General 4/28/2022 9:16:00 AM

Where Are They Now? - Lorena Duknic (Women's Tennis)

You may remember her as Lorena Djuknic on the Lipscomb women's tennis team, but she discovered after she left school that her name should translate as Duknic. While at Lipscomb Lorena was a member of the ASUN Women's Tennis Academic All-Conference Team and the ITA Scholar-Athlete Team in 2015 and was a four-time member of the ASUN Women's Tennis All-Academic Team. She also served on the Lipscomb Presidential Advisory Council in 2014. Her first day of school was her first day on campus. She spent some time this week talking with Lipscombsports.com about her time at Lipscomb as an athlete and a student.

Name and sport played:

Lorena Duknic, women's tennis.

What years did you compete for Lipscomb, and who coached you?

I played from 2013 through 2016. Jamie Aid was the head coach.

What teammates were most memorable, and why?

I would definitely say Hanna Victorsson from Sweden. We truly became best friends and to this day, she is like a sister to me. We are extremely close and we talk whenever we can. She has helped make me the person I am today and her friendship has been one of the greatest things that has happened to me.

Another Swedish teammate was Viktoria Bjork. She was only at Lipscomb for a little while, but it was very impactful. We would go to Sweet Cece's every week, which we knew we shouldn't have, and dreamed about starting a business of our own.

What degrees have you earned, from where, and when?

MBA in business administration and management from Lipscomb University in May 2019

B.A. degree with a double major in corporate marketing and marketing/entrepreneurship from Lipscomb University, December 2016.

Why did you attend Lipscomb?

I was born and raised in Croatia and wanted to continue playing tennis. It is the most beautiful story that could have happened. I had a lot of options and opportunities to attend several colleges on a full ride. However, it is beautiful to see how God works as he closed all of those doors and I found myself with no options. Then out of nowhere Lipscomb showed up. They offered me a full ride.

Jamie Aid and Andrew Harris, who were there at the time, truly cared to get to know me and my family and to make sure they could present the values Lipscomb stands for. Later on in life I've learned how God perfectly crafted this path for me and allowed Lipscomb to help me become the person I am today.

There was one thing that Jamie did that was completely different than any other coach I've talked to. She actually took me on a live Skype tour of the Lipscomb campus. Being from Europe I had never experienced an American university until she walked me through what my life would look like on campus. She took the goals and dreams I had and made them a reality. On top of the values that Lipscomb had to offer, this helped me decide that this is the place I wanted to be at.

What is your favorite athletic memory at Lipscomb?

It would definitely be the first time I clinched a match. It was at Austin Peay. Weeks ahead, I was continuously listening to a Spanish song, "Vamos A La Playa". Nobody really wanted to hear it any more as we traveled to Austin Peay.

The match was tied 3-to-3. I was our last player on the court and the whole team was cheering for me. It was the first match I had clinched in my career. The emotions I felt at that moment were so powerful and it brought me together with the team on a different level. As I was walking back to the van, the team surprised me by playing my song, "Vamos A La Playa". It is about little things, and that moment made me feel a part of the family. I will always cherish it.

Who influenced your athletic career at Lipscomb?

I was an 18-year-old European girl who was away from my family. Andrew and Jamie really made me feel as apart of a family with my best interest in mind. They pushed me, encouraged me and motivated me. Jamie talked about creating realistic goals. She empowered me at a highly crucial point in my career and she helped me grow as a business woman and a tennis player in many ways.

Hanna Victorsson also played a significant role. When she got to Lipscomb she took me under her wing and taught me her specific tennis strategies…things she had learned from playing with different colleges before coming to Lipscomb. It opened up a different dimension of understanding tennis for me and it helped me to be a fearless player.

I always wanted to do more at practice. Andrew would let me practice with the boys. And when you play against the boys you really have to give your all.

What do you remember about Lipscomb campus life during your time here?

I remember the friendliness. Everybody was so welcoming and extremely friendly. No matter how busy people's lives were, you could always talk to a stranger and soon become friends.

I loved the way professors were always available through email, a phone call or after class. They were so kind to help, no matter the task. It was extremely valuable for me, especially coming from a European country where there was a very different relationship between professors and students.

It was empowering at Lipscomb because they would give you praise or credit for something you had done. Back home the older you get the less credit you'd receive. It was very encouraging to have that at Lipscomb.

One of the most important experiences for me at Lipscomb was meeting Nicole Hobson, a former Lipscomb tennis player. Jamie started a mentorship program and Nicole and her husband Rick were a part of it. They literally became my American family. To this day we are extremely close and hang out all the time. That is one of my biggest memories Lipscomb brought to me that I'm truly grateful for. It is something tangible and beautiful.

What is the most valuable lesson you learned at Lipscomb?

The most valuable lesson for me was learning to trust God. When I came to Lipscomb I had faith, but I really didn't understand much at all as to who God is. Through church, chapel and Bible classes I got to truly understand and accept God for who he is and to know he has a plan for all of us.

When I got to Lipscomb, a girl who was sitting next to me in my first class, an English class, had Jeremiah 29:11 tattooed on her forearm. November 29 is my birthday and in Europe we write numbers opposite. It sparked a curiosity in me, so I've checked the verse in the Bible. To this day I carry that verse with me everywhere I go. It is my favorite verse.

Lipscomb helped to strengthen my faith and become a follower of Jesus. I learned how to stay humble and to be grateful for everything I have been given in my life from my incredible mom, family, and friends.

Who were your favorite professors and why?

Jeff Mankin and Julio Rivas.

Jeff was my accounting teacher. At first I wanted to be an accountant just like my mom and to follow her footsteps. Quickly I found out that accounting was not for me and that I was leaning towards Marketing. Jeff was always so great with students and he would always crack a joke. To this day he is a really good friend of mine. I keep up with Lipscomb through him.

Julio was never my professor but I met him on campus. He was always walking the hallways and being the happiest guy ever. Later on I had the pleasure of meeting his wife and creating a friendship with them after school. People can have an effect on you indirectly and that is what he has done.

Where did you grow up?

Zagreb, Croatia

Where do you live, and what do you do now?

I live in Nashville, Tennessee. I work for Anchor Investments, a private, Nashville-based real estate investment company that owns three boutique hotels in Nashville - The Russell, The Gallatin and 506 Lofts. They own commercial properties and I have been working on the hotel side for about three years.

The great thing about the hotel side is that we donate the majority of our profits to non-profits who helped fight homeless. We help homeless people receive showers, meals and beds to sleep in. Some of our non-profit partners are Nashville rescue Mission, Shower Up, Rooms in the Inn, and People Loving Nashville.

Tell us about your family:

I am single.

FAST FINISH:

Favorite food: Sushi
Favorite TV show or movie: The Blind Side. Sandra Bullock is my favorite actress.
Favorite Bible scripture: Jeremiah 29:11.
Favorite sports team: Barcelona soccer team.
Pet peeve: People who are not on time.
Person I most admire: My mother, Dragana. She is the greatest.
Person I'd most like to meet: Novak Djokovic, Serbian tennis player.
Rather ride or drive? Drive.
Pick one – salad or dessert: Dessert, especially if it's chocolate!
Dream vacation spot: Bali.
Early morning or late-night person? Early morning.

If you wish to contact Lorena, she can be reached at the email below:
Email address: lorenaduknic@gmail.com

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