Accidents can happen at any place and time, and can cause a change in a person’s life. For ISU freshman Liera Bender, an accidental computer error may have revealed her potential as a tennis player.

Bender, a native of Urbandale, Iowa, played tennis at Johnston High School. A passion for tennis didn’t come from her parents, but rather a liking of the facilities.

Matt Bender, her father, and Johnnie Bender, her mother, were athletes in baseball and field hockey, but Liera focused on basketball, soccer and tennis.

After moving to Des Moines, it took her one trip to the local fitness club to know that tennis was in her future.

“The club had these tennis courts that were bubbled and after touring the club, I was mesmerized by the bubbled courts,” Bender said. “I told my family that I wanted to be in here all the time and they signed me up.”

After practicing at the courts for a while, Bender participated in some local tournaments, leading to a mistake by her father that may have helped shape her path.

“My dad didn’t understand the tennis website and accidently signed me up for a futures tournament,” Bender said. “This tournament actually led me to pursuing tennis throughout high school because I loved the competition and atmosphere of the matches.”

The process of recruiting Bender for Iowa State University was the true meaning of a small world.

Coach Armando Espinosa knew Bender’s father because he was a referee for their matches the previous year, so he had prior knowledge of Bender before recruiting her.

“She’s trained in Kansas City, so she’s always been on our radar,” Espinosa said. “It seemed like she had a lot of potential, so we went after her.”

Syracuse University was Bender’s dream school to play tennis, but she visited other schools like Iowa and Iowa State. 

Bender fell in love with Iowa State once she visited and was able to meet the team and coaches. The atmosphere of the team and campus was something that drew her attention the most.

“Once I came to Iowa State, I was done,” Bender said. “I had more official visits that I could’ve done, but knew this was the right fit for me.”

Bender had the opportunity to practice with the team this spring because she finished high school early. She wanted to train in a college atmosphere and also get some college credits underneath her belt.

Due to the level of experience on this season’s roster, Bender will more than likely be red-shirted to save a year of eligibility. Bender is excited to start playing, but knows that she needs the practice after a rough fall semester.

“The players that I played with graduated, so I only hit once a week at the club last semester,” Bender said.

Espinosa is looking toward the future and Bender will contribute regardless if she plays or not this regular season. He’s also happy with her decision to come practice this semester instead of participate in an academy.

“Her weakness is definitely experience because there aren’t many competitive tournaments in Iowa,” Espinosa said. “A strength is her ability to adapt to different environments and always have the mindset to learn.”