Meet Peri! Peri grew up in East Greenwich, Rhode Island, where tennis quickly became the center of her world. With inspiration from her mom, also a tennis player, she found her love for tennis quickly. From a young age, she traveled to national junior tournaments while balancing school and training, building both her competitive edge and love for the sport. By the time she reached high school, Peri had established herself as a standout player for East Greenwich High, winning three State Championships and achieving an incredible 78-0 regular season record.
Her success on the court carried her to Brown University, where she competed at the Division I level. At Brown, Peri not only excelled as an athlete but also stepped into leadership roles, serving as the Female Ivy League Representative on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). Off the court, she pursued her academic interests, earning a degree in English and immersing herself in theatre coursework, where she discovered a new passion for acting and storytelling.
The day after graduation, Peri boldly embraced her next chapter, moving to rural Virginia to begin her sports broadcasting career at WHSV-TV. Her journey in broadcasting has since flourished. Today, living in Washington, DC, she serves as the host of “On The Rise,” a Tennis Channel podcast that explores confidence, identity, and mental health during the transition from college athletics to life beyond the sport. She has also built a dynamic career as a play-by-play commentator for Cracked Media, covering professional and collegiate tennis on multiple television and streaming platforms, bringing her insider perspective and love of the game to audiences everywhere. She is continuing to pursue acting and hopes to eventually become a published children’s book author.
Peri’s journey is one of passion, adaptability, and growth—from dominating the court as a high school and college athlete to shaping the conversation around sports and identity in her broadcasting career. Whether she’s behind the mic or in front of the camera, she continues to inspire athletes and fans alike with her authenticity and insight, proving that the lessons learned in sport can shape a lifetime. Read more about Peri!
Q: What sports did you play growing up?
I played tennis starting at the age of 5. I spent the first 11 years of my tennis career as a dual-sport athlete, balancing time on the court with time in the Taekwondo studio. At 13, I earned my black belt. In addition, I spent time rock climbing, running, and doing yoga with my mom, a former elite tennis player who is my athletic inspiration.
Q: Was there anything that made you hesitant about starting your sport(s)?
Tennis is an individual sport. In junior tennis, my team consisted of my parents who traveled with me to tournaments on the weekends. Tennis can be a lonely sport and I was fortunate to travel with such strong role models who loved tennis as much as I did.
Q: What female athletes (or any athletes) did you look up to?
Throughout my tennis career, I looked up to my mom. She was the first Harvard tennis player to achieve First Team All-Ivy honors in 1979. In high school and college, my mom balanced elite academics with lofty athletic goals. She traveled playing pro tournaments and wherever she competed, my mom carried herself with poise and grace. Whenever I stepped on the court, I always tried to channel the same competitive presence.
Q: What is your favorite memory associated with sports?
I felt so alive stepping onto the court at Brown for the first time. I was quite nervous and this discomfort served as a reminder that tennis would always be filled with the weight of expectations. My favorite tennis memories were the intense practices on the indoor courts in the early mornings in the middle of winter, when there was little sunlight and it felt like we were practicing in secret.
Q: How has playing sports helped shape your life?
My athletic career taught me discipline, patience, and perseverance. I loved the balance of daily practices, lifting sessions, and school work. This discipline has helped me during the evolution from the tennis court to the sports media world. Tennis prepared me for the challenges of forging a career in the arts, a space where there is no set path and the road is filled with constant rejections and doubt. Sports taught me the feeling of joy. I experience joy every day as I tell stories and use my creativity in the entertainment world.
Q: What advice would you give to young girls who are just starting off in sports?
We play sports because sports are games. Games bring us joy but they also bring us intense feelings of discomfort. Sadness, anxiety, and fatigue are just as valuable as joy and will always be part of elite athletics.
Coach Rachel 