Inside Rutgers Tennis with Hilary Ritchie: Season Recap & 16 Years of Perspective

Welcome back Cracked fans to another edition of the Cracked Interviews podcast.

I'm your host Alex Graskin and we have another fantastic conversation for all of you listeners

today as I am joined by a first time and long overdue guest.

It's Rutgers, women's tennis head coach Hillary Richie, who joins me to break down her

Scarlet Lines performance so far during this 2026 season of course was a busy last Friday.

For Rutgers as they had a double-header drop a tough one against number 25 Yale 4-2 before

bouncing back for a four-love victory over Monmouth, one to recap.

The team's Friday matches with Coach Richie as well as reflect upon her tenure.

Thus far at Rutgers 16 years, she's now served as either the assistant or head coach

of the program wanted to discuss what it was that drew her two Rutgers and discuss the

ways college tennis has changed.

Having her coaching tenure, again, this is a fantastic conversation.

I am certain all of you tennis fans will enjoy, made me look that much more forward to

the next time we have Coach Richie on this podcast and certainly cannot wait for that next

conversation because again, this is a fun one.

I'm certain all of you listeners will enjoy it of course for more on everything happening

in the college tennis universe head on over to the great shout podcast feed but for now

let's get to it my conversation with Rutgers women's tennis head coach Hillary Richie.

Joining us on the podcast for the first time today is someone who is kind enough to allow

our crack rackets team to broadcast her team's top 25 battle this weekend ultimately a four

to fight they drop with Yale but they bounce back in the second half of the double header

for a four love win over Monmouth now entering her 10th season a crazy number at the helm

of the Rutgers women's tennis program it's head coach Hillary Richie joke joining us

today coach.

First of all welcome to the crack thank you for having me know it's great to see you

and obviously a busy weekend for the Scarlet nights.

I'm curious how you're feeling as you and your team again wrap up these first two months

of this 2026 season scheduling is always interesting right trying to find the balance of building

confidence and also having a strength of schedule but I think as we head into our first

big 10 weekend we feel really really prepared and yes we had the double header Friday so

they were tired but they had two days off which is always much appreciated.

Yeah no and I want to ask you about your scheduling but let's start with that Yale match

which again I had the opportunity to be on the broadcast for a really fun four to battle

for your side I know it's always tough to be on the wrong end of a battle like that but

you know I'm just curious what you saw from your girls and how a match like that helps

as you mentioned with big 10 plays starting this upcoming weekend.

So for us I think being in the Northeast the IVs are great competition and really really

are competitive teams that do prepare us for some of these big 10 matchups.

The Yale team we know really well we always see them in the fall and invite and we know

that our players really well that match I really was proud of the competitiveness of our

team so obviously our one doubles had a great match two doubles had a bit of a lead that

they just stepped off the gas a little bit and that Yale team came roaring back but I

think overall for everybody to come back and the two on two matches that were unfinished

for both you know three setters so I feel good about it it was disappointing loss but

also I think a lot of good things going forward knowing that we're going to keep competing

that way.

No it was a heck of a match and you know you mentioned the doubles first of all for

your number one team to get a six one win over the number 11 team in the country that's

just not something that happens every day and the level was there I am curious I don't

think this is a gotcha question but this might be the question that gets you to swear

at me as I was talking about beforehand when you have a moment like that at two doubles

where your team has a chance to serve for the set close out the doubles point and they're

unable to do so I'm curious how you go about addressing that and with that team specifically

is that something you'll go back and watch the film hey here's what we could have done

better in that moment like does it need to be addressed I'm always curious because I'm

sure it's not the easiest situation to handle.

