Eudice Chong (Wesleyan) became the first player in history to win four successive NCAA singles titles in any division of US collegiate tennis, including men’s, after she defeated teammate Victoria Yu in this year’s DIII women’s final, 7-6(3), 6-2.

After compiling a 25-0 record in singles and a 31-1 mark in doubles in Division III during the 2017-18 season, Chong received the ITA National Senior Player of the Year Award from the Intercollegiate Tennis Association last week at the NCAA Banquet in Claremont, CA.

She is a four-time ITA Division III first-team All-American in singles and doubles and a three-time NESCAC Player of the Year.

With the final win, Chong finished her career at Wesleyan as the all-time leader in singles wins, going 103-3 in Division III play.

THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) also announced Chong as the DIII Honda Athlete of the Year nominee for Tennis for the fourth straight year.

Eudice Chong of Wesleyan (CT) University Named DIII Honda Athlete of the Year

“It’s amazing. I can’t speak for others, but the experience I had playing college tennis is one that I will never forget and will always miss. It’s so worth it especially because tennis is such an individual sport and playing college tennis really brings in the team aspect, which is something you rarely get to see,” said Chong.

She will now take her talents on the road to begin life as a full-time player on the professional circuit.

“I’m so excited to not have to worry about school work. I’ve always been a part-time player growing up and wondered how I’d do if I tried playing full-time, so here I am,” Chong explains. “I’ll be in Hong Kong for most of the summer training for the Asian Games and getting my body ready.  Outside of that, I’ll be playing a couple 25K and 15K women’s circuit events to get in some matches as well. That’s the plan for now.”

Chong concluded each of her four years as the No. 1-ranked singles player in NCAA Division III.

In previous summers, she has dabbled in pro circuit tournaments, capturing the $15,000 Anning women’s singles title in 2017 and the $10,000 Hong Kong women’s doubles with Katherine Ip in 2016.

She owns a career-high WTA Ranking of No. 569 in singles (17 Jul 2017) and No. 752 in doubles (25 Jul 2016).

Principia’s Courtney Allen (1984-1985), Menlo’s Caroline Bodart (1988-1989), Methodist’s Elena Blanina (2001-2002), and Emory’s Mary Ellen Gordon (2003-2004) were the only players to win two consecutive Division III women’s singles titles.

The most consecutive singles titles in Division I came from Malcolm Chace, who won both the intercollegiate men’s singles and doubles at Yale in 1893 and again at Brown where he won both titles in 1894 and 1895.

The first final for the Hong Kong native in 2015 turned out to be the closest, and it was a nail-biter. After Joulia Likhanskaia (Bowdoin) and Chong split the first two sets, the former managed to carve out a 5-4 lead in the third before the freshman from Wesleyan went on a three-game tear to take home the national title, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5.

Chong is the first singles and doubles (w/ Victoria Yu 2017) champions in the history of Wesleyan tennis.

NCAA DIII Women’s Tennis Championships

2018
(1)Eudice Chong (Wesleyan) d. Victoria Yu (Wesleyan) 7-6(3) 6-2

2017
(1)Eudice Chong (Wesleyan) d. (4)Rebecca Ho (Washington-St. Louis) 6-4 2-6 6-2

2016
(2)Eudice Chong (Wesleyan) d. (1)Juli Raventos (Williams) 6-2 7-5

2015
(1)Eudice Chong (Wesleyan) d. Joulia Likhanskaia (Bowdoin) 6-4 4-6 7-5