Tennis: Borza sisters start legacy at Pitt

First came Nikki Borza, the oldest sister who paved the way at Pitt with 112 wins for the… First came Nikki Borza, the oldest sister who paved the way at Pitt with 112 wins for the women’s tennis team.

Then came Kristy, a current assistant coach at Pitt and all-time leader in victories.

So when it came time to choose a university, Kimmy — the youngest — considered playing tennis elsewhere.

With two older sisters who had previously donned Panthers uniforms, Kimmy thought about breaking the family trend. But when she contemplated possibly facing off against Pitt in the future, Kimmy felt like she’d be competing against family.

“Growing up, I thought I wouldn’t want to go here because my sisters went here,” Kimmy said. “But as I got older I realized how many opportunities were here for me, and especially that of being able to have my sister coach me.”

The Borza sisters are carving out a niche in Pitt tennis history, with Kimmy and Kristy both in the top 15 in all-time wins. There’s an 11-year difference between the oldest and youngest sisters, and Kimmy is currently a freshman at Pitt. She has 21 wins this season, placing her as second on the team. She’s also the final standout tennis player in the Borza sister legacy.

The beginning of a tradition

As the first Borza to go through the system, Nikki laid a foundation for her younger sisters. As a freshman in 1999, Nikki quickly made her mark on the squad, posting 18 wins in singles play. She was also named the squad’s Most Valuable Player.

She played at Pitt from 1999-2003, finishing 11th in Pitt’s record book with 112 total wins, and was an assistant coach from 2005-2009.

Nikki, now 30, finished her career sixth all-time in singles wins (63) and 12th in doubles victories (49).

She also planted a desire in both Kristy and Kimmy to wear the blue-and-gold as Kimmy and Kristy attended almost all of Nikki’s matches.

“Kimmy and I were always huge Pitt tennis fans, and it did influence us to come here when we had to make that decision,” Kristy said.

After her playing career ended, Nikki coached Kristy through her younger sister’s four years at Pitt.

“It was a great experience to be able to coach Kristy and be on the court with her when she was doing so well,” Nikki said. “She is an awesome competitor and a great player.”

A second sister follows

When Kristy began her career at Pitt, she said didn’t set out to outdo her older sister, but rather to make a name for herself.

“I was really nervous freshman year, playing in our challenge matches to determine the lineup, because earning a position in the lineup was important to me,” said Kristy, now 24.

Kristy earned that position in the lineup and then some. Her achievements as a Panther are so numerous that she practically earned her own page in the Pitt tennis record book. The current all-time leader in victories with 176 wins, Kristy competed in a Panther uniform from 2005-09.

She owns the all-time wins record by a huge margin. With 91 singles victories and 85 in doubles — 176 wins in total — Kristy has a 40-win edge over second place, current Pitt senior Elizabeth Adams. Kristy’s resume is filled with other school records as well.

She holds the records for most victories in singles play in one season (28), career wins in singles (91) and career victories in doubles play (85).

The only Panthers tennis player to ever be included in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s singles rankings, Kristy was the 2008-09 Big East/Aeropostale Institutional Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award winner, the 2009 Blue-Gold Award recipient and Pitt’s Most Valuable Player for three consecutive years.

The most impressive aspect of Kristy’s numerous records is that she achieved them while playing in the top spot in the lineup, Nikki said.

“She was always playing the best players from opposing teams and that just adds to how impressive her dominance was,” Nikki said. “I’m very proud of her and coaching her while she was here was a thrill for me.”

Kristy said that she didn’t feel pressure to live up to Nikki’s career.

“When I came here, and the same thing for Kimmy, we aren’t trying to fill the shoes of who played before us,” Kristy said. “We are all each other’s biggest fans and support each other no matter what. So having our family behind us, especially our sisters, really helps take the pressure off.”

Nikki’s and Kristy’s successful collegiate careers have had a drastic impact on Kimmy.

“I went to a lot of matches when I was little, and at the time, I didn’t understand how great my sisters really were,” Kimmy said. “It’s motivating to know how well my sisters did when they were here.”

The final chapter

Kimmy, the last sister in the Borza line, has already seen success as a freshman. She’s been in the lineup since the first match of the year and plays at second doubles and fourth singles. Kimmy’s total of 21 victories, 10 in singles and 11 in doubles ranks second on the team.

As the final player in the Borza legacy, Kimmy, 19, said she doesn’t feel any added stress.

“Having Kristy coach, and Nikki supporting me, really helps,” she said. “They both know so much and have really made me a better player. I know I have their support, and it’s nice to know that if I mess up, they won’t be unhappy.”

With a great deal of the sport being a mental battle, perhaps Kimmy’s greatest strength as a player is her belief that she doesn’t have to prove herself.

Kristy said she’s sure her younger sister feels some pressure, but added that Kimmy handles herself well.

“She came in to school and got a 4.0 GPA her first semester,” Kristy said. “Out of the three of us, I think she is most equipped to handle it, she is incredibly mature.”

Nikki said the tennis success is a great family tradition.

“It was great to coach Kristy, and now it’s awesome to watch Kimmy play, who all of 11 years ago was watching me out there,” Nikki said.

Kristy added that she was proud when Kimmy chose to play tennis at Pitt.

“Knowing that I was going to be able to coach her and be with her as she has her experiences is something that is a great experience just for me,” she said.

Three years from now, the run of the Borza sisterhood will come to an end. Most of all, Nikki said she’ll miss watching her sisters play.

“We still have three years of Kimmy being there though, so that’s really exciting,” Nikki said. “But tennis has always been a huge part of our lives, and so has Pitt. The coaches, University and Athletic Department have been wonderful to us, and we will always be around the program even after Kimmy is done playing.”