Earning Her Moment
David Dietrich
It’s a scene one can visualize in nearly any country or setting - a parent teaching their child a sport, then the pair practicing the sport together as the love for the activity develops.
Boise State women’s tennis player Masa Viriant began her journey at age 6, picking up the sport from her father, who played at the amateur level before playing handball professionally. For her seventh birthday, he gifted her a racket. The only difference between Viriant and millions of other children who receive their first piece of equipment on a birthday? She stopped playing against her dad.
“I went to the club straight away. When we played each other, we would always fight,” she said. “It was bad energy. Something was off, so I would go to the club.”
Inheriting her father’s ultra-competitive spirit paid off for Viriant, who spent the next eight years developing her skills against other boys and girls in her home country of Slovenia. As she entered her teenage years, there were fewer players in her area, which led to a serious conversation about her future in the sport.
“I knew I needed a change. I wanted to go pro and doing that in Slovenia is really difficult,” she explained. “There aren’t many players you can practice with, the knowledge and facilities are very limited. You have to drive 30 minutes from conditioning to practice, then physio is on the other side of the country.”
Roughly eight hours from her hometown of Kamnik was the newly-founded Piatti Tennis Center, located in Bordighera, Italy. The Viriants explored numerous development options for Masa, who heard positive feedback about Piatti from many of her peers. When she was 15, Viriant made up her mind. She was moving to Italy.
“It was not an overnight decision. We were discussing it for months, seeing how I progressed in Slovenia and seeing what other people were doing,” said Viriant. “It was a tough decision, but I’m glad I made it.”
Viriant packed her bags and made the trip to the neighboring country. She was joined by her mother, who was with Masa for the majority of the first year and eased the lifestyle change.
“It was really easy for me to transition there with her, but it was definitely different. New language, new culture, new friends, new coaches, new everything,” she said. “It was really helpful to have her there to support me.”
Viriant continued taking high school classes online, opening up her schedule for various training activities. She typically split her day into four sessions. The first was light conditioning and drills, followed by a break for lunch and online coursework. Her afternoons were dedicated to harder workouts and hours on the courts, then she finished with dinner and relaxing downtime. The location and approach from the staff allowed Viriant to develop quickly.
The coaches were very positive and focused on solutions. I really enjoyed working with them. The center was next to the sea and it was really warm. We played outside the whole year. I improved the most in my technique. To be competitive at a different place, it was really important to start with the basics and have good fundamentals.Masa Viriant on her time at the Piatti Tennis Center
Her time at Piatti was not without adversity, as Viriant dealt with multiple injuries. A torn abdominal forced her to miss significant time, then she reaggravated the injury during rehab. When she was close to returning, she hurt her hip flexor. As that healed, she suffered minor injuries to her shoulder and back. After missing an entire year of competition, she returned to full health, continuing her development and climbing to the No. 3 spot in the national junior rankings.
As her time at the facility wound down, she was ready to take her game to the next level. With the help of an agency provided by Piatti, Viriant began contacting American universities about the possibility of playing collegiately. She had conversations with several coaches, but one stood out immediately - Boise State head coach Beck Roghaar.
“It’s hard to explain, but once you hear Coach Beck talk about the program and what he wants to do, it’s special,” she said. “He’s interested in you, your intentions and your goals, and we clicked right from the start.”
The chemistry was evident for Roghaar.
“Masa is without a doubt our kind of player. I'd be hard-pressed to say we've ever had anyone more hungry to excel coming into the program,” he said when Viriant committed to Boise State. “Her mindset, drive and attitude are exactly what being a Bronco is all about.”
While her time at Piatti helped Viriant develop into a Division I athlete, it did not fully prepare her for the full workload of being a student and a member of the team.
“The center is nothing like college. It was completely individual and very competitive,” she said. “You can see the differences based on the level, which was hard.”
Despite having the experience of moving to a different country to pursue her dream, Viriant struggled with the bigger jump.
“It was even harder than before. The mentality and the culture switch were a shock,” she admitted. “I needed months to get used to it, but it was so positive. It changed me as a person completely. I’m so happy I ended up here.”
The first few months were difficult for Viriant, who went 4-6 in singles and 1-6 in doubles during the fall. As the routine and schedule became more consistent, she found her groove in the spring and things began to click.
