THE
VOLS
JOHN-PATRICK SMITH, alongside fellow seniors Boris Conkic and Matteo Fago, has helped the Vols to 77 dual match wins in his career, the most victories in a three-year period in UT history.
SENIOR
BORIS CONKIC
5-9 | 171 Novi Sad, Serbia (Ekonomski Trqovinska Skola)
FOR THE RECORD... SINGLES
Career 86-28 Conference 23-8 Vs. Ranked 28-19 Highest ITA Rank No. 20 (9.4.09) 16
UTSports.com
SINGLES RESULTS DOUBLES
Career 87-20 Conference 24-6 Vs. Ranked 23-8 Highest ITA Rank No. 4 with Williams (3.30.10)
Overall Vs. Top 125 SEC Dual W-L Pct. W-L Pct. W-L Pct. 2007-08 28-6 .824 6-3 .667 8-2 .800 2008-09 29-9 .784 12-7 .632 9-1 .900 2009-10 29-13 .690 12-9 .571 6-5 .545 Total 86-28 .754 28-19 .596 23-8 .742
DOUBLES RESULTS 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 Total
Overall W-L Pct. 21-7 .750 25-8 .756 41-5 .891 87-20 .813
Vs. Ranked W-L Pct. 1-1 .500 8-2 .800 9-3 .750 23-8 .742
SEC Dual W-L Pct. 7-4 .636 7-1 .875 10-1 .909 24-6 .800
BORIS CONKIC
At some point, most people experience a moment during their adolescence when it hits them. “Maybe my parents just might know what they’re talking about.” It doesn’t necessarily play out that way for everyone but for Boris Conkic, the realization came when he was 15 or 16. Conkic traveled from his hometown of Novi Sad, Serbia, to attend a tennis camp and play in tournaments in Italy. When the level of coaching he received didn’t match the tennis advice his father had given to him throughout his entire life, Conkic “grew up a little bit.” “I felt that the advice I received and my experience in Italy didn’t really help me,” Conkic said. “When I analyzed the whole month of practicing in Italy, I realized my dad’s advice has really helped me. That was the advice that was making me a better tennis player.” His father, Milan, owns a tennis club and coaches the sport in Serbia. However, as anyone who has ever been coached by their father can attest, it’s a different relationship on the court. “It was mostly when we would step on the court, he would give me advice that was going to help my tennis game but we wouldn’t be family on the court,” the younger Conkic said. “It was very professional for both sides. We didn’t have a family relationship on the court. “Sometimes I was very stubborn when he would give me advice and I wouldn’t listen to him but that was mostly when I was young. My attitude toward my dad and my coach changed when I grew up a little bit and we got along together.” While his game certainly improved from the instruction of his dad, Conkic didn’t heed every bit of advice given to him, luckily for Tennessee. “Actually, my dad kind of wanted me to
R/L LEFT (2-HANDED BACKHAND) JOINED THE VOLS FALL 2007 BIRTHDAY JUNE 5, 1987 PARENTS MILAN & JUDIT CONKIC MAJOR SPORT MANAGEMENT
“
Now, I’m all about the team aspect of it. The last three or four years have been the best of my life, and I think it’s because I’ve been part of a great team and a great group of people.”
play professionally,” Conkic said. “I felt the need to educate myself and I was the one that started all the processes of getting to the states and getting into college. I wanted to come to college and be part of a team.” As the results justify, he’s been well-coached since playing the game of tennis from age three. A three-time All-SEC honoree, Conkic is on pace to become just the fourth player in program history to collect 100 wins in both singles and doubles play. That would be added to an already sterling resume, which includes a 2010 SEC Indoors championship and a 2009 ITA All-America doubles title with fellow senior John-Patrick Smith. Though Conkic was virtually born on a tennis court -- both his parents were national champions in old Yugoslavia -- he was never forced to play. In fact, at age 11, the sport management major picked up soccer but didn’t like the team aspect of it. “I was a decision-maker,” Conkic said. “It was all up to me. I did not have to worry about my teammates screwing anything up and
Boris Conkic
things like that. I was responsible for my acts and for my game.” Now, however, Conkic embraces the teamfirst mentality as a part of the Tennessee tennis program. “I think I changed a lot in the last few years,” Conkic said. “Now, I’m all about the team aspect of it. The last three or four years have been the best of my life, and I think it’s because I’ve been a part of a team and a great group of people. It helped me in different areas of my life.” Much like his father passed on his knowledge to him for much of his life, Conkic does the same for his coaches and teammates, almost like an extra coach on the court. “I analyze my opponents’ game,” Conkic said. “I analyze my teammates’ game and in that way, I’m trying to help them improve and help the coaches. I give them some suggestions on what they should work on when they coach us. I’m trying to help everyone improve their game.” Like father, like son.
3
ALL-SEC
TIMES...
