It’s a special thing to be the first to do something in a particular endeavor. Suzana Cavalcante can count herself among those at the University of West Florida who have achieved a ‘first’ for the athletic program. As a four-year standout for coach Derek Racine, she became the first female 4-time All-America selection in any sport during her four years from 2005-09, while also being named the Gulf South Conference Player of the Decade for the 2000s.
Suzana Sales Cavalcante
She led UWF to three Gulf South Conference championships and four appearances in the NCAA Tournament, reaching the national championship match in 2007. Cavalcante had an extremely successful senior season in 2009, being named a finalist for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award, the ITA South Regional Senior Player of the Year and earning the last of her three GSC Player of the Year honors. This all came on the heels of an already stellar three years in Pensacola that included being the ITA South Regional single champion and NCAA runner-up in 2008
She burst onto the college scene as a freshman in 2005-06, winning the ITA Rookie of the Year and GSC Freshman of the Year honors.
Cavalcante was also a GSC Commissioner’s Trophy winner in 2007-08, an ITA South Region Arthur Ashe Sportsmanship Award winner in 2008 and a two-time academic all-conference recipient.
Cavalcante has been living in Chile working as a kinesiologist for the past three years, working with patients who are undergoing physical therapy. She has recently been offered a position teaching and coaching tennis in Canada, allowing her to get involved with the game she loves.
What was your most memorable moment as a UWF student-athlete?
“Representing the UWF team in the NCAA tournaments were always the biggest and the most memorable moments. The ITA Singles National Championship runner-up finish of 2006 and the NCAA Team runner-up in 2007 are two occasions where I felt the proudest in representing the UWF tennis program.”
