Laughter Between the Lines : The Levity of Dena Levy Has Everyone but USC Tennis Opponents Smiling

Dena Levy isn’t an authority on medieval history, but that hasn’t stopped her from assuming the role of court jester.

Whether traveling abroad, working out at practice or helping USC to another national championship, Levy seldom fails to inject levity into a situation. And the Trojan tennis player isn’t bashful. Her car’s license plate reads, “FNY GURL.”

“In anything that I do, whether it’s school or tennis, I believe heavily in having a good time,” said Levy, who attended El Camino Real High.

Last summer, Levy and teammate Mary Norwood went to Europe to compete in several matches. But after two tournaments they shipped their rackets home. They were having too much fun to think about tennis.

But now Levy is back on the courts, and that’s where she enjoys herself the most. Unpredictability is Levy’s strong suit.

Two weeks ago, on the day before USC’s match against UCLA, she showed up to practice with numerous helium-filled, cardinal and gold balloons tied to her headband. She had taken the balloons the night before from a party at UCLA, where they had been hung as a joke.

The day of the match, which No. 3-ranked USC won, 9-0, she demanded that all Trojan players tie their shoes with cardinal and gold laces.

Before last season’s NCAA championships, Levy dyed her hair in USC’s colors and displayed the cardinal and gold in braids. Her teammates wouldn’t go along with that stunt, but she did persuade them to do a few things out of the ordinary.

Her USC teammates painted their fingernails red and gold, and appeared at a tournament party decked out in Levy-designed cardinal-and-gold shorts and USC T-shirts.

Levy’s pranks have a point. At USC, the pressure to win is intense. Last season, the tennis team won its seventh national championship in the last nine years. Anything short of a No. 1 finish is considered an off year. Levy’s stunts prevent the team from getting too tight.

“I like to add character to the team,” said Levy, a senior co-captain. “Our winning nationals had a lot to do with the team’s attitude and unique appearance.”

Said Trojan Coach Dave Borelli: “Every team needs someone who can generate a lot of enthusiasm. The years we finished third or fourth we lacked a little bit of that.”

The atmosphere is lightened further by an outbreak of nicknames--everyone has one, courtesy of Levy.

“The second some freshman walks on the court, I think of something that reminds me of them,” Levy said.

“Dena kind of goes on first instincts. And it’s best to get on her good side,” Norwood joked.

Levy is not all jester; serving as team motivator is not her only role on the team. She owns a 6-1 record in limited action as a singles player, and her chief contribution to the team comes in doubles play.

Caroline Kuhlman and she are the nation’s No. 11 doubles team, as ranked by the Intercollegiate Tennis Coaches Assn. This year, they are 10-1 in dual-match play and have not lost a set in their last six matches.

Kuhlman, the nation’s No. 1 singles player, is the more proficient of the two, but Levy complements her partner. Although she is only 5-2, Levy has a tremendous overhead shot and plays the net exceptionally well.

“I always try and pair up someone who is solid and steady with someone who is a point winner and playmaker,” Borelli said. “Dena’s the playmaker. She’s one of the best doubles players on the team, and she’s at her best when the pressure’s on.”

Last year when Kuhlman was injured, Levy was thrust into the singles lineup against powerful Stanford. Levy responded with a three-set upset win over Stephanie Savides. The two nearly had a fistfight after the match when Savides refused to shake Levy’s hand.

Levy calmed down and won her doubles match to give the Trojans a 5-4 victory. Afterward, she was named Western Collegiate Athletic Assn. athlete of the week, the first time the award had gone to a tennis player.

When not in the lineup, Levy acts as an unofficial assistant coach during singles matches. Because there are six matches going on at once, Borelli and his two assistants can’t watch every match closely.

In addition to helping her teammates on the court, Levy is sometimes a tutor. She is a B+ student and has won awards for academic achievement. Still, Levy is not above pulling a prank even when studying.

“You wouldn’t want to sit in front of Dena in a class,” said teammate Lisa Lareau. “She’s the kind of person that would put a ‘hit me’ sign on your back.”

With Levy supplying the punch, USC may be in line for another national title.