Hulme Hits an Ace as He Adjusts to Life as a College Athlete
Published: November 28, 2025
Author: Dave Bell
Photo by Dave Bell
A year and a half ago, as Colton Hulme was contemplating college, he had two big questions. First, was he prepared to succeed academically? And second, were his tennis skills strong enough to compete at the college level?
The answer to both questions is a resounding “Yes.”
“Greenville has been a good fit for me,” said Colton, a sophomore sport management major from Edwardsville, IL. “There’s a lot of help available – tutoring, The Writing Center, time-management coaching, and responsive professors. People here really want to help me succeed.”
His tennis coach, Brett Brannon, is one of those people cheering him on. But Colton’s successes aren’t the result of external prodding or heavy-handed coaching. Brannon says Colton’s motivation comes from within.
“He is all-in every day!” Brannon said. “He’s the most consistent effort guy I’ve ever coached. Last year, as a freshman, he earned the seniors’ respect because of his work ethic. And this spring, he’ll be playing one of our top positions in the lineup. It all comes down to consistency of effort and a laser focus on every single point.”
High praise for a young man who once wondered if he had what it took to succeed in college.
Photo by Dave Bell
“I’m still putting the pieces together,” said Colton, who aspires to work at a tennis club or coach at the college level. “But I’m getting more comfortable with what’s required to succeed in college. You need to be responsible and disciplined – especially when you’re juggling academics and your sport. We travel a lot for tennis, and that means we must stay on top of assignments and work with our professors to keep up with things when we’re on the road.”
Colton’s adjustment to college-level work has also been a relief to his parents, Kristian and Pete Hulme. They worked closely with him as he visited colleges and sought a school with the right balance between athletics and academics.
“We found something very special when we visited Greenville University,” Kristian said. “Coach Brannon has been the anchor in this process, but so many others – Gret Tindall, Isaac Barber, Sonya Jones, and Matt McSparin – got involved and told us about the services available to students. It felt like the whole campus works together to help students succeed – and that’s so important as students find their way in a new environment.
“We visited other Christian schools, but the spiritual culture at GU is special,” Kristian added. “Faith is a real part of campus life, and the emphasis on building Christlike character and service is more than just words. Coach Brannon does an excellent job of building character and creating a sense of community among the players.”
With four senior players graduating from last year’s tennis team, Colton has moved into a leadership role on this year’s squad.
Photo by Dave Bell
“I want to help my teammates as they balance all the demands of being a college athlete,” he said. “We talk a lot about team bonding and encouraging each other. That’s important both on and off the court. I want to be remembered as a person of character and someone who was more focused on my teammates than on myself.
“In athletics, there are no guarantees,” he concluded. “An injury could take it all away. But if I lose everything else and still have a good relationship with Jesus, that’s all I need. I’ll be OK.”
