Halfway through her first season, UTRGV tennis freshman Marjorie Souza told The Rider her first semester was great, from meeting her new teammates and enjoying campus life to even learning a little bit of Spanish. The chemistry major led the Vaqueras last fall season with five victories in singles and five in doubles. A native of Serra Negra, Brazil, she will be looking to build on that this spring season.
Q: When did you start playing tennis and why?
A: “I was 7 years old, mostly because of my brother. He played and then I watched him. And at the beginning, I didn’t like it. My father wanted me to start at 4 [years old], but I didn’t like it at all. So then, when my brother started traveling around to play tournaments, and I started to see girls playing and I started liking it and wanted to play.”
Q: Who is your favorite athlete and why?
A: “My favorite athlete is [Garbiñe] Muguruza, and I really like her because I think she’s really similar to my style, like, aggressive. So, I really like her inside and outside of the court.”
Q: What is your favorite thing to eat and why?
A: “I really like rice and beans, because, in Brazil, you eat this every day. And I’m so glad that here, they have beans, because I missed it so bad. And because of that, my favorite part [of campus] is the cafeteria.”
Q: Have you been trying new foods since you arrived at UTRGV?
A: “Yes, a lot, because we have two teammates that are Mexican. They prepare food for us, so I’m trying a lot of foods with, like, spices. I used to not eat that much spicy food, but now, I’m liking it. … Enchiladas are my favorite.”
Q: What are some of your hobbies?
A: “I really like listening to music. Music from my country and music from here. And also, I really like to paint.”
Q: Who are some of your favorite artists and why?
A: “I really like Coldplay. I love him. I really want to go to a show because I’ve never been. I like his music because they are really calm. So, I like to listen to this type of music for games to stay calm. … I also really like Harry Styles. His songs are so good.”
Q: What inspires you in life?
A: “My family and, especially, my father. … I’m always calling him when I have a bad day or when I really need motivation. He is always with me.”
Q: Are there any classes that you are taking right now that you really enjoy?
A: “Right now, chemistry and anthropology. I’ve never had anthropology in my life, so I’m really liking it. And chemistry labs.”
Q: What is a random fact about yourself?
A: “I played volleyball [when I was younger]. I was kinda good at volleyball, but tennis was my thing.”
–Compiled by Omar E. Zapata