Clayton State University Athletics

A tremendous talent, Nathalia Collantes (Yarri) was an integral part of elevating Clayton State women's tennis to a national power during her four years as a Laker from 2000-04.
 
Teaming with now fellow Hall of Famer Jackeline Nieto, Collantes helped lead Clayton State to a 17-3 overall record in 2001 and the team's second NCAA Division II Tournament appearance. That season they would advance to the Sweet 16 after earning what is still the program's only Peach Belt Conference Regular Season Championship.
 
At a perfect 10-0 in league play, that championship was the only outright title by a team other than Armstrong State in an 18-year period. To put in perspective the jump that Collantes helped the Lakers make in just the program's sixth season, they had never before surpassed 12 wins and finished the 2001 season with a No. 10 overall national ranking.
 
They would follow that up with another NCAA Tournament appearance in 2002, going 16-8 overall, a stellar 9-1 in the PBC and another No. 10 ranking. While the 2003 and 2004 seasons would not see the same lofty win totals, it would result in a third trip in four years to the postseason and final national rankings of No. 16 and No. 12, respectively.
 
In those two years she also achieved tremendous national recognition as, paired with Nieto, she was twice named an Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) All-American in doubles. Along with those honors, Collantes was also named an All-PBC Selection six times, earning both singles and doubles recognition in 2002, 2003 and 2004. Additionally, she was named as an ITA "Player to Watch" in 2003.
 
During that season she and Nieto went an impressive 16-2 overall in doubles, winning their final 13 matches, and she was a perfect 16-0 in singles play, knocking off some of the top players in the country. The following season would see them go 12-2 together, including a win over Rollins' No. 4 doubles team.
 
Those performances and others like them throughout her career saw Collantes dominate the Laker record book. To this day she is still tied for the most singles wins in a season (23 in 2001 and 2004) and holds the highest singles winning percentage in program history at .815 (75-17). She and Nieto also hold down the season (20) and career (37) doubles victories marks and are second in overall doubles win percentage (.766, 72-22).