MORE INFO
BY ANDREW LENTZ UTSPORTS.COM
HONORS
OUTLOOK COACHES THE VOLS REVIEW HISTORY
Conkic’s Tennis Knowledge Started at Home
2010 FIRST TEAM 2009 SECOND TEAM 2008 SECOND TEAM 2008 SEC ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
AWARDS
Junior (2010) • First Team All-SEC • SEC All-Tournament Team • ITA National Team Indoor Championships All-Tournament Team (No. 2 Doubles) • SEC Academic Honor Roll Sophomore (2009) • Second Team All-SEC • SEC Academic Honor Roll Freshman (2008) • Second Team All-SEC • SEC All-Freshman Team • SEC Freshman Academic Honor Roll
SINGLES TITLES
2010 SEC Coaches Indoor Championships 2007 UNLV Fall Classic
DOUBLES TITLES
2009 ITA All-American Championship (with John-Patrick Smith) 2009 ITA Ohio Valley Regional Championship (with Rhyne Williams)
THE CLOSER During the season, every player will get his shot at closing out a match. For Boris Conkic, that opportunity came in the finals of the SEC Championships. Conkic defeated Florida’s Joey Burkhardt 6-0, 6-2 and was immediately mobbed by teammates in celebration on the indoor courts in Lexington, Ky. The crowd of Tennessee fans who had traveled more than two hours to the final match were on their feet. “That was probably the best feeling I’ve had in my life, having a chance to celebrate it with my teammates,” Conkic said. “Everyone ran out on the court. It’s hard to describe. It was just amazing.” 2011 Tennessee Tennis Media Guide
17
SENIOR
MATTEO FAGO 6-0 | 185 Ceprano, Italy (Liceo Scientifico)
FOR THE RECORD... SINGLES
Career 82-30 Conference 28-3 Vs. Ranked 9-10 Highest ITA Rank No. 38 (1.4.11) 18
UTSports.com
SINGLES RESULTS DOUBLES
Career 65-28 Conference 21-10 Vs. Ranked 9-3 Highest ITA Rank No. 21 with Conkic (1.6.09)
2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 Fall 2010 Total
Overall Vs. Top 125 SEC Dual W-L Pct. W-L Pct. W-L Pct. 19-7 .731 0-0 .000 11-0 1.000 19-12 .613 4-5 .444 7-2 .778 34-9 .791 0-4 .000 10-1 .909 10-2 .833 5-1 .833 -82-30 .732 9-10 .474 28-3 .903
DOUBLES RESULTS
Overall Vs. Ranked W-L Pct. W-L Pct. 2007-08 17-6 .739 0-0 .000 2008-09 25-10 .714 8-2 .800 2009-10 22-9 .710 1-0 1.000 Fall 2010 2-3 .200 0-1 .000 Total 65-28 .699 9-3 .750
SEC Dual W-L Pct. 7-4 .636 7-3 .700 7-3 .700 -21-10 .677
MORE INFO
BY DREW RUTHERFORD UTSPORTS.COM In the Italian village of Ceprano, Matteo Fago learned to play tennis—a craft that took him far from home to the United States and the University of Tennessee. But he managed to pick up another skill that has proved important to him and his teammates. Fago can cook. We’re not talking ramen noodles or easy mac, the diet of the average college student. While he isn’t a classically trained chef, the 2010 ITA Scholar Athlete knows his way around the kitchen well enough to make wholesome, healthy meals. “He’s a very mature member of the team,” teammate Ed Jones said. “He’s not even on the meal plan this year, I think. He’s cooking most of his meals. I told myself I was going to try to do it, but that didn’t even last a week.” Watching his mother and grandmother prepare meals as a child, Fago picked up enough knowledge to start experimenting on his own. Despite the difficulty of finding the same ingredients he’s used to in Italy, Fago is able to replicate some of the comfort foods he grew up eating. But it’s more than a meal. “Americans want to eat quickly—the faster you eat the more time have you have for something else,” Fago said. “In Italy, a meal is more than just eating. Everything slows down around mealtime.” But dinner time wasn’t the only cultural change Fago experienced after moving to Tennessee. No difference compared to the change in language. “I didn’t know much English at all when I got here,” Fago said. “I picked it up a little from going to class and talking to friends. After speaking it for a little while it got easier and easier. I wasn’t very good at it.” After getting a better grip on the language, Fago was able to begin teaching his American teammates what they were doing wrong. His ad-
R/L RIGHT (2-HANDED BACKHAND) JOINED THE VOLS SPRING 2008 BIRTHDAY OCTOBER 14, 1987 PARENTS ARIURO & IVANA FAGO MAJOR ECONOMICS
HONORS
OUTLOOK COACHES THE VOLS REVIEW HISTORY
The Next Iron Chef: Matteo Fago?
MATTEO FAGO
AWARDS
Junior (2010) • NCAA Championships All-Tournament Team (No. 3 doubles) • ITA Scholar Athlete • SEC Academic Honor Roll Sophomore (2009) • First Team All-SEC • SEC Academic Honor Roll Freshman (2008) • SEC All-Freshman Team
SINGLES TITLE
2010 Crimson Tide Fall Invitational
RECIPE BOX: SPAGHETTI AL POMODORO This recipe is one of Matteo’s specialties. According to Matteo, everyone in Italy has their own version of this recipe, some with more, some with fewer ingredients. Regardless, this simple and tasty meal is a quick and easy solution for anyone on the go.
