CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Islanders tennis player Kateryna Rublevska is very excited that her team won the Southland Conference Championship and is headed to the NCAA national tournament
But she is preoccupied with family matters back home. She is from Ukraine where her country is at war against Russia.
The majority of her family has fled to safety but her father Andriy stayed behind to help his country.
"He organized a volunteer project with his friends to help people," said Rubievska. "I think yesterday they helped over 12,000 people by delivering food, supplies, and medicine. It's amazing and I am so proud of my dad and it gives me inspiration."
She admits to being homesick but says tennis has been a blessing for both her and her family back home.
"It's really tough to know what my country is going through," said Rublevska. "I am so far from home and I really want to see my family.
Rublevska said she knows her family appreciates that she is safe here and it also gives them a lot of satisfaction when she wins, she feels it helps them.
The Islanders will learn their destination and opponent on Monday during the NCAA Tournament Selection Show at 5:30 p.m. on NCAA.com
