Wisconsin-Whitewater senior Jenny Woyahn has encountered many obstacles in dealing with a hearing disability since the age of 4, but this coming September, all of her hard work will pay off in a special way.

Woyahn will have an opportunity to showcase her love of tennis with other hearing-impaired athletes from around the world when she represents the United States in the 21st Deaflympics Summer Games in Chinese Taipei. The Deaflympics is an event for athletes who have a hearing loss of at least 55 decibels in their better ear. Hearing aids and cochlear implants are prohibited during competition to position athletes on the same level.

Woyahn was one of four players selected by the USA Deaf Sports Federation after a national qualifier competition in Tucson, Arizona, last December. She has a 61-31 career singles record and was a member of the Warhawks’ back-to-back WIAC championship teams in 2007 and 2008.

Warhawks women’s tennis coach Frank Barnes called Woyahn “a dedicated and a resilient athlete” who will represent the U.S. team well.

“They could not have hand-picked a better representative,” Barnes said. “Jenny will represent the U.S., Wisconsin and Wisconsin-Whitewater with the utmost class.”

Fellow senior Kara Amundson, who has known Woyahn since they played in a tournament as youths, said Woyahn’s hearing impairment was never an issue in their friendship.

“When I met Jenny for the first time I didn’t think anything of her hearing problem,” Amundson said. “I was able to understand that she couldn’t hear as well so I just had to make sure I talked at a good decibel for her to hear. At times it makes it hard to communicate with her, but I really don’t see it as a big issue.”

Woyahn said it would be an honor to win the gold, but it’s just as important to enjoy the experiences of the Deaflympics and finish her college career with another title.

“I am happy being a member of the U.S. Deaflympics team to represent my country,” Woyahn said. “However, I want to end my college career winning another championship.”

Woyahn said proving she can play and be a member of the Deaflympics has helped her promote and become a role model for other people who have hearing impairments.

“I want to prove that people who are hearing impaired can do anything they want,” Woyahn said. “It’s great that the university has promoted disability sports like wheelchair basketball, and I am grateful to be a spokesperson as a college athlete who is hearing impaired that we can rise above any challenge.”

 Demetrius Klyce is a sports information intern at Wisconsin-Whitewater.