Yeah there's a fine line and we do use film and we'll go back and sometimes I just

tag them in their matches and let them watch it on their own sometimes I'll clip some things

out and sit with them and show them I think that was a case where they started off so aggressive

and they were playing so well and at five two they just had some moments where they were passive

and let those middle balls go at the net and and that's a strong Yale team so you can't do that

and and it gave Yale a lot of confidence to come roaring back so I pick and choose my moments

to get real angry because because I think then you have more impact so that was more of one

where I kind of let it go and I said we got to go play single so they're tough on themselves as

it is I think that's the other thing they're so hard on themselves and a lot of them are

perfectionists even though that's tough to be a perfectionist and tennis so yeah they already

understood that that was a big moment that they weren't able to take care of but we just use it

as a learning experience and say next time more aggressive in those moments.

No and I think it speaks to your team with how they responded in singles and again it's one of

my big projects this year whenever I'm talking to coaches because clearly and it's credit to you

out whatever you're doing is working like you see the development of all of these players the level

of our sport getting better and better every season so in between after a moment like that doubles

in singles what is the message to your team there and you know again you talked about how they

compete what is it specifically you're looking for in a moment like that yeah we again I think

building on these moments so we had a really tough one against Princeton that was close and and

making sure that they know we've been here before we can you know we can do this we can play and

also just playing within yourselves because you can sit and look at people's rankings and think

you have to do something so big and magical on the court but a lot of it is no we have this you

know we have the ability to make those shots and execute so we talk about competing and all

caps and what that means and not bailing out on the down the lines and digging out another ball so

for us it's yeah how can we how can we make sure we're really gritty and and we're not giving up

free points I like that competing in all caps I might have to steal that moving forward coach but

I'll I'll always cite my sources I was raised well I promise you talk about that sort of competing

I'm always curious and I we never give these players enough credit their athletes so the idea

of playing two matches in the day not physically incapable of doing it clearly I'm curious how

mentally taxing that double header day is and what why any you look at why any coach would choose

to schedule accordingly how what do you learn from a double header those sorts of moments you know

and you look at the team schedules right and you'll see some teams have so many well I think what

made ours even more challenging is we hosted one at home and then we drove down and played

mom with at their home so not a far drive but long enough and it's actually we've made them pretty

fun we did the same thing with Stephen Hall so we get in the van we pump up music you know we're

using it as like a bonding experience and they are tired but they do feel I think they feel

tougher afterwards they know they've put in some of that extra work and we know tennis players

at these junior tournaments play plenty of tennis but but then they come into our model of college

tennis and they're used to the short system but I think it builds a little toughness and you get

opportunities to play some other players as well no I like the idea of that van right it's like

first 30 minutes foam rollers next 30 minutes yeah final 30 minutes pump up music let's get it

back out yeah that's like that's about exactly how well yeah of course no you mentioned it though

like if you played junior tennis you've been on that exact cycle before so it's not a foreign idea

and I'm curious are you so you know again you schedule a couple double the headers this season

why is that something you will continue to do wise double headers you I don't want to say your

preferred option but why is that something you explore I don't know yeah I don't know that's my

preferred option I'm just as tired as they are at the end yeah um but I think obviously with

the dates of competition you know you're trying to maximize wins and losses and you're thinking

about how you get everybody certain experiences and I think the double headers do sometimes

allow for some flexibility of trying different things out I've also made mistakes with double

headers where you scheduled to pretty challenging teams so it's it's a trick and I think finding

the local teams where we can host at home and then also get in a way when I mean it just works

in the algorithm sometimes too yeah now that that makes it by the way you have to work a triple header

because you have the two matches then you've got skiler and Tyler at home and oh my gosh yes I do

yeah it's like I got another match trust me yeah full of birthday parties and sports and all

the things yeah I tell it this is so stupid but I tell this to my mom all the time now I'm like so

let me get this straight you had a job and then you came home and dealt with this like I can't I'm

so sorry I was like if you would have explained it yeah I wish I knew this like as a 13-year-old

