Chippewa Valley Times

Téa Armstrong, a junior from Blue Earth, Minnesota, has been recognized as the UW-Eau Claire Athletics' Blugold of the Week, an honor sponsored by BSN Sports/Nike. Armstrong is pursuing a major in Nursing.

When asked why she chose Eau Claire, Armstrong said, "I chose Eau Claire because the campus is beautiful, especially in the fall when the leaves are changing colors. Another factor was that the nursing program was excellent."

Armstrong attributes her ability to balance academics and athletics to effective time management. She shared her strategy: "Time management is key! I plan out my week on Sundays and try to get ahead if we have a match on the weekend."

Reflecting on her proudest moment at UW-Eau Claire, Armstrong recalled a significant tennis match during spring training in Florida: "My proudest moment during my tennis career so far at Eau Claire was during spring training in Florida when I won the first set but was down 0-5 in the second set and came back and won 7-5. My match made the team score 4-4 and then Liv was able to clinch the win for us making the team score 5-4!"

Armstrong enjoys specific meals after competitions. "My favorite post-competition meal is the chicken cashew salad at Culver's with ice cream (vanilla concrete mixer with Reece's peanut butter cups)," she mentioned.

In addition to her athletic talents, Armstrong has a unique skill: "A hidden talent I have is that I can play the violin."

Offering advice to fellow student-athletes, Armstrong emphasized prioritizing academics and well-being: "Advice I would give to current/incoming Blugold student-athletes is that you are a student first so stay on top of your studies and manage your time effectively. Take care of your physical and mental health, and don't forget to enjoy the experience and have fun playing the sport you love!"

Head Women's Tennis Coach Kenneth Cychosz praised Armstrong's contributions to the team: "Tea is a tremendous asset to the team. Tea was called upon to be in the lineup when our top player graduated in December. She has had many quality wins this spring when the team needed to win close matches. Tea is also now a large part of the doubles lineup and is a versatile participant. Tea is our unsung hero with her success when we really needed someone to step up after losing our best player. She is also very supportive of all her teammates (in and out of lineup)."

Samantha Fuchs from Women's Tennis added insights into Armstrong's character: "Téa is a wonderful teammate to have because she is always motivating us to do our best. She is the first to cheer us on in matches, in practice, or just life in general. It would definitely not be the same without her on the team. She is also very hardworking and puts her all into matches, so overall she's a great asset to the team."

For more updates on Blugolds sports activities throughout their season visit Blugolds.com or use their app Blugold Sports.