WISE - - For senior UVA Wise women's tennis player Aya Melhem, the end of her career has arrived, and it has arrived without warning.
 
The stunning and unexpected suspension of NCAA Division II spring sports has closed the book on Melhem's career. "I've been really upset because I never saw this coming," she wrote. "It's hard enough knowing it's going to come to an end, but it's especially hard when it catches you by surprise."
 
Although the sudden end of her career was unforeseen, the beginning of her career at UVA Wise was almost equally improbable and unpredictable. The school Melhem has dedicated four years of her life to was hardly a top choice or a priority. In fact, it was a school she was unaware existed for the majority of her life.
 
Tennis has journeyed with Melhem through most of her life, as she picked up the sport when she was only five years of age. Now, sixteen years later, the journey has unfortunately come to a premature end.
 
Melhem spent some of her childhood in Jordan, moving to the United States around six years ago. She left behind an accomplished career; at the age of thirteen, she had emerged victorious from a prestigious national tournament.
 
The win granted Melhem an even more impressive opportunity: the chance to play on Jordan's national tennis team. After a brief career with the team that lasted for around two years, more change was on the horizon for Melhem: a move to the United States.
 
Melhem relocated to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, but her pursuit of tennis did not stop. She continued to grow under the tutelage of Wildwood Tennis Academy for a year, before the source of her education changed.
 
Leaving Wildwood, she began to learn from another instructor: her father, who possesses experience in the sport himself. Learning from him and being willing to travel up to four hours away to compete in tournaments, Melhem forged ahead at full speed.
 
The journey to UVA Wise was not an intentional one in the beginning. UVA Wise was one of many Division II schools Melhem attempted to prompt offers from. "I emailed him [UVA Wise Women's Tennis Head Coach Danny Rowland] just like I emailed every other DII college close to Tennessee," Melhem wrote.
 
It was meant to be, however, as Coach Rowland gave Melhem "the best offer out of all of them." Rowland believed in Melhem from the start, and his faith would be rewarded with an excellent student-athlete.
 
Just a few years after moving to the United States, Melhem arrived at UVA Wise. She was impressed by the school from the very beginning. "I loved the cozy feeling I got," she said. "I also felt very welcomed by the girls I met and the coach."
 
The relationship with the school has proven to be a positive one for both Melhem and UVA Wise, and her shoes will be difficult to fill in more ways than one. A contributor to the team from the start, Melhem's legacy will loom large after her exit. In both her freshman and junior years, Melhem received Second Team All-Mountain East Conference Honors.
 
Melhem, a Psychology major, plans to pursue physical therapy upon earning her degree from UVA Wise, and has already been accepted into Tennessee State University to study the field.
 
The job will give Melhem the chance to be involved in both "sports and science. I also like the social aspect of the job and the fact that I can work with athletes," she wrote.
 
The career, in some ways, seems inevitable, as it is the result of a path Melhem has desired to walk for years now. "Since high school I've always known I wanted to go into the medical field," she wrote.
 
Although the legacy she has left on the court is evident to all, Melhem desires to leave behind a legacy off the court as well. "I hope I'm remembered for being kind to everyone and being a friend to many. I also hope the leadership roles I took made a difference and were impactful."
 
Melhem has certain memories from her time at UVA Wise which are close to her heart, ranging from homecoming to team functions to heart-stopping victories. Not content with her achievements, Melhem had hoped to accomplish even more.
 
"I had big goals for senior year and a plan to go out with a bang. But I'm very thankful for the opportunity I had in the last 3 and a half years. If anything it makes those memories more valuable. I still have my team and that's a really important part of the sport to me."
 
For Melhem, leaving UVA Wise evokes complex emotions. "It's very bittersweet, because even though I'm excited to move on to bigger things, I know I'll never get another experience where the community is so close and loving," she wrote.
 
"In regards to tennis, this is the hardest goodbye I've ever had to say. Tennis has been a lifestyle and a passion for me for a very long time. Growing up the courts were always my happy place. I can't imagine life without it, and it breaks my heart that I will never play competitively again. It's been an amazing journey, but it's time to say goodbye. I know I'll have the friendships that came from this sport forever though."