Netherlands Native Barendse Anchors Women’s Tennis’ Historic Start At No. 1 Line
3/5/2026 1:30:00 PM | Women's Tennis
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Long before North Florida Women's Tennis senior Laurie Barendse was playing at the No. 1 line, she was a young athlete in Pijnacker, the Netherlands, with high hopes of reaching the highest level of tennis while surrounded by family and friends.
Barendse started playing tennis when she was 12 years old, stating that it's always been an influential part of her life. Her grandpa still plays, and both of Barnedse's parents and sisters grew up competing in the sport.
As a child, Barendse also competed in gymnastics, field hockey and ice speed skating. But as Barendse grew a bit older, tennis became her main focus. She began playing on the same team as her sisters, and even played as a doubles partner with one of them.
Although Barendse was influenced by tennis at a young age, she decided rather late that she wanted to play collegiate tennis in the United States. After playing her first two seasons at New Orleans, Barendse decided to enter the transfer portal.Â
She had never visited North Florida's campus, though a phone call with UNF Women's Tennis Head Coach Catherine Dunagan played a massive role in Barendse's decision.
"It wasn't all about tennis or your results," Barendse said. "She was trying to get to know me for my personality and that was a big thing for me. She had a good way of convincing me that [UNF] was a championship team. We practice like a championship team, and [Dunagan] cares a lot about the personalities."
When she entered the transfer portal after her sophomore year, Barendse knew exactly what she was looking for. Barendse wanted a competitive team, strong culture and a coach who cared about players beyond results. She wanted an environment where teammates pushed each other to be better, and celebrated each other's success.Â
From her first conversations with Dunagan, Barendse knew North Florida was the change she was looking for. The focus wasn't only on tennis, it was on culture. When Barendse arrived at UNF, the culture became immediately clear through the support of the veteran leaders on the team.
Now as a senior at North Florida, Barendse competes at the No. 1 line for both singles and doubles. In that role, Barendse faces each opponent's top player match in and match out.
"I feel the responsibility to lead us on the court," Barendse said. "Once I'm on the court as the No. 1 player, I feel you have to fight for every point and set the right example for your teammates. I feel very responsible for supporting my teammates, [especially] the ones that are playing next to me. I don't care about winning for myself. I just want the team to win."
Playing at one means embracing the pressure that comes with it while constantly facing high-level competition. For Barendse, that challenge is exactly what she was looking for when entering the transfer portal.
"I'm grateful and passionate about tough matches," Barendse said. "I know I'm going to play the best player every match. Losing in a third [set] and being tough are going to make me stronger in the end."
To prepare for matches, Barendse watches film, writes reflections and carries notecards in her tennis bag with reminders to believe in herself. Those habits, along with her relationship with her teammates and coaches, have helped Barendse grow into the dominant player she is today.
North Florida's 13-0 record in 2026 is its best since the program's initiation in 1995. In the latest ITA Division I National Rankings released on Tuesday, the Ospreys were slated as the No. 55-ranked team in the nation.
At one, Barendse is 9-3 in singles and 6-4 in doubles this season. She earned Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Week honors on Feb. 24. Barendse's undefeated 3-0 record in both singles and doubles that week helped lead UNF to its best start to a season in program history.
"It's incredibly rewarding to see her results reflect the relentless work she puts in every single day to elevate and refine her game," North Florida Head Coach Catherine Dunagan said.
"I used to always be really hard on myself," Barendse added. "But UNF and especially the coaches have really made me see that [I] need to [say] encouraging words to [myself] and be positive. I'm really grateful that [Dunagan] taught me those things. It shows me that my coach also cares about personal improvement and growth as a person."
The senior, Barendse, would love to continue playing tennis after graduation. She plans to return to the Netherlands to train for and compete in tournaments, with dreams of one day playing professionally.
"I cannot stop playing tennis right now," Barendse said. "I've been working since I was 4 or 5 years old and I don't want to throw all of that hard work away."
However, for Barendse's remaining time at North Florida, there's still work to do. The Ospreys are seeking their 11th ASUN Conference Tournament Championship in 2026. For North Florida to accomplish its goal, it will need continued high-level performances from Barendse down the stretch of the season. It's a challenge she'll certainly be up for.
Players Mentioned
