School comes first
JEFFERSON TWP — Academics won out.
When you're ranked No. 1 in your class, that tends to happen.
Knoch senior tennis player Brooke Bauer recently signed a letter of intent to continue her academic and tennis career at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), a Division III school in Troy, N.Y.
She plans to major in Biomedical Engineering.
Bauer carries a 4.5 grade point average in weighted classes and is the top-ranked student academically in her class.
“I will probably go on to medical school afterward,” Bauer said. “I'm not sure yet what direction I'm going to go.”
Bauer considered Denison, Rochester and Lafayette before opting for RPI.
“That decision reflects her maturity,” Knoch athletic director Kurt Reiser said. “Brooke is the ideal student-athlete. She has an idea on the direction for her career and she's taking it.”
Bauer was undefeated in section matches during her career at Knoch. She teamed with younger sister Ally to win the WPIAL doubles title and reach the state championship match.
She was also part of a Knights team that won the WPIAL Class 2A and PIAA championships.
“Getting all of those titles and doing what we did as a team this past year, that's what I'm most proud of in my career,” Bauer said.
She was also part of four section championship teams at Knoch, joining senior classmate Laura Greb to form a formidable 1-2 punch in singles. Greb is continuing her career at the University of Dayton.
“Brooke is truly a class act,” Knoch girls tennis coach Nance Conlon said. “She is super intelligent and a great girl.
“She never missed a match or practice in four years. Her record was incredible, amazing. She's going to have a great college career.”
RPI competes in the Liberty League. Justin Roe is in his fourth season as head coach, leading the team to a 10-6 record and the league playoffs three years ago.
The school's athletic nickname is the Engineers.
“Their engineering program is fantastic and I can get on the court and play for a solid program there,” Bauer said. “It's the perfect fit for me.”
Conlon believes she will get on the court sooner rather than later, though RPI's 12-player roster has only two seniors this season.
“She's going to make an impact there,” Conlon said. “Laura and Brooke, those are lucky schools to be getting those girls.”
Bauer's only collegiate goals in terms of tennis are to “be a good player and help the team win.”
RPI has had one winning season in the past six years, but strung together four successive winning campaigns before that stretch.
Also a standout USTA player, Bauer appreciates her high school tennis career.
“USTA doesn't promote the team concept,” she said. “I loved being part of my high school team, making friends and pulling for each other, accomplishing what we did together.
“I will never forget that. And it will help me transition into college tennis.”