INGREDIENTS
10 fresh Roma tomatoes Several fresh basil leaves Extra virgin olive oil Salt and pepper One box of spaghetti noodles One block of parmigiano-reggiano cheese
vice: DON’T OVERCOOK YOUR PASTA! “Cook pasta for six or seven minutes,” Fago adamantly declared. “Americans cook their pasta for 10 minutes. We call that pasta scotta. That means it is overcooked and mushy. Pasta should be cooked al dente.” While Fago is finding lots of success on the tennis courts—he starting his senior season 82-30
DIRECTIONS
1. Roughly chop tomatoes 2. Roughly chop basil 3. Add tomatoes, basil and two tablespoons of olive oil to a saucepan over medium heat and cook for 10-15 minutes 4. After 10-15 minutes, tomatoes should soften and break down. Add quarter cup of grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese and reduce to a simmer. 5. Bring large pot of water to a boil. Lightly season with salt. 6. Boil spaghetti FOR NO LONGER THAN SIX OR SEVEN MINUTES. See story for details. Pasta should not be mushy. 7. When pasta is just done, strain and portion onto plates. Add desired amount of pomodoro. 8. Enjoy!
all-time in singles play and has been ranked as high as No. 38 in the nation—he may find another career path. Bobby Flay and Emeril Lagasse may dominate the Food Network now. But when he’s done with tennis, Fago could put down his racket, pick and a frying pan and very well be the next generation of cooking-show stars.
MUSICAL LEADER? THAT TOO.
In addition to Matteo Fago’s off-court cooking talents, he is probably also the Vols lead er in music as well. Instrument of choice? the trumpet. His father played the guitar, and Fago also played the drums for a few years. With tennis and schoolwork taking a majo rity of his time, he is not been able to practice the trumpet much these days. Plus, there’s some concern for his roommat es, adding, “It’s so loud, I can’t play it in my room ... Just sometimes.” No. 3 doubles partner Edward Jones also played the trumpet. Don’t expect a band to form any time soon though because Jones has not played in a while: “Matteo says he can still pick it up and do a good job, but if I tried to do it, it would not be so good.”
2011 Tennessee Tennis Media Guide
19
SENIOR
JOHN-PATRICK SMITH 6-2 | 181 Townsville, Australia (Townsville Grammar)
FOR THE RECORD... SINGLES
Career 122-37 Conference 23-7 Vs. Ranked 74-31 Highest ITA Rank No. 1 (9.10.10) 20
UTSports.com
SINGLES RESULTS DOUBLES
Career 116-33 Conference 24-8 Vs. Ranked 42-20 Highest ITA Rank No. 1 with D. Sandgren (3.16.10)
2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 Fall 2010 Total
Overall Vs. Top 125 SEC Dual W-L Pct. W-L Pct. W-L Pct. 33-11 .750 17-9 .654 7-3 .700 36-11 .773 24-11 .688 7-3 .700 41-9 .820 29-7 .805 9-1 .900 12-6 .667 4-4 .500 -122-37 .767 74-31 .705 23-7 .767
DOUBLES RESULTS
2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 Fall 2010 Total
Overall Vs. Ranked W-L Pct. W-L Pct. 30-9 .769 8-3 .727 34-13 .723 15-10 .600 46-9 .836 19-5 .792 6-3 .667 0-2 .000 116-33 .779 42-20 .677
SEC Dual W-L Pct. 9-2 .818 7-3 .750 8-3 .727 -24-8 .750
MORE INFO
BY DREW RUTHERFORD UTSPORTS.COM
that. I know people will always see that, but people will remember a championship first.” Each year Smith adds more wins, more tournament championships and more honors to his resume. He was the SEC Rookie of the Year as a freshman. That year he went to the NCAA singles finals. He followed that up with a similar sophomore performance. He earned his second First-Team All-SEC honor and went to the NCAA doubles finals with Sandgren. Last year was no different. The SEC Player of the Year again went to the NCAA doubles finals. He was named Tennessee’s male athlete of the year and made the SEC Academic Honor Roll for the second consecutive year. Smith is like clockwork, each year racking up another honor, win or tournament title. But the clock has not struck midnight and there is one more thing Smith needs to mark off his list—an NCAA title. He’s been as close as you can get on four different occasions, including the team title last year. Each time, he has painfully walked away without a title. “J P has been able to accomplish a lot of things here and without question will always be remembered as one of our best ever,” head tennis coach Sam Winterbotham said. “But he has one more thing that I’d like to see him accomplish before he is done—win an NCAA
COMPETITVE IN EVERYTHING.
