As a native of Mexico City and graduate of Miami Palmetto High School in Florida, the town of Brunswick, Maine must have seemed like a different world for Bowdoin student Oscar Pena. But Pena overcame any reservations to become one of the finest athletes in school history and part of Bowdoin’s first-ever national championship in tennis.

Pena specialized in doubles in his career at Bowdoin and advanced to the NCAA title match as a freshman with Jamie Neely ’09 in 2009. As a junior in 2011, Pena teamed with Stephen Sullivan ’11 to take the next step, winning the NCAA Division III doubles championship. He followed it up with his finest individual season as a senior captain, playing at #1 singles for the Polar Bears in 2012 and leading the squad to the NCAA Quarterfinals for the first time in a decade.

The Economics major and Italian minor was the first three-time All-American for the Polar Bear tennis team and was honored as NESCAC All-Sportsmanship honoree.

“In a program like ours the team is very close, which is why I chose to come to Bowdoin,” says Pena. “In this setting I have learned how to be effective at motivating people with different personalities. Our coaches are great mentors and have taught me the importance of representing myself and the College, not just about the sport.”