By Caroline Domecq
LSU Sports Information
Injuries can be an athlete’s worst nightmare. For one senior on the LSU women’s tennis team, it has just been a part of life for the past two seasons.
Lauren Seaman, one of four seniors and the only Louisiana native on this year’s squad, has been dealing with injuries to her back the past two years. Both seasons, the injury flared up right in the heart of Southeastern Conference play.
“It’s happened at the beginning of the SEC the past two years,” Seaman said. “Especially this year with my injury being more serious, I didn’t have a choice to play at first. They made me sit out. I’ve just tried to take care of it and go through rehab so I could get back on the court.”
In 2005, Seaman was forced to miss four SEC matches because of her injury. The Lady Tigers, 7-3 with her in the lineup until that point, went 0-4 in matches without Seaman. This spring, the team went 0-4 in SEC matches without her as well.
A mainstay at No. 2 singles when healthy; she also has been a dominant doubles player throughout her career. She has been ranked in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s top 50 with two separate partners throughout the last three years.
She and former partner Tiffany Tucker were listed in the top 50 in rankings and were really coming together as a team in both years until Seaman got hurt.
“This year it hurt especially because good things were really starting to happen at the beginning of the spring,” Seaman said. “We were playing really well together and knocking off some pretty good teams. We were very optimistic, so when we had to stop playing together when we went into the SEC, that was really tough.”
The Metairie native was recently diagnosed with a stress fracture on her lumbar spine, and continuing to play could seriously worsen the condition. Seaman said she understands the risks but feels up to playing and would feel selfish not to.
“There’s a risk involved and I definitely understand that and maybe am a little cautious with it when I play,” she said. “But it’s my last year and there’s no way I could just not play for my team.”
Head coach Tony Minnis said he understands the risks as well, but that he respects Seaman’s dedication to the team and her wishes to remain in the lineup.
“I know it’s a serious injury, and I’m not telling her she has to play,” he said. “But at the same token, I think it shows just how much these kids care and how much she wants to do what is best for her team.”
Seaman was inserted back in the lineup at No. 4 singles and No. 3 doubles playing with partner Daysi Espinal. The pair won three straight matches to conclude the regular season.
“When you’re playing on a regular basis, you get in a comfortable groove,” Seaman explained. “Now that I’ve started playing again I’m getting that back.”
Being a senior, Seaman also said she feels it is her obligation to put her personal issues aside and do what she can to help the team.
When the Lady Tigers step on the court, Seaman realizes that every match could be her last and she wants to go out knowing she gave everything she could.
“I had very high aspirations coming into last year and this year,” she said. “I feel like my role on the team is significant as a senior, so of course I want to finish strong.”
LSU faces off against Arkansas on Thursday at 1 p.m. CT, looking for a win that would put them up against No. 2-seeded Vanderbilt on Friday.