John-Patrick Smith takes all competition very seriously, even when it comes to video games. Among his favorite titles is the 1997 classic Mario Kart 64, a racing game in which he considers himself something of an expert. championship.” While it’s the only big line waiting to be checked off of Smith’s list, there’s no monkey on his back. “Right now I’m really just trying to enjoy what I have here,” Smith said. “I only have a few more months left here at Tennessee, so I am just trying to make the most of what time I have left here in Knoxville. This place has been so great to me and I just want to take in as much as I can before I’m done.” The world may never see Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal or Andy Roddick run to the bathroom, or whatever, between sets. But without question, the superstition works for J P Smith. Just like clockwork, Smith has collected almost every honor an NCAA tennis player can, but there is one more to go before the clock strikes 12.
TROPHY CHECK
The first set is over and Tennessee’s senior tennis star John-Patrick Smith is running off the court. There is more tennis to be played, but he has something to take care of before beginning the next phase of the match. What he does when he gets to the locker room is disputed. But whatever it is, you can set your watch by his superstitious trips to the locker room after each set. The Townsville, Australia, native’s former doubles partner Davey Sandgren thinks it’s as simple as drinking too much water. “I guess it’s a winning habit—he drinks water like a fish,” Sandgren said. “It’s ridiculous. Sometimes, if the locker room is far away, he’ll sprint so he can make it back in time. There was one time where I think we either got a point penalty or nearly got one because he couldn’t make it back from the bathroom in time.” But Smith insists his mid-match trips are purely strategic. “It’s mainly just a ritual,” Smith said. “And I don’t do it more than once during a match. Sometimes I do need to use the bathroom, but sometimes I need to change my shirt. I work up a sweat and I need a fresh shirt. It gives me time to relax and get ready for the next set.” While it may be one of the oddest sports’ superstitions around, it seems to be working. In his first three years on The Hill, Smith has logged a 122-37 record in singles, 116-33 mark in doubles and been ranked No. 1 in both categories. Three times he’s been named an ITA All-America in both singles and doubles and he has prodigious tournament MVP honors. Smith is close to being the all-time winningest doubles player in Tennessee tennis history. But you won’t hear him bragging about any of it. “I really didn’t even know I was so close to having the most doubles wins,” Smith said. “It’s nice, but I don’t really pay much attention to all
R/L LEFT (2-HANDED BACKHAND) JOINED THE VOLS FALL 2007 BIRTHDAY JANUARY 24, 1989 PARENTS KEVIN & SUSAN SMITH MAJOR ECONOMICS
3
OUTLOOK COACHES THE VOLS REVIEW HISTORY
Smith’s Career Plays Out Like Clockwork
TIMES...
JOHN-PATRICK SMITH ALL-AMERICA NCAA FINALIST
2008 SINGLES; 2009-10 DOUBLES
ALL-SEC
2010 PLAYER OF THE YEAR
AWARDS
Junior (2010) • ITA All-America • NCAA Doubles Finalist • ITA Rafael Osuna Sportsmanship Award • ITA Ohio Valley Region Arthur Ashe Award for Leadership and Sportsmanship • Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Male Amateur Athlete of the Year • SEC Player of the Year • SEC Tournament Most Valuable Player • First Team All-SEC • SEC Player of the Week (4 times) • ITA National Team Indoor Championships AllTournament Team (No. 1 Doubles) • ITA Scholar Athlete • ESPN the Magazine CoSIDA Academic All-District • SEC Academic Honor Roll Sophomore (2009) • ITA All-America • NCAA Doubles Finalist • First Team All-SEC • SEC Player of the Week (2 times) • ITA Scholar Athlete • SEC Academic Honor Roll Freshman (2008) • ITA All-America • NCAA Singles Finalist • ITA Region III Rookie of the Year • SEC Freshman of the Year • First Team All-SEC • SEC All-Freshman Team • SEC Freshman of the Week (2 times)
SINGLES TITLES
2009 ITA All-American Championships 2009 UVa Ranked Plus One Invitational - Flight A 2009 SEC Coaches Indoor Championships
DOUBLES TITLES
2009 ITA All-American Championships (with Boris Conkic) 2009 UVa Ranked Plus One Invitational - Flight A (with Davey Sandgren) 2009 SEC Coaches Indoor Championships (with Davey Sandgren) 2011 Tennessee Tennis Media Guide
21
JUNIOR
BRYAN SWARTZ 6-3 | 170 Sarasota, Fla. (Miami Online)
FOR THE RECORD... SINGLES
Career 14-22 Conference -Vs. Ranked 0-1 Highest ITA Rank -22
UTSports.com
SINGLES RESULTS DOUBLES
Career 18-21 Conference 4-2 Vs. Ranked 0-2 Highest ITA Rank --
2008-09 2009-10 Fall 2010 Total
Overall Vs. Top 125 SEC Dual W-L Pct. W-L Pct. W-L Pct. 3-7 .300 0-1 .000 -- 6-10 .375 0-0 .000 -- 5-5 .500 0-0 .000 -14-22 .389 0-1 .000 --
