to be a good team for me? Is its academics good? It was definitely not an easy decision.”
For a high school athlete preparing to move onto the collegiate level, these questions only continue to pile up. The average student has plenty of worries when it comes to deciding on a university, from meal plans to the school’s distance from home. Athletes like Khromchenko, however, have to make sure that their chosen school fits this same academic criteria as well as their personal athletic one.
Khromchenko expanded on why she made the final decision to choose Lehigh University.
“I had a really strong connection with the Lehigh coach, and I really liked the school itself, especially because I want to go for chemical engineering,” Khromchenko said. “I really liked the team. I could really envision myself there.”
And her teammates and coaches see a bright future for her at Lehigh. Sophomore Caroline Manzi of Freehold, Khromchenko’s doubles partner for five years and fellow teammate for ten years, described her belief in Khromchenko’s future as a Mountain Hawk.
“I think Ronit is going to be a great addition to the Lehigh tennis community,” Manzi said. “She is not only an amazing tennis player but a great person to be around, and I know she will do very well there.”
Their coach for the past eight months, Steve Ondish, expanded on Manzi’s extremely positive predictions about Khromchenko’s future career.
“[She is] the definition of grit,” Ondish said. “There was no doubt Ronit was going to play college tennis. I’m mostly happy she’s been able to find a home at a school that she enjoys with a team that appreciates her.”
With her high school career coming to an end, Khromchenko holds out to stay optimistic about her new journey, with incredible support from her peers, coaches, family and more.
“Having that team, having that family, that’s what I’m most excited for,” Khromchenko said. “I can’t wait to start, I feel like I’m just excited for the new chapter.”
