As surprises go, this one was as nice as they come.

Free State senior Emily Wang was named one of the top 40 high school tennis players in the United States, earning All-American honors from the National High School Tennis All-American Foundation.

So when coach Jon Renberger told Wang, it was news that she couldn’t help but enjoy.

“I didn’t expect it,” Wang said. “He made the announcement during practice.”

It was slightly embarrassing in front of her teammates, but the feeling quickly passed.

“Yeah, it was a little, but it was exciting too,” she said.

Wang, the defending Class 6A state champion in singles, is the second FSHS player to snag All-American honors in the last three years. Laura Gravino, a 2000 graduate, won the state singles title in 1999 and was named All-American the following fall. She’s now a sophomore at Illinois State.

To qualify, a player must compete on a high school tennis team, maintain an above average academic and citizenship level and achieve a national individual ranking.

To obtain a national individual ranking, the player must compete sectionally, regionally, and nationally in sanctioned United States Tennis Association Tournaments throughout the year.

The honor would be the equivalent of being named a McDonald’s All-American in basketball or a Parade All-American in football.

“I’m sure they’re looking at state champions and other notable high school players,” Renberger said. “But she’s probably the only one from Kansas.”

Copies of the entire list was unavailable, but Renberger said it was dominated by players in California, Texas and Florida, making a Midwestern player like Wang a rarity.

The team lists boys and girls, so the delay in announcing the honors stems from waiting until after the spring tennis season was completed.

Wang received a certificate for herself and one for the school’s trophy case, which Renberger thinks might motivate the senior this season.

“That will just be more of a testament to her desire, and willingness to improve herself,” he said. “She’s the real deal.”