From Early Decision to All-American
When the Skidmore senior doubles duo of Konika Dhull and Grace Truong defeated a New York University team on Sept. 23 to claim the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Northeast Regional Championship at the outdoor courts at the College’s McCaffery-Wagman Tennis and Wellness Center, it was an unexpected and joyous full-circle moment.
Last year’s Team MVP and the 40th ranked player in NCAA Division III, Konika was also an All-Liberty League First Team Singles and First Team Doubles selection. Grace, who plays primarily at the No. 2 singles spot, was named All-Liberty League First Team Doubles and Second Team Singles.
They both arrived in Saratoga Springs in fall 2021 — from Chandigarh, India, and Burke, Virginia, respectively. Konika dreamed of playing college tennis, and “going to America” made sense. Grace was keen to play high-level tennis “away from home,” preferably in the Northeast.
Both say they were sold in part by long phone/video conversations with Head Women’s Tennis Coach Curt Speerschneider, whose superpower is listening to prospective student-athletes about who they are and what their goals are and offering his support. His pitch: the value of the liberal arts, a strong team culture, and a program that has won 13 consecutive Liberty League championships.
Konika, who attended an all-girls school, Sacred Heart, was unable to visit Skidmore (India was on lockdown because of the COVID pandemic), but she chatted with a few former captains. Grace, a star player at Lake Braddock High School in the Washington, D.C., metro area, was able to sneak in a trip and meet with the coaches and the team. Both enjoyed Speerschneider’s homemade video of campus and downtown Saratoga, which he created for prospective students unable to see Skidmore in person.
“I thought, ‘This is going to be great,’” says Konika. “This is it!”
Adds Grace: “I felt so comfortable talking with Coach, and my campus visit reinforced the idea that Skidmore would be a good fit for academics and tennis.”
After falling in love with Skidmore, they both applied Early Decision.
Speerschneider threw them together as a doubles team their first year, but “we had no idea what we were doing,” Grace says with a laugh. Konika recalls being more focused on singles play at the time. It wasn’t until spring of their junior year that they teamed up again on a consistent basis.
Konika Dhull ’25 and Grace Truong ’25 talk to head women's tennis coach Curt Speerschneider.
In the ITA Northeast Regional, the duo registered a perfect 5-0 record with wins over Union, The College of New Jersey, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Rochester Institute of Technology, and NYU in the final.
Konika and Grace are now automatic All-Americans, the 12th and 13th players in program history to achieve such status. By reaching the title match, they qualified for the ITA Cup in Rome, Georgia, Oct. 10-13.
“I am beyond excited to share that I am officially an All-American!” Konika posted on LinkedIn. “My doubles partner, Grace Truong, and I claimed the ITA Northeast Regional Championship. This win is so special — it’s a dream I’ve had since my freshman year. Grace and I were honestly just having so much fun in every round. The experience reminded us how to handle nerves, stay present, and enjoy the moment.”
“At some point, something clicked for them,” says Speerschneider. “They figured out how to play a high level of tennis, be extremely competitive, and have fun at the same time. They have high energy and they just feed off each other.
“They may have bad shots or bad points, but they always bounce back for each other so there’s zero negativity, and they just keep looking forward. That’s what experience does.”
An interesting aspect of their mental game is that they don’t look ahead in a tournament draw to see who they might play next, something their coaches promote. Says Grace, “We focus on where we’re at and having fun.” Konika agrees: “We never look at the draw, we just aim to go with the flow because we don’t want to get into our heads.”
In terms of tennis skills, Grace has a strong serve and sets her partner up at the net, and Konika is adept at hitting angled shots that put their opponents on their back feet.
“We strike a good balance,” says Grace. “I can get in my head and Konika calms me down. She’s like a second coach.”
Meanwhile, Grace is the cheerleader in chief, lifting her partner’s spirits with a familiar refrain: “Get up, let’s go!”
Though there is still plenty of tennis to go, including chasing another Liberty League championship in the spring, both players have concrete post-graduate plans. A computer science major, Konika wants to be a sports data analyst or product manager. Grace, a health and human physiological sciences major, plans to pursue a career in physical therapy.
More about Grace
Family: Tennis has always been a central part of my life growing up in Virginia. My parents, both originally from Vietnam, have instilled a strong love for the sport in our family. My father is a USTA tournament director and a real estate agent, while my mother works as an accountant. I have an older brother who is a George Mason University graduate working in cybersecurity. And like the rest of us, he's passionate about tennis and also enjoys playing pickleball and golf.
Favorite movie: “Confessions of a Shopaholic”
Favorite food: Lava cakes
Favorite athlete: Roger Federer
Advice on finding the right place to play college tennis: When deciding where to play college tennis, the team dynamic is what resonates with me the most. From my experience, being part of a supportive and cohesive team improves my performance as well as my enjoyment for the sport.
Something that might surprise people about you: I love taking trips to Target. Plus, I have never been out of the country.
More about Konika
Family: My family are my biggest supporters, reminding me to keep a positive mindset and just go out and have fun playing tennis.
I grew up in Chandigarh, India. My father is a superintending engineer in the Department of Irrigation. My mom was an assistant professor of English. My older brother, a Duke University graduate, now works as a seller growth operations manager at TikTok and loves playing tennis and pickleball.
As a family, we’ve always been enthusiastic about being involved in sports. Their support and unconditional love have helped me pursue my goals.
Favorite book: “Unstoppable: My Life So Far,” Maria Sharapova’s autobiography. It is very motivating, and I admire her work ethic.
Favorite TV show: “The Big Bang Theory” is definitely my go-to show. It’s a perfect blend of humor, science, and motivation. I can binge-watch it endlessly.
Favorite food: Mexican and Mediterranean bowls
Favorite athlete: Maria Sharapova; she has been my tennis idol because of her relentless determination and never-give-up attitude. Another favorite is Taylor Fritz. His versatile playing style, switching between aggressive play and defensive counter-punching, resonates with my game.
Advice on finding the right place to play college tennis: When choosing a college tennis program, I think it’s important to find a coach who genuinely supports your growth, both on and off the court, and creates a positive environment. Also, look for a team that’s supportive and has a good balance of competition. I recommend attending a few matches as well; it can help you see how they interact and whether it’s a good fit for you.
Something that might surprise people about you: I was born in New Zealand, but I’ve never been back.