“I started connecting more with the team and it felt like home. The fall felt like I was getting used to too many things,” she said. “In the spring, we settled in and were traveling, playing and doing what we loved. The coaches were always there for us.”
Viriant’s progression culminated as the Broncos made a historic run in the conference tournament, capturing the first Mountain West title in program history. In the semifinal match against No. 1 San Diego State, Viriant faced a 5-1 deficit in the final set of the No. 6 singles match. She rallied for a thrilling 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(2) victory to clinch the upset victory for Boise State.
Her dramatic win was just the beginning, as she faced another deficit in the championship match against UNLV. After losing the first set and falling behind 3-0 in the second set, she stormed back to win 6-4 in the final two sets, securing the seventh title in program history.
As if the clutch performances in the conference tournament weren’t impressive enough, Viriant was on the court for the deciding match of Boise State’s showdown against No. 22 Baylor in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The experience from the season, especially the last two matches, eased Viriant’s nerves.
Those were the moments I worked for my entire life. I wasn’t performing at my best the whole season, but having those opportunities and hardships helped me do what I did. I like the part that pushes me to my limits. I was really confident I could do it again, because I’d done it before. I had my team behind me cheering and I knew that was all it would take.Masa Viriant on clinching Boise State's Mountain West and NCAA Tournament wins
The freshman delivered again, rallying from a first-set loss to win the final two sets, clinching one of the biggest wins in program history. She considers it one of the most impressive accomplishments of her career, and rightfully so.
“That’s probably the coolest feeling in college. That’s the peak. Every athlete who works hard deserves to have a moment like that because it’s so special,” said Viriant. “I can’t explain the feeling. You’re through the roof, the team is with you and you’re celebrating the biggest things with your family.”
“That was one of the most amazing and magical experiences in my college coaching career. Knowing that Masa was ready because of her work ethic and how diligent and determined she is, we felt confident,” Roghaar said. “She was loving it out there, wiping the dirt off her shoulders and doing an incredible job of recovering and picking herself back up to go battle again. It's a testament to how much she grew during that freshman year.”
Viriant describes herself as a “grinder” on the court, an approach that developed over time and is exactly what a blue-collar program like Boise State wants.
“I was always the smallest and thinnest as a kid, so all I had was my legs and running. In Italy, they pushed me to a more aggressive playing style,” she explained. “College pushed me to level up my aggressiveness which is really helpful in expanding my skills. Our entire team is a group of fighters. You can’t teach that, you either have the fire and willingness or you don’t. It’s a perfect fit.”
Now in her sophomore year, Viriant has blossomed, earning a spot as a team captain, moving into the No. 3 singles spot and tallying a 13-3 record, the second-best mark on the team. The Broncos enter the final regular season match with a 17-3 overall record and 9-1 clip in the conference. A win at Utah State on April 17 would clinch at least a share of the MW regular season title for the first time in program history.
She's a workhorse. She brings a hungry mindset to get better every day, she's thinking about how she can do that all the time and that really drives our team to do that same thing,” said Roghaar. “It drives our coaches to make sure we’re putting every ounce of everything she could get better at in front of her.”
Her ultimate goal is to play professionally, but Viriant is focused on being present.
“My idea is to go on tour full-time, but I don’t want to put any time limitations on that goal. I want to go with the flow and enjoy the college experience,” she said. “I want to enjoy it because when I do that, I feel like I improve the most.”
Part of her mission to remain present is to develop as a leader, which has garnered praise from her head coach.
“She has such a mature perspective as a tennis player, so to see her come in and be a captain as a sophomore has been incredible,” said Roghaar. “Every day she’s learning more about what process is best for her and that’s contagious with our team because it becomes our standard. That’s what gets us excited as a coaching staff. She’s really hungry to evolve and we’re pumped for the future.”
Viriant’s journey is far from finished. Through different obstacles, countries and dramatic wins, she has been living the dream.
“Every day is a blessing and I’m really trying to embrace that. Opportunities are not endless so I’m trying to live in the moment. The easiest way to overcome hardships is to smile through them. Whatever I do with this team is fun. That’s the magical part.”Masa Viriant