When Penn State women's tennis player Rebecca Ho chose State College, it was for two specific reasons — academics and proximity.

This season, the junior from Toronto, Canada has thrived in the Nittany Lions line-up, helping to steer the Lions to a 5-3 record in the Big Ten.

Her 7-1 singles record in conference reflects a special meeting with Penn State women's tennis coach Buffy Baker last season.

"She made a commitment to herself to have no regrets," Baker said. "She was willing to take that risk. Last year, she protected herself. Coming in this year, she stepped up her play. In matches against Minnesota, Wisconsin and Cornell, I saw the effort she was putting in at practice reflected on the court."

Ho dominated Daniela DelPrete of Cornell in straight sets before entering the brunt of the Big Ten season. The next weekend, Ho badgered Vanessa Raugh after dropping the first set 4-6.

What sparked the changes in the junior's game?

"In my game, I've got a lot more mentally tough," Ho said. "Physically, I'm stronger with the weight training."

In her third season with the Lions, Ho has learned that experience pays dividends. She takes every kernel of knowledge and puts it to good use.

For instance, a year ago, Ho lost a straight sets match to Ohio State's Monica Rincon. Ho returned the favor this year.

"Rebecca played a very clean match," Baker said. "She beat a very good opponent. She looked mentally ready to break down."

Ultimately, Rincon did lose all sense in her tennis game that day. Ho reduced the Buckeye to tears after the match concluded. The No. 2 Lion gives most of the credit to her new coach.

"One of the main reasons I improved was because how Buffy taught me," Ho said. "That did it both on and off the court."

With teammate Pilar Montgomery, Ho has earned two wins a day in the past four Big Ten matches. The pair doesn't appear to wear or slow down soon due to their excellent rapport on the court.

"We communicate well," Montgomery said. "She's open-minded. We just work well together. Being personal friends off the court helps as well."

When looking at the two during changeovers, one can't miss the Igloo water bottle Ho has plastered with stickers. Ho remembers picking up the bottle nearly 10 years ago. She collected the tiny bumper stickers over the years at national competitions. The "Just Do It" Nike sticker shows the bottle's age.

"I used to look at that (slogan) during matches," Ho said. "I'd focus on that."

What did Montgomery think when she first set eyes on Ho's Igloo?

"It's just so Rebecca," Montgomery said. "She loves stickers. On her bag, water bottle, racket, or folders for school. She's one of the most incredible artists I've ever seen."

In addition to playing tennis, Ho dabbles in art for the team too. She designed the back of the latest practice shirt.

Even though Ho's tennis game has exploded onto the scene this season, she has her sights set on academics. According to Ho, she only applied to top 50 ranked academic schools. Ho earned academic All-Big Ten honors last season. In Penn State's Architectural Engineering five-year program that accomplishment is quite impressive.

Ho's attention to detail serves as a teaching tool to her younger teammates.

"She's very disciplined," Montgomery said. "She'll be an older senior like me. She's very mature, almost mother like. She's incredibly nice and smart and very loyal to everyone. There's not a mean bone in her body."

"It's something we can try to imitate," freshman Leigh Ann Merryman said. "She never loses her cool on the court. Everyone wants to be as disciplined as Becca."