I could have comprehended like you understand she's dealt with patients all day who were moaning at

her like just be kind so it's one of those things they'll realize it I promise at some point yeah

yeah they'll get there but you know you talk about playing the algorithm this year and coming

into this we are coming off last week's rankings you guys were obviously a top 60 team that's a

team in the NCAA hunt and I'm curious if you leave dates open for yourself like are there still

dates you could fill moving forward knowing hey if we're in the mix and I think another road

win at Monmouth or whatever it may be how much does did that factor into your scheduling this year

yes well I don't I typically don't leave a date this far out we did have to reschedule with the

first snowstorm we've had snow here in the northeast so we had to reschedule Cornell but we did

find a date for that and you'll see some of the big tensies I think there are some teams that have

double headers even later into our big 10 season just I think that they're saving that in case

they need it it's it's tricky but the big 10 travel is real and so we do a lot of non-conference

matches that are more regional so we're not as taxed in that sense so hopefully you know this

this will actually be our first trip to Washington and Oregon ever going out so it'll be interesting

but I do have some dates for next spring open that I'm waiting for our schedule to be released so

playing with strength of schedule will be important to see who's on that well you beat me to the

question so the Cornell's the reschedule that wasn't always just a mid-march treat I suppose for your

team correct that is spring break and that's why we were able to reschedule it for spring break so

no we weren't going to make them drive down in 20 inches of snow I don't know might have been

a good home court advantage yeah wouldn't have been the worst but okay that makes more sense to me

you mentioned getting ready to head out west I've made that trip to Nordstrom love you know

I was gonna say love playing out there as if I did any planning love watching the action out there

but what's it been like adjust I mean it's been a couple years now of course but just big 10

schedule and now in particular with expansion these west coast trips how is is that more I this

might be a strange question is it more taxing financially or more taxing mentally on the program

ah it's it's really interesting right so last year we did our first west coast trip with

USC and UCLA and that was truthfully that was easy Newark Airport is 30 minutes from campus

it's a great international airport so you can get flights all the time anywhere but you're staying

in LA now this is a flight in between Washington and Oregon so it's it's gonna be interesting and I

think the team again preparing mentally for it with the time difference and everything will be

interesting I do feel like having Newark Airport 30 minutes away is is such a nice perk for us

because we we do have a lot more flexibility with flights and times in and out of places um

financially it it is definitely something to consider I mean this will be an expensive weekend but

again it's important for us for me to stay within budget I think that that's something that's really

important for a head coach to maintain but our ADs all know that it was an art choice to put all

these teams in the conference um so they understand that and they they adjust accordingly as well

I guess part well part of the reason I wanted to ask that is you know based off of this scheduling

topic you mentioned playing a lot of Ivy Leagues a lot of East Coast based teams is there ever a world

and I'm just gonna throw out two random teams which is like in Arizona Arizona state spring break

trip or something like that is that something you would consider moving doing more of with this

so I I miss spring break we used to always get to go on some great spring break trip we'd

go to New Orleans or Vegas with the team and pick up uh those kinds of teams but because the big 10

we're usually hosting on one weekend and we're traveling on the other we just don't have that

flexibility uh we did get to go to Georgia Tech uh for our senior mind wind who's from Atlanta

and we had a great kind of homecoming there but Georgia Tech was tough I mean those they just

competed so well so I try to find ways to get the team out and about to change things up when I

can but again having 13 matches already scheduled does handcuff you a little bit uh we actually when

Kelsey was still uh was constant we actually did play them in Arizona once and we played them in

New Orleans once so while we were trying to find tricky ways of getting outside early uh away from

some of the colder north northern weather yeah have you played outside it all yet?

no okay no I mean no so we we were in Georgia Tech I'm sorry so we did that was the one not

here yeah haven't been outside here in New Jersey I haven't looked at the Seattle weather like one of

the chances you guys are outdoors this week so it does look rainy okay I mean and I assume I

I'm good I assume it will stay rainy but you never know interesting no I'm always curious about

