Cowgirl head coach Chris Young has directed the team to nine straight trips to the NCAA Tournament, including four trips to the NCAA Sweet 16 in the last six years, two Big 12 regular-season titles and a national runner-up finish during the 2016 season.
OSU boasts 16 All-Americans in program history, including eight consecutive international athletes who've earned All-America honors.
Although OSU's recent history yields tremendous success with international student-athletes, Young's focus is directed toward those who fit the established culture of the program rather than the place they call home.
"I always try to get the best kids," Young said. "It is important to know international kids as young as possible and follow their careers. For me, it's always about the right fit in the program, it doesn't matter where they come from."
While coaches go overseas to recruit, current and former players can often be the best recruiters.
"They will tell you, 'Hey, I have a friend at home that has seen my success and is interested,' or a coach will tell me to look at a kid," Young said.
For example, Cowgirl's freshman standout, Mhai Sawangkaew, hails from Singburi City, Thailand. Former Cowgirl Big 12 Player of the Year and ITA All-American Bunyawi Thamchaiwat is from Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. With decisions on Sawangkaew's future looming, Thamchaiwat told her about the OSU tennis tradition and what life would be like from one Thailand native to another.
"I talked with Bunyawi (Thamchaiwat) a lot about coming here," Sawangkaew said. "She is also from Thailand and said how good everything is and that I should come to school here."
Sawangkaew was recruited by other top tennis programs in the nation. Along with seeing Bunyawi's success and growth in her time at OSU, Sawangkaew also gives credit to Young and the rise of the program for getting her to Stillwater.
"I chose here because I saw so many good players on the team and Chris (Young) has been so nice and kind to me. Chris sent messages to me about coming to school here. He talked about how good the players and facilities are and how coming here would help my professional goals. Chris' belief in me makes me feel confident in my tennis. Also, having a Thai tennis player have success here they get it and it made me choose to come here."
Additionally, the OSU coaching staff has developed relationships with international federations and coaches that can guide them through recruiting efforts.
"The best time to go is when you have someone who can show you around or take you to a tournament," Young said. "Sometimes I'll go a little bit cold to a tournament where there are kids I have my eye on and I'll go watch them, but a lot of times it is really helpful to have someone who you trust and is a partner with you in the process."
OSU's assistant coach Jaime Sanchez-Cañamares hails from Albacete, Spain and is in the midst of his third season as the assistant coach for the program.
Sanchez put together an impressive resume as a player while competing at Fresno Pacific, Oklahoma Christian and Embry-Riddle, compiling a singles record of 70-14 and a doubles mark of 70-24 as a four-time NAIA All-American.
The Cowgirls have the perfect combination within its coaching staff having the international experience of Sanchez-Canamares paired with Young, who hails from Oklahoma.
Sanchez's story is similar to many international athletes.
"I feel like I know what the kids are thinking and what the parents' fears are and I can relate to them," Sanchez-Cañamares said. "I can walk with them through the process. When I was a player back in Spain, I was contacted by coaches, and I didn't have any interest in coming to play college. All the European players have this mentality that coming to college is a step back from turning professional, so you don't want to do it. You don't know what you could have here or what kind of help you will receive."
After playing professional tennis and deciding on college in the United States late in the process, Sanchez-Cañamares was ineligible to play at the NCAA level. However, he decided to compete at the highest levels of NAIA tennis. When asked why he ultimately said yes, Sanchez-Cañamares's answer was simple.
"I just wanted to try and I loved it."
Finland native Oona Orpana decided to bring her talents to Stillwater courtesy of the persistence in recruiting from assistant coach Jaime Sanchez-Canamares.
"I always said college wasn't for me," Orpana said. "Jaime was the one person to change my mind. It was never my plan to attend college in America, but it's a great opportunity and I know I would regret it in the future if I didn't come here."
Sanchez-Canamares' tennis expertise and international heritage uniquely relate to student-athletes.
"I think Jaime can relate to what it's like to come to the United States, study a different language and adjust to life here because he's done it himself," Orpana said. "It's nice to have a coach from America and one from Europe because they can give different perspectives on the game and life."
Sanchez-Canamares helped Oona through thought process, which helped Orpana realize the significance of the opportunity to play collegiate tennis.
"Most of these kids, their story is so similar to my story, so I know how to get to them and understand their situation," Sanchez-Canamares said. "Other coaches get told no and they don't know the reason why and keep bringing up material stuff like, 'We have this and that.' When you're on the other side of the ocean, you don't really care what people have, you want to know how coming here will benefit you and the reasons why."
What's the reason why?
"The main thing I sell about Oklahoma State and Cowgirls Tennis is the support you will receive on and off the court no matter what," Sanchez-Canamares said. "Secondly, we focus on your development as a player and a person. Third, using those two things, it's important for them to get where they want to get. During the process, when I talk to a recruit, I never tell them what we have. That's what they've been told by many schools already, so if you say the same thing, you could lose their attention. I focus on what we do and how we do things here at Oklahoma State. We have matches where a lot of people come to watch, which shows the support for Cowgirl Tennis. You have people and amazing coaches such as Chris or our strength coach Nick behind you every day. It's not all about coming here to win and win for the team, but it's about winning in a way where you are growing and developing; that's the main part of it."
Former All-American and Cowgirl veteran Lisa Marie Rioux returned this season to Oklahoma State after taking last season off. During her time away from OSU, Rioux realized how special Oklahoma State is.
"I realized how much I loved everything at OSU and had everything I needed," Rioux said. "I realized it wasn't common and what I had was special. I always regretted how I ended the season. I really wanted to have Senior Day and finish a season. If I got a Senior Day, I wanted it to be at OSU. I wanted to help the team and I was so excited to come back."
Rioux is the longest-tenured Cowgirl and thinks part of OSU's international student-athlete success, comes from all the different programs on and off the court that are in place to help student-athletes maximize their potential.
"Academically, OSU is helpful to international students because we have all the resources like tutors and the writing center and everyone is so helpful," Rioux said. "The team has a lot of international players. We feel like it's okay to be different and no one is judging or anything and I really like that."
In addition to the academics, Rioux credits the staff and facilities for setting up Cowgirl tennis for success.
"The Greenwood Tennis Center is one of the best places to play in the country," Rioux said. "The coaches too. Of course, Chris (Young) and Jaime (Sanchez-Cañamares), but also Nick (Hoheisel). He's one of the best strength and conditioning coaches in the nation and he really helped physically. I lost it after I left OSU and then I knew I had to build it back and I really needed that. The seriousness of people here is good, everyone always wants to be the best and work hard and it's more special than any other place."
Cowgirl Tennis's current state has a culture that has earned the distinction as one of the best destinations for both international and American tennis players.
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