USF Athletics

Miss Do-Everything, Selin Yaylali, Relishes Her Last Running with the Bulls

April 14, 2022

MATCH 20
MATCHUP: South Florida (5-14) vs. No. 18 Central Florida (14-6)
WHEN: Saturday, April 16
TIME: Noon
LOCATION: Tampa, Fla.
SITE: USF Varsity Tennis Courts
 
By Joey Johnston
 
It's difficult to describe what senior Selin Yaylali does for the USF women's tennis team. But here's what Coach Cristina Moros knows: The Bulls can't operate without her.
 
Yaylali, a walk-on known for her abundant energy and optimism, was pressed into on-court duty this season, working at No. 6 singles and No. 3 doubles. She's a tenacious practice player. At times, she's almost an assistant coach. Moros might have come up with the definitive words for Yaylali's role.
 
"She's our team mom,'' Moros said.
 
When the Bulls (5-14) close out the regular season at home on Saturday at noon against the UCF Knights, the last tune-up before next week's American Athletic Conference Tournament at Tulsa, you can count on Yaylali being there with all-out effort and a full heart.
 
"The other members of the team have described me as the glue that holds us all together, Yaylali said. "I think that's about right. Whatever needs to be done, I'm willing to do it. I love this team and I love USF.''
 
Yaylali, who will graduate next month with a degree in public relations and advertising, also serves as co-president of USF's Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and interns with the USF Athletics event management team. It seems like she knows hundreds of people on USF's campus. If there's an unfamiliar face, she's quick to extend a hand and introduce herself.
 
"She's great at talking to anyone, sharing her ideas or getting a group together,'' Moros said. "I remember when she got out of high school (in Gainesville) and called us about a walk-on spot. We didn't have anything. And I think her mother told her, 'If it's meant to be, it's meant to be.' Sometimes, things happen.''
 
A few weeks later, a USF player unexpectedly left school, opening a spot for Yaylali.
 
"Since then, I have been all over the place, basically being supportive and doing whatever is necessary,'' Yaylali said.
 
And her efforts have been noticed. Yaylali has been nominated for the Lee Roy Selmon Award — given to the USF athlete who demonstrates commitment to developing as a winner in the classroom, community, competition and life — and the Unsung Hero Award at the annual Stampede of Champions event.
 
"I've never had another kid like Selin,'' Moros said. "She fills so many roles. There's never any concern with ego. It's always about helping out in any way she can.
 
"In our program, we don't talk about putting points on the board. But we do talk about how everyone fits together like puzzle pieces. Sometimes, that piece is being part of a support system. Sometimes, it's playing on the court. Selin wears a different hat every day.''
 
Yaylali said she loved playing doubles earlier this season and winning her match 6-2, helping USF to snap a losing streak. But she also loves being there to advise her teammates and helping in any way possible.
 
Yaylali has applied to USF graduate school, but isn't certain about her path. It will probably involve some sort of adventure. Last summer, she studied abroad in Florence, Italy, rooming with two USF softball players and forming a lifetime bond. She has worked events with practically every USF sport, gaining experience with all sorts of personalities.
 
"I think it brings me joy to meet people and work with them,'' Yaylali said.
 
Her entrepreneurial spirit might come from her parents — Nuri and Idil — who were born in Turkey. Yaylali's father is an engineer, but he also creates a coffee brand (Kahwe) that can be purchased on Amazon. Family gatherings are rousing affairs, including so much food that the table is completely covered.
 
Does Yaylali ever have a bad day?
 
"Of course there are bad days,'' she said. "But it's all about how you perceive them.''
 
And that approach might describe why Yaylali is an irreplaceable part of USF women's tennis.
 
"Selin brings a little bit of everything,'' Moros said. "But most of all, she's an asset to us all.''
 
About Women's Tennis
Be sure to follow USF women's tennis on social media (Twitter / Facebook / Instagram) and visit GoUSFBulls.com for the most up-to-date information. Head coach Cristina Moros will be in her seventh year at the helm, as she led the program to an American Athletic Conference Championship in 2017.