Despite not having facilities close to campus, the men’s tennis team is off to a perfect 8-0 start this season. The Tommies were picked third in the pre-season poll but have quickly climbed to the top of the MIAC.
Like some other Tommie sports teams, men’s tennis does not have a home facility for competition or practice this year. The team usually practices at the University of Minnesota facilities and sometimes has practiced at Lifetime Fitness in Fridley. Having to deal with location changes has been difficult, some players said.
“We try to practice for an hour and a half each day, but depending on availability of courts and our schedules sometimes this doesn’t happen,” junior Matt Bergstrom said.
The Tommies play most home matches at the University of Minnesota’s Baseline Tennis Center and some home matches are played at Lifetime. Even with the opening of the Anderson Athletic and Recreation Complex next year, the team will continue to play its conference matches at Baseline.
The lack of a home court has not stopped the Tommies from defeating conference foes Concordia, St. John’s, Hamline, Bethel, St. Mary’s, and St. Olaf. The men have also beat St. Scholastica and St. Cloud State.
In the past 12 seasons the Tommies have finished in second place five times in the MIAC standings and finished in third place three times. The team’s goal this year is to be MIAC champions.
“We play Gustavus and Carleton at the end of season in the same week and we have to make sure we’re playing our best tennis,” sophomore Jack Hogan said.
All-MIAC junior captain Kevin Walker attributes the strong start to a mix of great young talent and experience from veterans. Even though All-MIAC Phil Hanke graduated last spring, the Tommies have underclassmen with ample talent to fill the void.
Freshman Brendan O’Connell is one of this year’s standouts. O’Connell has an 8-0 record in singles play, and he said his individual goal is to stay undefeated at No. 3 singles and make sure the team wins the MIAC.
The team is proud of its perfect start, but the players realize the hardest part of the season is just around the corner. The Tommies travel to Orlando, Fla., during spring break, where it will play four matches against tough competition.
“Most teams have highly talented foreigners on their teams,” Walker said. “It will be a good test for us.”
The men have learned from slower starts in the past.
“We have the potential to be one of the best teams in the MIAC,” Bergstrom said.
Kristian Kircher can be reached at kirc0731@stthomas.edu