DOUBLES RESULTS 2008-09 2009-10 Fall 2010 Total
Overall Vs. Ranked W-L Pct. W-L Pct. 8-10 .444 0-2 .000 5-5 .500 0-0 .000 3-6 .333 0-0 .000 18-21 .461 0-2 .000
SEC Dual W-L Pct. 4-2 .667 0-0 .000 -4-2 .667
MORE INFO
BY JOSH PATE UTSPORTS.COM Bryan Swartz told the story to his coach so casually. Yeah, he was scuba diving the other day. Yeah, this amazingly huge fish – humansized – swam by and grazed his body. Yeah, it was a little scary, but he kept on diving with his parents. Just another day for Swartz. Not so for Sam Winterbotham. “I’m thinking, are you crazy?” said Winterbotham, head coach of the Tennessee tennis team. “You wouldn’t catch me anywhere near that situation. When he talks about fishing, I’ll be happy to get out on the boat and let him teach me. I’ll take that direction well. “But if he directs me into the water to do the thing that he was talking about, he’s going to lose a student.” Swartz would love to have his tennis coach join him on a deep sea fishing excursion in Florida, where his family lives. That’s what they do. In Tennessee, the term “fishing” entails bass or trout, depending on the location. In Swartz’s world, “fishing” means something quite a bit different. “When I’m talking about fishing, I’m talking about going back home to Florida and going out into the open ocean,” Swartz said. “I’ve fished out in the bays and fished for saltwater trout and stuff like that to going 40 or 50 miles offshore into 100, 200 feet of water fishing for dolphin, tuna, big saltwater game fish.” The list is impressive, but Swartz isn’t a fishing snob by any means. He admits that whatever season it is depends on his preferences about what fish he likes to chase. He assures his extreme fishing excursions aren’t all about reeling in the big one, but more about being on the water when the sun rises. It’s about bonding with his father and others who head out on the boat. It’s about shooting the breeze and clearing the mind with a mental break. But there is some fishing.
R/L RIGHT (2-HANDED BACKHAND) JOINED THE VOLS FALL 2008 BIRTHDAY JUNE 21, 1990 PARENTS JEFF & MARY SWARTZ MAJOR BUSINESS “I was actually fishing with my dad and my brother and we were fishing for goliath grouper,” Swartz said of his most memorable catch. “I call it a team effort, but my brother caught this 500-pound goliath grouper but it took all three of us just to hold the rod and the reel down and bring up this 500-pound goliath grouper that was just massive. It probably took almost 30 minutes. “It was that one or probably the first tarpon I ever caught, for me, which took me about two hours to bring in. It was 120-, 130-pound tarpon. Most of them are probably about 150.” Swartz’s fishing skills, of course, aren’t why he’s on the Vols’ tennis team. But it doesn’t hurt. Skills like determination, goal-setting and inspiring others to be their best help him on the fishing boat. They help on the courts, too. “As a coach, you want to have somebody who you can turn to and use as an example as how something should be done,” Winterbotham said. “He does everything right. He works his tail off. He’s as honest as the day is long. When he’s given the opportunity to compete, he competes. When he isn’t in the lineup, he’s on the sidelines competing. He’s completely committed to what the team is trying to do. He’s a special individual.” Swartz has a specialty in doubles play. It fits well with his skills of playing well close to the net, solid serves and a stealth reaction time. Of
course, he played countless doubles matches as a junior player traveling to tournaments all over the nation prior to attending Tennessee. Perhaps that reaction time is something he acquired hooking man-sized fish in the open sea. Either way, he continues to refine his passion of fishing while working through his performance in tennis. Swartz has taken teammates fishing with him, which was not the first time teammates have looked to the junior for leadership. “Everybody on the team has the highest respect for him,” Winterbotham said. “When he says something to them, they listen. He is somebody who is absolutely critical to our success.” For his coach, there’s an open invite to go deep sea fishing, despite putting Swartz into the teaching role and dropping Winterbotham into a student role. Swartz says Winterbotham is welcome to join him in the ocean any time he can. He knows his coach’s schedule is quite packed. But he also is prepared to relish in a role reversal between student and teacher if the two ever get a chance to wet lines together. He warns, however, that his passion is not for the casual and tender. “He says he has some fishing skills, but I’ll have to see it to believe it,” Swartz said of Winterbotham. “It’s a little different than fishing in the rivers and lakes for bass.”