Windows so again for those that don't know the schedule of your team off the top of their head

you guys again heading west this weekend you've got Friday match at Washington Sunday at Oregon

when does a weekend road trip like that start for your team like when is it all right buses leave

out here we're hitting the road so this is tricky because again that that flight is long I think the

flight is like five and a half six hours so we're on an early flight Thursday morning uh which we

have a morning practice block so our team is used to getting up but but it will be yeah it'll be a

trip to Newark and again we've already we've already flown once this year so I think that will be

helpful that the team kind of knows how we operate um but again it's going to be a flight in between

on Saturday as well so just making sure everything goes smoothly with travel which we can't control

uh but no it starts early Thursday morning yeah how are you as an exam proctor oh no I don't do

it's an assistant job I know and all the online things I can't you know when I played we were we

didn't have all that virtual stuff so you just got everything done these players will have hey this

is due Friday and midnight so after our team meeting they have to go wrap up a paper or take a quiz

and I don't know how they do it mentally I just feel like it's actually harder on them

yeah back in the day you know we got to do skip class oh no right right yeah I'll be back on Monday

deal with it then I think it's harder they have I almost feel like they have more on their

plate in that way yeah now they got to use the Wi-Fi on the plane that sucks like I'm a sleeper

so yeah it's brutal for them but you know again you mentioned my the lone senior on your team this

year and I want to ask you about your team because again getting to see them play this weekend

it's a nice dispersal of talent by age like in the sense you've got some underclassmen you've

been able to work in you've got some upper-classmen experience as well I'm curious how it's been

what it's been like to work with this group and again two months into the season how you would

assess their progress yeah I actually love how you characterize that because I couldn't agree more so

my as a senior I think she had a great match at Yale and actually that was almost like this match

that had been coming I just feel like she's been close close close and she's had some good wins

but that was one of those that she really had to decide she wanted to like dig out to beat Orly so

I think she's got great leadership she works really hard at practice

Zoos is having a great year as well she's somebody who's who's kind of in that same leadership role

and again it's always interesting with transfers because Zoos had came to us as a sophomore

last year but it almost takes months to really peel back why somebody transferred you know what

their game is like and and help them out psychologically on the court I think it's funny as it goes

down so Karina and Zaynep are in the middle there kind of of the lineup also very strong talented

players but still sophomores so still I feel like such such room to grow for them a high ceiling

for them as well and then our freshmen thankfully you know you get to keep the freshmen low and you

know and help them develop but they're tough too our freshmen are tough and it's good for them to

have people to look up to and we're constantly trying to help encourage our upperclassmen to set

the standard of practice I mean that's that's our thing set the standard of what it looks like to

work hard on our team what are our non-negotiables so that our freshmen they understand that and they

can they can help model that and it becomes cultural yeah now and now I want to ask to follow

up some of the players but to that theme and it's been one of my questions of the year do you find

it better when you or a player on your team is the loudest voice in the locker room oh that's a

great question so my assistant coach Noah and I have a lot of conversations about these teams and

I've been at Rutgers for so long that sometimes I do feel like it's almost too much my voice I want

them to have I want them to have their voice you know and yes I have a certain way of doing things

and and you know my compass of how I like the team to go but I want it every year to be their team

and I think it's important that they find a voice and and they take more ownership because then

they want it more almost yeah I'm curious then the follow up of course how have you found with

this year's team like do they have the voices in the locker room that you to your point earlier can

kind of pick your spots they they do but I'm always encouraging them to speak up more I am I like

the dialogue between a coach and player and and I like the players to encourage each other and have

dialogue and you know if there's something going on between a doubles pair well go talk to each

other you know it can't it can't always be the coaches fixing things I do think the players

need to take ownership because ultimately when they're out there if they feel like they've done

that then they're going to perform better are you someone so I I've again it's a slightly different

but I you don't get I've played team tennis and I had a coach who knew I like to bark back a

