STATESBORO - Georgia Southern Head Women's Tennis Coach
Sean McCaffrey announced the signing of a pair of student-athletes who will join the Eagle program this Fall. Paula Hijos, from Jaca, Spain, and Nadja Meier, from Potsdam, Germany, will become part of Eagle Nation for 2019-20.
Fresh off the heels of a Sun Belt Conference Tournament Championship Match appearance in the Spring, the Eagles welcome in two decorated freshman to the program. Georgia Southern went 14-13 in 2019 and advanced to the title match of the league tournament after upsetting No. 1-seed Appalachian State and No. 4-seed UTA. It is believed to be the first time a No. 8 seed has advanced to the Championship match of the Sun Belt women's tennis tournament. Read below information on both of the Eagles' new signees!
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Paula Hijos - Jaca, Spain
Coach Sean McCaffrey says
"Paula Hijos is going to be a great addition to the Eagles tennis program. From the moment I began speaking with Paula, I felt as if she would fit in extremely well as an Eagle. The level of talent she has is quite strong, and her desire to improve will serve her well as our team continues to gain ground in the Sun Belt Conference. I believe that her commitment to performing well in the classroom, and her passion for developing her own tennis game will no doubt contribute to the team's growth. We look forward to working with her as she arrives in Statesboro this August."
Best Results for Paula Hijos
#52 - Highest women's national Spanish ranking
Finalist in Regional Championship 2016, 2017
Won Regional "Masters" Championship in U18, U16, U14, U12
Paula on why she chose Georgia Southern University
"I chose Georgia Southern University because, from the time I first met Coach McCaffrey, I had a very good feeling that I could trust him and felt very comfortable with the direction of the Eagles tennis program. I loved interacting with the team and realized that the strong relationship between each of them was a huge factor in helping me decide that GS is where I wanted to be. I felt as if the tennis program was improving so much, and the University would be a great place for me to be. The beautiful campus and the great weather in Statesboro are also very easy to fall in love with too! I can't wait to fight for the Eagles!"
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Nadja Meier - Potsdam, Germany
Coach Sean McCaffrey Says
"Nadja will be an impact player from the very beginning for us. After my visit with her in Germany, I could see that she would bring a talent level that will place her among the very best within the Sun Belt Conference from the very start. She has a very strong work ethic and one can see by her passion for the sport how much she enjoys being on the tennis court. I believe her drive and determination to improve, coupled with her excitement for playing college tennis will be a fantastic addition to the program. Nadja is a very strong student who has already made a great connection with members of the team and I am excited to finally have her arrive on campus this August."
Best Results for Nadja Meier
2018: first place at a national women's tournament in Berlin (category A5)
2018: #81 - Highest women's national German ranking
2016: First Place in double at a Tennis Europe tournament in Regensburg( Germany) ( BMW Junior Cup Regensburg)
2016: first place at Tennis Europe tournament in Swiss ( Swiss Junior Trophy)
2015: Runners up at a Tennis Europe Tournament in Swiss (Swiss Junior Trophy)
Nadja on why she chose Georgia Southern University
"I chose Georgia Southern because I felt very comfortable during my official visit. I felt very welcome right away. I also think that Coach McCaffrey can help me as a tennis coach, as well as helping me develop my mental game. I am looking forward to having a great time at Georgia Southern and making some amazing memories while playing the sport I love. Furthermore, I look forward on improving my tennis and fitness skills as well as my English skills. I hope I will become a great Eagle, but for sure I will do my very best for GS. I am so very excited for the opportunity to be an Eagle!"