OUTLOOK COACHES THE VOLS REVIEW HISTORY
Deep Sea Fishing the Norm for Swartz HONORS
BRYAN SWARTZ
AWARDS
Sophomore (2010) • SEC Academic Honor Roll Freshman (2009) • SEC Freshman Academic Honor Roll
WHAT’S IN A NAME? A brief and incomplete field guide to nicknames on the Vols squad, just so you know who’s who. (Note that many variations exist): B: Boris Conkic Bry: Bryan Swartz Chaps: Jarryd Chaplin Colt Daddy: Colton Norton Feegs: Matteo Fago Jonesy: Edward Jones R/Rhyno: Rhyne Williams Sang: Tennys Sandgren Schmit: John-Patrick Smith T-Pain: Taylor Patrick* *Not to be confused, of course, with Grammy awardwinning music artist who had the name first. 2011 Tennessee Tennis Media Guide
23
SOPHOMORE
EDWARD JONES 6-2 | 155 Carmarthen, Wales (Millfield College)
FOR THE RECORD... SINGLES
Career 20-15 Conference -Vs. Ranked 1-1 Highest ITA Rank -24
UTSports.com
SINGLES RESULTS DOUBLES
Career 29-14 Conference 7-3 Vs. Ranked 0-1 Highest ITA Rank --
2009-10 Fall 2010 Total
Overall Vs. Top 125 SEC Dual W-L Pct. W-L Pct. W-L Pct. 14-10 .583 1-1 .500 -- 6-5 .545 0-0 .000 -20-15 .571 1-1 .500 --
DOUBLES RESULTS
Overall Vs. Ranked W-L Pct. W-L Pct. 2009-10 23-12 .657 0-0 .000 Fall 2010 6-2 .750 0-1 .000 Total 29-14 .674 0-1 .000
SEC Dual W-L Pct. 7-3 .700 -7-3 .700
EDWARD JONES
MORE INFO
BY AMANDA PRUITT UTSPORTS.COM For fans and players alike, there’s a saying in college tennis that you cannot truly know what to expect from a dual match until you’ve been there. It’s one thing to be told there will be cheering and chanting, booing and screaming at all the critical moments in a match. It’s an entirely different matter to walk out on the courts to that atmosphere, tennis bag over shoulder. Outside the routine handshake at the close of the match, college tennis isn’t always the polite gentleman’s game as seen on television. “Tennis is supposed to be like Wimbledon, right?” Edward Jones quipped as he reflected on his first season wearing the Orange and White. Even though he just played doubles his freshman year, the sophomore from Camarthen, Wales, quickly learned to handle the pressure and distractions at home and on the road at the highest levels of the college game. Jones was not in the regular lineup the first two months before he was suddenly called on to team up with Matteo Fago at the No. 3 doubles position at the start of Southeastern Conference play. From there, the two became mainstays in the doubles lineup, steadily picking up steam as the weeks progressed. As the postseason stakes grew, Jones and Fago’s performances became increasingly critical for the Vols’ chances at winning the doubles point. They responded by holding court. Jones remembers the smile that came to his face when he walked out of the locker room to the crowd for the NCAA semifinal match against Georgia. That night, he and Fago delivered an 8-5 win against the home team, and then came away with an 8-6 victory in the championship against Southern California the next evening. The secret to dealing with the crowd was pretty simple in word and sometimes difficult
R/L RIGHT (2-HANDED BACKHAND) JOINED THE VOLS FALL 2009 BIRTHDAY MARCH 10, 1990 PARENTS CARWYN & SARAH JONES MAJOR COMMUNICATION STUDIES in deed: concentrate on your court. “There were nerves, but in the end, it’s still just you and three guys on the tennis court,” Jones said. “You can blank out a crowd. We had our supporters out there as well, and that made a difference and helped a lot.” By championship’s end, Jones and Fago had gone 4-0 and were named to the NCAA AllTournament Team at No. 3 doubles. “Just confidence-wise, we got better and better as the season went on,” Jones said. “We didn’t really practice so much before the season actually started, so there were still improvements we needed to make as a pair with our doubles plays and tactics during the SEC season. That’s not to say we were perfect at the NCAA tournament – we still needed to make improvements at that time – but confidence plays a big part in it. “At that time, my role was just doubles, and I wanted to do that best I could to help put us in a good position during the match.” Coming to Knoxville in the first place was a matter of trust for Jones. Head coach Sam Winterbotham had visited him in Wales, but Jones had never set foot on the Tennessee campus before he signed the paperwork to become a Vol. “I had looked up stuff like sports facilities -- I knew what Neyland looked like,” Jones said. “After I’d committed and signed here, I actually got
on Google Maps and looked on street views, trying to look at stuff. I was trying to find the library, because that was important.” Just as he learned the geography of the Knoxville campus, Jones admitted he has picked up some American habits as well in the last year. Friends back home have caught him saying “dude” on occasion (“which isn’t very British at all). He has picked up the rules of American football (see sidebar) but certainly won’t say no to watching a good rugby match in Wales with his family. Entering his sophomore season, Jones has at least one advantage: he’s experienced the pressure of big dual matches before, as have his teammates. They have played in front of the big crowds away from Knoxville with titles at stake. It’s that experience and match routines that could help the Vols to their first back-to-back conference titles and – perhaps – a step further on the national scale. “Team-wise we need to do even one better,” Jones said. “To do that, we need to do the right things from the word go. We need to get off to a winning start. We don’t need to get ahead of ourselves, basically. We were aiming to win everything, and we came one match short. This year, hopefully we’ll have last year’s experience and be able to build on that.”