little bit like I want it as long as I felt like you're right you listen to me that's all I can

ask for do you tell like have you ever told the player like hey bark back like if you don't agree

with me say something now yeah and I sometimes even have it had it go you know the wrong direction

for me doing those things as a coach in 10 years you you do things really well sometimes and you

make mistakes but I do think that shows some ownership yeah same thing if they're listening and I'm

listening and sometimes I bark at them and sometimes they talk but I think that's a healthy

dialogue on a team as long as there's a level of respect and I always tell them it's how they do it

you can challenge us it's just do it in the appropriate way yeah no I and again I like that

is speaks to there are so many coaches who I think do such a good job of finding that fine line and

balancing those things it's why our sport is where it is now and you know again I looking at the

level some of your players in particular you mentioned it coming with my I thought the level was

extraordinarily high at one like I could not believe as I was looking through the rankings as

like hold on neither of these players are in the top 125 like something about that just isn't

accurate what do you think within her game has clicked so well for my this season uh you know

she's putting a lot of work in and just understanding so she's always thought of herself as talented

I think right but that's such a tricky word because a lot of times with talent you know okay we'll

balancing hard work and so so getting her to grind a little bit more and and not have those shots

that you know she's an offensive player yeah but but with playing offense comes mistakes and so just

understanding a little bit more we're really working on that transition ball with her to execute it

and you know thinking short angles more versus always just deep deep deep but I think she's

hitting her stride and and again a little bit of credit or a lot of credit to my assistant coach Noah

who who has really found the right moments to kind of push her and in that match I think he pushed her

really well when the match was tough and the level of play like you said that match was great um

and there was a moment where my got a little bit it looked like she was getting a little tired

and Noah didn't let her off the hook and he challenged her a little bit and and she was very

resilient and responded great and it worked and now it was in I thought the level on every court and

I mean again yields got some heavy hitters agarol at five it was just like what it was like what

yeah it's like oh my god yeah I mean she played a perfect match um but you know what else was

really impressive was signups first set at three where I was like oh my god like what is going

I again these two courts next to each other it was just like what is happening in this building um

I guess you know again it does it that end of that second set it that was one of those inflection

point moments where it feels like maybe if she can grab that we've got the momentum all of this

sudden you kind of mentioned in another player who was swinging aggressively in those biggest moments

like how do I because I feel like at this point how much is it to make these players accept like hey

there is a such thing as the right miss maybe not a good miss but that's the right miss like is

that what coaching is at this sort of level I feel like it's no longer hey let's shorten that

backswing those sorts of little things it's just hey this is what we want you to be doing

I think so for us I think it absolutely is and and really getting them to not you know say hey

that that match was good or bad no let's not talk about good or bad characterization let's talk

about oh I could have done this better but we all the time I I try to get them to really think

about good miss or bad miss was that the right choice or the wrong choice is that why I missed

um and and I think for them just mentally being present all the time is the biggest challenge

and in those matches that momentum and being present and feeling confident to go swing when you're

up at 5-2 in doubles or whatever it is is you know are you still making the right choices are you

still swinging or are you letting those opportunities go so no and it gets back to when you're coaching

especially with the young players and in doubles are you trying to teach them the energy of the

doubles first or the tactics of the doubles first I mean I'm sure it's a little bit of both but

in your mind what's more important oh well it may be equally important I don't know but um

we talk we are talking so much about positioning right now yeah and just encouraging I mean

you know like a team that I think Georgia Tech they were so tight to the net our players felt

pressure right away so encouraging them and we have some players that can do it really well um

but then the energy piece right that's something that that you they have to bring that all the time

and so we always talk about where we don't want to coach attitude and effort like you have to

bring your own attitude in your effort we'll coach the rest but we have to talk about that a lot

yeah no it's look it's a season-long grind like I'm sure part of it is you also don't want to

flood them with too much information it's like look this is the one Tuesday you have off or Monday

you have off before we have to get right back on the cycle again this weekend it's I just imagine

finding that balance that and now that I always say good tennis coach also has to be a part-time

accountant like I feel like that's the name of the job for you all yeah yeah and and right like

you'll know your players so well with who can kind of handle more stimulus and who can't and who

just needs you know that encouraging piece of the energy or who actually can process more in those

moments um and so that is sometimes with freshmen or the players that you're so getting to know on

court is finding that balance with what they can process in those big moments and a lot of it is

just encouraging them to go get it you uh you know for you specifically as we mentioned at the start

