First-year Terezia Mlkva quickly emerges at No. 1 for Utah State

When Terezia Mlkva arrived at Utah State, the transition involved more than adjusting to a new team or a new level of tennis. It meant adapting to a different country, a new language and a different structure for the sport she had played most of her life. 

Less than two months into the spring season, the first-year athlete from Slovakia has already emerged as one of the program’s most important players, according to Utah State Women’s Tennis head coach Veronika Golanova.  

Mlkva has spent much of the year playing No. 1 singles, the position that matches each team’s top player against the opponent’s best. Through March 4, she holds an 11-9 overall singles record and a 6-3 mark in dual matches, helping Utah State build a 6-4 team record heading into conference play. 

Golanova said producing results in that role as a first-year is difficult because of the level of competition and the mental demands of the position. 

“I believe she’s 6-3 at No. 1, which is a fantastic start to her season,” Golanova said. 

Mlkva’s ability to handle the spot has been a product of both her playing style and her competitive background. Golanova said Mlkva’s power and clean ball-striking allow her to control points against strong opponents. 

“She has a very effortless power,” Golanova said. “She’s an amazing striker. She strikes so clean.” 

Mlkva’s tennis journey began early in Slovakia. She first tried the sport as a child when a coach encouraged her parents to keep her involved after seeing her natural ability. 

“I started to play tennis when I was in kindergarten,” Mlkva said. “I was smaller than the net, so it was really funny.” 

After briefly stepping away, she returned to the sport a few years later and never stopped playing. She eventually built a junior resume strong enough to draw interest from American college programs. 

Unlike some junior players who travel constantly for tournaments, Mlkva said she did not begin competing heavily internationally until the final years of her junior career. Education remained a priority throughout that period. 

“I didn’t play that much active tournaments until my last two years in juniors because for me, school was really important,” she said. “I never know if I could get injured or something. My mom always like [the] appeal of education.” 

Those final junior seasons required extensive travel and support from her family. 

“I’m so thankful for my parents that they went with me on this way because I was traveling a lot,” Mlkva said. 

When it came time to choose a college, Mlkva focused primarily on finding a program where she felt comfortable with the coaching staff. She said her connection with Golanova stood out during the recruiting process. 

“I was trying to look for coaches that I know I will click [with],” she said. “With Coach V, it clicks really fast. I feel like under her, I can become the best tennis player I can be.” 

The adjustment to college tennis, however, was still significant. Unlike junior competition, where players compete almost entirely on their own, college matches combine individual play with a team-based scoring format. 

That difference was one of the first things Mlkva noticed after arriving in Logan. 

“College tennis is like individual sports but to the team competition, so it was really hard to just adjust,” she said. 

According to Mlkva, the shift has become easier over time as she has settled into the team environment. 

“I couldn’t imagine playing in better team with better support than mine,” Mlkva said. “I love the girls. They helped me a lot at the beginning because they all know how to be as freshmen and we have a lot of international [players] in the team.” 

One weekend in early February illustrated how quickly she had grown comfortable in that setting. Utah State hosted a doubleheader against Idaho State and Weber State, forcing players to manage two dual matches in a single day. 

Mlkva helped close out both victories, delivering the clinching point in each match. 

“It was a really hard day, long day,” she said. “But we came pretty motivated to play at home. I just wanted to win.” 

In addition to her singles success, Mlkva has been a consistent contributor in doubles. She holds a 13-7 overall doubles record and a 6-2 mark in dual matches this season. 

One of her most frequent partners has been sophomore Natalie Paterova. The pair has posted a 6-3 record together, giving Utah State another reliable option when trying to secure the opening doubles point. 

Paterova said their partnership developed quickly because of both their playing styles and their relationship away from the court. 

“I think it’s also because we clicked off the court. She’s such an amazing player,” Paterova said. “I think we completed each other.” 

The familiarity extends beyond tennis. Both players come from Central Europe — with Paterova hailing from the Czech Republic — and she said their connection formed almost immediately. 

“I feel like she’s like my younger sister right now,” Paterova said. “I never had a younger sister, and she’s my best friend right now.” 

Their chemistry has also benefited from being able to communicate easily during matches, something Golanova joked about when describing the pairing. 

“We call them the Czechoslovakian team,” Golanova said. “They can obviously speak their native language while they’re playing doubles, so I think that helps a lot for them in certain situations.” 

For Utah State, strong doubles performances have become an important part of the team’s early-season success. Golanova said winning the doubles point provides an immediate advantage in the dual match format. 

“Starting a match being 1-0 up, it’s always a very big mental advantage,” she said. 

Even with Mlkva’s early accomplishments, both coaches and teammates see areas for continued growth. Golanova said the next step in her development will be balancing her unique aggression with patience during longer rallies. 

“We’re definitely looking to improve our consistency … not pulling the trigger too quickly,” Golanova said. “She gets into those tight matches because we’re going for too much early. But at the same time, that’s a good problem to have. Rather go for more than not at all.” 

Mlkva said she agrees consistency and decision-making are areas she wants to improve as the season continues. 

“I think I will work on my consistency a little bit more because I’m aggressive player” she said. “I need to make a few more balls and maybe make decisions on the court sometimes a little bit better.” 

Off the court, Golanova said Mlkva has quickly become a positive presence within a young Utah State roster. 

“She’s fantastic,” Golanova said. “She talks a lot. She has a very bubbly personality. She is not afraid to ask questions. She sends me funny dog TikToks all the time.” 

That personality has helped her adjust to life in the United States, where the biggest challenge initially was being far from home. 

“It was hard for me at the beginning. I’m so far away from my family,” Mlkva said. 

However, Mlkva said the support system around her — teammates, coaches and fellow international players — has made the transition easier. 

“I feel like again — my team — they’re perfect,” she said. “I love the girls.” 

With conference play just beginning, Mlkva’s early success has given Utah State another reliable player at the top of the lineup — a role that rarely belongs to a first-year player so quickly.