HONORS
OUTLOOK COACHES THE VOLS REVIEW HISTORY
Fewer Unknowns for Jones, Vols in 2011
AWARDS
Freshman (2010) • NCAA Championships All-Tournament Team (No. 3 Doubles) • SEC Freshman Academic Honor Roll
DOUBLES TITLE
2010 Elon Invitational (with Tennys Sandgren)
(AMERICAN) FOOTBALL
Football is an unfamiliar sport to most players coming overseas to play collegiate tennis. Edward Jones’ advice for learning the rules? Video Games. Playing football on the Xbox with teammates helped him brush up on positions and plays. When it comes to learning the many nuances of baseball, well, that’s a work in progress. “I’m still a little confused on baseball, but hopefully that will change soon.” On the football note, the Vols were honored for their 2010 SEC Regular-Season and Touranment Titles at Neyland Stadium during a game in front of roughly 100,000 fans. Jones: “Neyland Stadium is the largest capacity stadium I’ve ever been inside. I’m sure it’s the same for many other people. We were down on the pitch beforehand, just looking around, being so close to the game. Big football players. Big hits. “Walking out on the pitch was another thing. You’re in the middle. You feel like all eyes are on you. You just want to stand still and not do anything stupid. It was a great experience.”
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SOPHOMORE
TAYLOR PATRICK 5-8 | 146 Knoxville, Tenn. (Bearden High School)
FOR THE RECORD... SINGLES
Career 19-12 Conference -Vs. Ranked -Highest ITA Rank -26
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SINGLES RESULTS DOUBLES
Career 10-11 Conference -Vs. Ranked -Highest ITA Rank --
2009-10 Fall 2010 Total
Overall Vs. Top 125 SEC Dual W-L Pct. W-L Pct. W-L Pct. 9-9 .500 0-0 .000 -10-3 .769 0-0 .000 -19-12 .613 0-0 .000 --
DOUBLES RESULTS 2009-10 Fall 2010 Total
Overall Vs. Ranked W-L Pct. W-L Pct. 6-7 .462 0-0 .000 4-4 .500 0-0 .000 10-11 .476 0-0 .000
SEC Dual W-L Pct. ----
TAYLOR PATRICK
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BY MATT MAGILL UTSPORTS.COM Last year, most of Taylor Patrick’s contributions came off the court. This year, his impact has already been seen on it. As a freshman, he was nicknamed the “Tennessee cheerleader” by some opposing players for his support of the Vols during matches. Now a sophomore, Patrick has started collecting the wins on the court himself, putting together the best season of his career during the fall. In September, Patrick won six matches in four days on his way to capturing his first singles tournament at the Southern Intercollegiate Championships, a victory he attributes to his preparation—mentally and physically—with head coach Sam Winterbotham. “I worked a lot with Sam before the tournament, not necessarily on the strokes but more of the thinking aspect—what to think about, what to focus on when I’m on the court. When you’re not frustrated, it makes the playing part easier.” The victory not only marked Patrick’s first singles title but also served as a reminder that the long hours were paying dividends. “It was the first singles tournament I had won so obviously I was excited but I just knew that all that hard work in the summer and going in the tournament paid off. Just knowing what it takes to win six matches in a row at that level is definitely going to help in the future.” He finished the fall season with a 10-3 record. Not too bad considering he was 9-9 during his entire freshman season. Having already surpassed his win total for last year, Patrick looks primed to carry his momentum into the spring. But for that to happen Patrick sacrificed some of his Christmas break to keep his skills honed, skipping some days off to practice even more. While Patrick is enjoying success on the court this year, he admits it took some time to
R/L LEFT (2-HANDED BACKHAND) JOINED THE VOLS SPRING 2009 (REDSHIRT) BIRTHDAY MAY 26, 1991 PARENTS SCOTT & CHARLA PATRICK MAJOR BUSINESS adjust to college athletics. “My first fall here we started playing the second weekend we were in school. I wasn’t really ready for it, but this year they pushed everything back. That gave me a few extra weeks to practice and work on my game, so I felt much more comfortable going into this year. I knew what I had to do and I felt really comfortable with my game.” Last season, Patrick didn’t receive very much match experience. However, instead of complaining about playing time, Patrick saw it as an opportunity to support his teammates during their matches. Some of his cheering during matches became so iconic -- perhaps legendary -- during SEC play that at least one opponent turned Patrick’s shouts into a ring tone for his phone. Patrick’s cheering was loud and unmistakeable. Fellow sophomore Edward Jones went as far as calling his hands “weird shaped hands that can clap louder than anyone else,” a feature Patrick readily used at matches last season. “There were several instances where the other team was more concerned about what I was doing rather than my teammate, which is exactly what the coaches and I wanted,” Patrick said. “I wasn’t able to play but I could still give our guys the advantage and so that’s what I did.” Patrick’s tennis-playing pedigree certainly
doesn’t hurt. His dad, Scott Patrick, is manager of the Knoxville Racquet Club and his aunt and uncle are Mike Patrick and Sonia Hahn-Patrick, co-coaches of the Lady Vols tennis team. Patrick uses the unique situation to his advantage, practicing with his family and absorbing their knowledge, even though he might not have always wanted to. “Working with my dad growing up was pretty tough actually because being a teenager you don’t want to listen to your parents,” Patrick said. “I can look back on it admit it— he was right—but back then you always just wanted to say, ‘you don’t know what you’re talking about,’ when he actually knew exactly what he was talking about.” While a significant portion of the team is from foreign countries, Patrick is a hometown kid, growing up in Knoxville (see sidebar). Perhaps distinct personalities and cultures would clash on a team, but Patrick doesn’t see it that way. “The way all of our personalities are, we just don’t have many issues,” Patrick said. “We’ve all realized how to make fun ourselves, how to take a joke. We’ve used it as a learning experience—it doesn’t create problems. “Sam recruits the right type of personalities and everyone meshes.”