10th year at the helm of this Rutgers women's program are you better at all these things now

than you were 10 years ago like what if you could tell yeah I guess I better be yeah if you could

tell your year one self some advice what might it be oh that's a great question um I think I

learned the biggest a couple of years ago we had a challenging team a very successful team but

there were some challenges and it was don't be afraid to have hard conversations with the players with

with maybe support staff with um anybody you're working with don't be afraid to have hard conversations

because out of those hard conversations usually there is growth or something gets better yeah

now it's it's so interesting because from the outside you think about what those conversations

have to be and you don't think about well you know again if the player doesn't like it what if they

just pop in the portal and they're just done with like I how much more is that a prevalent line of

thought that it was for you 10 years ago you know at the same time if they're not on board with us

and with what I'm doing it's kind of like that's your choice if you aren't on board with again I'm

here 10 years this is kind of how I operate I am trying to grow and get better all the time but

there's that fear but once you once you get worried about that I think then you really are just

catering to each personality and that becomes a problem yeah what do you think within your

why what's been the biggest change for how you approach things 10 years later from year one

oh I change I think the best part of this job is that you get to change you get to take your

schedule yeah you get to say I think processing at the end of year what went really well and what

didn't was it something I could have done differently so I think that processing and I've had really

great assistant coaches who also I've taken something from and Haley's now in her first year at

Montana State as I had coach and Noah's grade he challenges me and we talk about little technical

things or how to motivate them so I think it's just as we ask the players to be open had coaches need

to be open right and try things that maybe didn't work last year or maybe I could tweak and being

open to change is a good thing no obviously it's a testament to what you've built all the different

things you have done and you know again it wasn't just the 10 years as the head coach you were at

Rutgers six years as an assistant before that as well 16 years with this program what is it that

keeps bringing you back up that's crazy that's a big number 16 so I was really lucky when Ben

Buca was the head coach he was a great mentor I got to learn so much from him and again he was a lawyer

at the same time which when people were like part time coaches I think they're probably still a few

out there and now he's a he's a judge in New Jersey so I got to learn all sorts of things from Ben

but I love New Jersey and I grew up out west so people oftentimes they go what don't you miss

Colorado but there's something about New Jersey and the people and the diversity that I just really like

I think overall we're a really gritty state and I actually I'm very excited about Kelly's in our

new athletic director she's very bright and knowledgeable and tenacious and it's something that

I'm excited to keep you know staying in this job and working for her she leads it but

New Jersey's great and Rutgers is a tough school and I think we have improved a lot so I'm glad

that you were able to see that level and and that we showcase that well against Dale but we're

going to keep improving did you expect 16 years in college tennis let alone at one spot I never

you know I was a GA at state Lawrence division three thought I was going to go into education and

be a principal but I was so surprised by how much I loved coaching and it sounds so corny but I

just really loved coaching and so when I did move to New Jersey and this job opened I know I never

thought I would be 16 years later it's crazy well hold on principal Richie has a ring to it that's

pretty good I mean I do like people to listen to me yeah principal it had coach a lot of overlaps

there but you know again I've read through the resume so obviously you played college tennis

and yeah you have the background in the sport but the plan was not to be I it says that you did

a summer at the US Air Force Academy working as a tennis instructor camp counselor like how does

one go from that to assistant at Rutgers how does that opportunity emerge yeah I got really lucky

so I I moved to New Jersey from my then boyfriend now husband and the job opened and I applied

and Ben you know when Ben interviewed me he saw some things on my resume that that were maybe

different from other people and I think he took a little bit of a chance for me I wasn't a

