News & Features

My Players

|

My Lists

|

My School

|

My Notifications

Team Home

The unwavering support of her family was the foundation of Lauren Embree’s successful tennis career. Her parents were her backbone from the day she began playing. Her dad was her hero, her best friend and her coach.

“But above all, he was always my dad first,” Embree said. “Tragically, I lost him on March 17, 2022, an event that forever changed my perspective on life.”

Embree was an assistant coach in college at the time. Although the experience was rewarding and she was grateful for everything she learned, Embree began to reassess what truly mattered to her.

She decided to move to Austin, Texas and “on a whim to start my journey in functional medicine,” the 33-year-old Embree said. “It was scary and uncomfortable—starting over in a city where I knew no one—but it turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life.”

Embree was a five-time All-American at the University of Florida from 2009-13 and helped the Gators win NCAA titles in 2011 and 2012. Embree finished her career 117-16 in singles, including 38-0 in SEC matches, and 119-25 in doubles.

The two-time Honda Award winner was named the NCAA Tournament Most Valuable Player twice and the SEC Player of the Year three times. As a senior, Embree went 20-1 in dual match play and was ranked No. 1 in the ITA rankings for the entire season.

Embree earned her degree in sports management and competed on the pro circuit for three years, winning four doubles titles and two singles titles. Following her pro career, Embree coached collegiately at Pepperdine and Florida before deciding to chart a new path and start her own business, Embree Wellness.

“I know my dad is proud of me for being brave and following my heart,” Embree said. “I would encourage others to do the same. You can achieve anything you set your mind to with belief in yourself, hard work, and dedication.”

Embree shares more about her current life and tennis memories in this month’s edition of “Where Are They Now?”

What are you doing now for work?

I’m a functional medicine nutritionist, dedicated to helping people achieve their optimal health goals by harnessing the power of nutrition and lifestyle changes. My work focuses on creating personalized strategies to support overall well-being and empower individuals to thrive. My work covers a wide range of services, including creating personalized meal plans, optimizing meal programming and timing, and guiding individuals in choosing healthy versus unhealthy brands. I collaborate with athletes, busy professionals, and families to improve their nutrition, offering practical solutions like pantry clean-outs and grocery shopping tips. In addition to developing online courses that empower individuals to adopt and sustain a healthier lifestyle with practical, easy-to-follow guidance, I also organize wellness talks across the country. These talks focus on specific topics, educating audiences on nutritional principles and providing actionable steps to help them begin their wellness journey.

What do you enjoy about your current profession?

I’m passionate about empowering people to gain confidence in their health journey while educating them on the transformative power of nutrition and its impact on overall well-being. I truly enjoy sharing my knowledge, speaking about health and wellness, and supporting others as they work toward achieving their goals!

How much did tennis impact your life?

Tennis has profoundly shaped every aspect of my life. It wasn’t just a sport for me—it was a teacher, a challenge, and a foundation for my growth as a person. It gave me so many opportunities like playing at the D1 level and traveling the world to come to the most beautiful cities I would have never had the chance to see without this sport. It also introduced me to many great people I still have in my life today. Most importantly, tennis helped me discover my purpose and instilled the belief that, with passion and perseverance, anything is possible. It’s not just a part of my story—it’s the reason I’ve been able to write it.

What did you enjoy most about college tennis?

I enjoyed playing for something bigger than myself. I was lucky enough to be on two national championship teams with elite coaches, so I felt like I was being pushed every single day by every teammate I had. Florida had a great culture and we all played for each other. College tennis taught me more about how to perform under pressure, and how to be a leader. It gave me some of the best friendships and relationships I can carry for the rest of my life. Being a student-athlete at Florida was special to me because I was around some of the best athletes in the world at their sport. It seemed impossible not to improve and grow during my time at Florida.

What lessons did you learn from tennis?

Tennis taught me invaluable lessons that transcend the court and apply to every aspect of life. Resilience, learning how to fail, overcoming adversity, embracing discomfort, practicing selflessness, working as part of a team, developing a strong work ethic, committing to something daily, and understanding the power of consistency—these are the principles I carry with me.

When I launched Embree Wellness, I drew deeply from these lessons. I knew success wouldn’t happen overnight, but I believed in the power of small, consistent efforts. By dedicating myself to something I love, fueled by drive and hard work, I’ve seen incredible things unfold.

How much do you stay in touch with teammates or tennis friends?

VERY often. We still have a team group chat and we went to school over 10 years ago! We show up to weddings, send inside jokes from college, and try to keep in touch as best we can all over the world. Some of my best friends are from junior tennis days, so even though we went to separate schools and played against each other many times, we still have a great friendship. This is what was the most important to me, and I am grateful to have so many amazing friends from the sport.

Best advice for younger players coming up?

Have fun. Experience other things as well as tennis. Whatever your goals are, have a positive support system around you, believe in the power of consistency, and trust the process to get you to where you want to go. Your dreams are probably not as far off as you think. Be kind and remain optimistic.

If you or anyone you know would make a good candidate for “Where Are They Now?” please email Rhiannon Potkey at [email protected]

About Southern California Tennis Academy

Southern California Tennis Academy is proud to sponsor the Where Are They Now? series of articles at TennisRecruiting.net.

Southern California Tennis Academy: For the Serious-Minded Tennis Player

At SCTA-LosCab, is an all-in-one full-time boarding academy with all amenities onsite at Los Cab Sports Village in Fountain Valley, California. The academy program focuses on overall game development based on use of strengths, personal shot selection built for your game and athletic-based fitness to increase potential and performance. We play 80-100 tournament matches per year within 30 minutes drive from the academy. We also offer short stay, holiday and summer camps.

Connect with Southern California Tennis Academy on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube - or on their website.

Leave a Comment

About Rhiannon Potkey

Rhiannon Potkey is a veteran sportswriter with more than two decades of experience in journalism. Potkey has covered many sports at many levels and has a passion for finding great stories. Potkey has covered the U.S. Open, junior sectional and national events, college conference championships and Davis Cup matches. Potkey is currently Content Strategist for Tennis Recruiting. You can reach Rhiannon by email at [email protected].