KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee first baseman Giulia Koutsoyanopulos transferred to Tennessee after two years at Arizona. She said the last few years have been surreal.
"I don't think I've ever been in an atmosphere like this before. The fans love you, ups and downs," Koutsoyanopulos said. "You have so much support here."
Koutsoyanopulos said Tennessee made her feel valued as a person and not just a player, and ultimately that's why she transferred to the Lady Vols. In her two years here, she said that same feeling has only felt more true.
"It actually feels like a family. I know it's cliché and a lot of people say it, but legitimately I feel like I'm part of a family. We get each other, we're all so close, the chemistry is great," Koutsoyanopulos said. "They're like my sisters, so I think every moment spent together feels like that."
Koutsoyanopulos said coming into a program and experiencing immediate success has also been a dream come true, and the fact that she has played a role in all of it has been more fun than she could have imagined.
"Words can't even describe it, but I can't help but always have a smile on my face when I'm here, no matter what," Koutsoyanopulos said. "Even just regular practice, doing whatever, we just make everything so fun and everyone is so happy. It's just a completely different experience that I never thought I would be able to go through."
The whole experience has helped Koutsoyanopulos rediscover her love for softball, and remember why she chose to make the sport such a central part of her life in the first place.
"I love this sport because it makes me feel free. I feel like every time I step on the field I can forget about the other things," Koutsoyanopulos said. "I think being able to play and being surrounded by such great people, it feels like an alternate universe. I feel so free and there are no worries."
Koutsoyanopulos and the Lady Vols will hope to keep the fun going for a few more weeks. Tennessee takes the No. 3 overall seed into the NCAA Tournament and kick things off hosting Dayton in the Knoxville Regional on Friday, May 17 at 2:30 p.m.