Jersey person he didn't know me but we just had a great time and I think same thing is he was such

an interesting person and he was coming for a different space than a lot of other college coaches

um but but it was it was really fun and being able to grow this team and I've seen so many

transitions from the biggest to the American athletic conference and then being back to the big 10

and it's expansion so it's it's been a lot of fun and and I do think college tennis has changed a lot

in 16 years it's kind of amazing but it's again look at what you're doing I mean we didn't have

this platform it's pretty amazing you know what what you're doing and showcasing our sport and

and I think it's great it's very kind of you to say um you know there were a few like youtube

channels here and there you could pick your spots a lot of bobby night refreshes I know exactly

where I was when like the video of Mitchell Frank's uh Adrian Puget's foot hitting the net in

champagne 2013 like I was senior project high school I was sitting out just like refresh refresh

refresh refresh refresh and waiting for that yeah I it's nice to be in the action now so certainly

hopefully we make it easier for that college tennis fan out there to follow everything because

that's the other thing and you know this is another thing I do in my research nowadays because so

many of you coaches were players back in the day I've got the 08 NCA singles draw in front of me

the other image draw I've got I've got the whole Bible um shout out to collette Lewis for getting

it together but how different is the level now like is it well when you describe the differences

I'm curious what are the things you turn to oh wow I do think the level is I mean I was

so when I went to Iowa we had a really tough strong team and we had some great players on our

teams at Iowa but I even I looked at our team at Rutgers right now and and I mean weren't they're

good our players are good I don't know it's I do think that level of that match for those two

teams and and again that mine or Lee were not ranked you know those would have been definitely

back when I was playing those would have been ranked players um I think they're I think the coaches

the resources the the I mean these are big-time jobs now we're all getting compensated more people

I think people are working hard and and it's um it's a career right so it's it's interesting yeah now

I it I feel like the tennis itself certainly yeah and I do feel like I guess is there more a

professionalism feels like the wrong word but is there a I guess it feels more professional like

as if it is a a a professionally preparing you for professional tennis that's what it feels like

when I go to all these events I'm curious if you feel that way yes I do think that they're

carrying themselves more professionally yeah I think there's more emphasis on all of it um and

again with all this you know NIL and and the money out there I think it it makes people be more

competitive and makes them take notice and if they still want to stay in it they have to be as good

and professional as the person next to them and again I think the resources there were always

international players when I played but now with video and streaming and you can see you have access

to more players in terms of recruiting and and they have access in terms of they can find out

what is Rutgers University you know they they wouldn't have been able to do that um 20 years ago

so I think it's a lot of knowledge as well and um even probably things like your truth be the

streaming if they know that's a viable option in this level is this good I'm not saying they're all

gonna go pro but at least they now look at it as a path of of something to improve their tennis

no I I completely agree and yeah it makes my job a little easier to get to watch really good tennis

how does your practice sketch like the practice schedule you implement as a coach how different is

it than the practice schedule you played under in college I feel like we would have a lot of

the same volume okay I think the volume was about the same I think our practices are a lot more

intense yeah I just think overall day to day they're more intense and the standard is higher and

and that's something that we try to encourage them to do as well right you're practicing for your

teammates not just yourself but um I think that's the biggest difference yeah you mentioned recruiting

earlier how different has that become over your time at Rutgers very different but I still I still

love recruiting the Jersey kids first I still look at the Eastern section first and I love to get

I love having parents in Americans and we also love our you know international students they're great

and they bring a lot of different experiences and cultures but um I think it is fine finding your

niche and then also again not being so set in your ways as a head coach that you don't try other

tournaments you don't try other things I think we've built a strong class we have a good 2020

gosh 2026 coming in and then we still have a few spots for 27 so being patient but also jumping

on the right opportunities when you think that that person's gonna fit your culture and help you get

better this is maybe a shot so I apologize but last few questions here back in my day when we

wanted to find the best players in the East Coast we just looked in Florida uh because that's

I'll wait like no I know exactly no I'm curious if that's still the case like you talk about again

bringing in these New Jersey talents how many of them are playing tennis full-time in New Jersey

well so what's crazy is the Eastern section kids are so tough yeah the ones that stay here

because they play in these clubs at weird hours the clubs you know are not always you know in the

Midwest there these giant big beautiful facilities here they're not always beautiful but um but

they're tough and they're gritty and and I love the Eastern section kids first no I got no problem

with it um yeah look a sketchy indoor hardcore that just like exactly like that's that's my

bread and butter oh yeah but then ask me to play under the lights at night we just don't do that in the

Midwest we go yeah we go indoors um yeah no I guess my last two questions for you again for this

group 2026 specifically what are the things you guys need to do to become the best version of

yourself come back so of course I think with every team at this point it's stay healthy sure so

that's the biggest thing and and I really think that we're focusing on that transition ball it's

we cannot be passive because this the Big Ten teams are so hard hitting and they take time away

from you and if you leave a little ball soft and you're on your back foot that they'll eat it

you know they'll eat it for lunch so taking the ball little earlier being really good in the

transition ball so that we can be the person who's dictating I love that goal my last question

goals for this group what what what what this team hoping to accomplish through the remainder of

this season so the Big Ten tournament not everybody qualifies for so our first goal is making sure

we qualify for the Big Ten tournament which is not an easy it's not a not an easy one and then we

want to we want to get ranked top 50 I mean we're close but that's still we got to have the right

wins from here on out yeah no a lot of good tennis to be played starts this weekend at Washington

at or again a little mid-march Cornell surprise again yeah for the reschedule but a big 10th

schedule ahead and obviously looking forward to watching your team compete and really enjoyed

getting to finally have you on the podcast so yes of course Rutgers women's tennis head coach Hillary

Richie thank you for taking the time to join us and obviously you are always welcome back good

luck to you in the team this season absolutely thank you so much Alex hope all of you enjoyed

my conversation with Rutgers women's tennis head coach Hillary Richie a thank you to coach Richie

for taking the time to chat sincerely meant it when I said in the intro can't wait to have her

back on the show because certainly had some fun chat and with coach today obviously wishing her

her Rutgers scarlet nights plenty of success the Ruther remainder of this 2026 season and moving

forward as well of course if you missed out on our coverage of it was a really fun matchup between

Rutgers number 25 you could actually go watch the replay right now over on the crack brackets YouTube

channel of course if you subscribe to that YouTube channel you're subscribing to so much college tennis

coverage over the course of the next few months we'll have deciding points Tuesday Wednesday nights

live 9 p.m. Eastern time breaking down each and every week of division one men's and women's

action of course we'll have broadcast Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday on both the crack brackets

YouTube channel and ESPN plus a shout out as always to the tireless efforts of our super producer

Daniel Westoff for the of an editing job he does day in day out making all of our content possible

thank you of course as well to all of you in the college tennis universe sincerely appreciate all

of you who do tune into all of our coverage who have left the requisite five star ratings on all

of these platforms subscribe to each of them as well that's why we get to continue to do what we

love to do so dearly here at crack brackets again a thank you to all of you for taking the time to

chat with the I've taken the time to chat taking the time to listen and respond to chat with all

of us here at crack brackets with that said for our fantastic guest Rutgers women's tennis head coach

Hillary richier super producer Daniel Westoff and from all of us here at both crack brackets and

the belief podcast network on your host Alex grusskin you've been listening to another edition of the

crack interview's podcast stay safe stay healthy talk to you all soon thanks everyone