OUTLOOK COACHES THE VOLS REVIEW HISTORY
‘Cheerleader’ Turns Champ in Fall Season HONORS AWARDS
Freshman (2010) • ITA Scholar Athlete • SEC Academic Honor Roll
SINGLES TITLE
2010 Southern Intercollegiate Championships - Division III
DOUBLES TITLE
2009 Louisville Fall Invitational - Flight B (with Max Stevens)
TENNESSEE REPS The Tennessee lineup features players from five countries including the United States, but there is still a certain Volunteer State flair about the roster. Taylor Patrick is one of four in-state players on the roster this season, a list that also includes the likes of Tennys Sandgren and Rhyne Williams, as well as walk-on freshman Colton Norton. November signee Brandon Fickey was the top-rated recruit from the state of Tennessee and is from Knoxville as well. He is scheduled join the team in the fall.
VOLS FROM TENNESSEE Colton Norton: Jackson Taylor Patrick: Knoxville Tennys Sandgren: Gallatin Rhyne Williams: Knoxville
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SOPHOMORE
TENNYS SANDGREN 6-2 | 183 Gallatin, Tenn. (Aaron Academy)
FOR THE RECORD... SINGLES
Career 30-8 Conference 10-0 Vs. Ranked 1-5 Highest ITA Rank No. 83 (9.10.10) 28
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SINGLES RESULTS DOUBLES
Career 14-6 Conference 0-0 Vs. Ranked 1-2 Highest ITA Rank No. 42 with Fago (2.18.10)
2009-10 Fall 2010 Total
Overall Vs. Top 125 SEC Dual W-L Pct. W-L Pct. W-L Pct. 23-5 .821 1-4 .200 10-0 1.000 7-3 .700 0-1 .000 -30-8 .789 1-5 .167 10-0 1.000
DOUBLES RESULTS 2009-10 Fall 2010 Total
Overall Vs. Ranked SEC Dual W-L Pct. W-L Pct. W-L Pct. 7-3 .700 1-0 1.000 -- 7-3 .700 0-2 .000 -14-6 .700 1-2 .333 --
TENNYS SANDGREN
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BY JOSH PATE UTSPORTS.COM How’s this for a roll call: U.S. Open, Wimbledon, French Open. That, of course, doesn’t count his Southeastern Conference and NCAA travels in a season. In layman’s terms, Tennys Sandgren has racked up the frequent flyer miles. Sandgren is only in his second season competing for the Tennessee tennis team, having joined the Vols in January 2010 and competing in last year’s spring season. Yet the Gallatin, Tenn., native is a world traveler in the sport. Sandgren came to Tennessee with a Hollywood-like resume on the junior circuit. He was ranked as the top recruit in the United States coming into college, and rightly so. His bio tells the story: finalist and doubles semifinalist in two 2009 ITF Grade A tournaments, three time Boys 18 champion in national open events, Texas ITF singles champion, national singles champion on clay and hard courts at 16, and performances in the U.S. Open, Wimbledon and French Open junior events. “I think the more that you play and you see different styles, you get comfortable being in a new place,” said Tennessee head coach Sam Winterbotham of his sophomore star. “When the next new thing comes along in college, you handle it better maybe than somebody who hasn’t got that exposure. “He was able to dig from within and understand that, ‘it feels new, there’s pressure going on here, but it’s nothing that I’ve never seen before; I can handle this situation.’ Sometimes if you haven’t had that experience, you have to learn from that experience and maybe the next time you can pull from it.” As much as he loved the travel schedule from his days competing on the junior circuit, Sandgren also has enjoyed the consistency of college tennis. “You get used to traveling,” Sandgren said.
R/L RIGHT (2-HANDED BACKHAND) JOINED THE VOLS SPRING 2010 BIRTHDAY JULY 22, 1991 PARENTS DAVID & LIA SANDGREN MAJOR UNDECIDED “I kind of liked traveling to different places. I didn’t really mind it that much. But it’s also nice to be in one spot for a long period of time to where you can get in more of a set routine and there are not travel days where it’s kind of a waste. You’re in one spot and you have your routine and you can really work within that.” Sandgren, to say the least, has done just that. As a freshman, he scorched the SEC to a perfect 10-0 singles record and finished 23-5 overall. He was 7-3 in doubles. Then he toured with the USTA Summer Collegiate Team with teammate Rhyne Williams, as they paired to claim the doubles title at the USTA Futures in Pittsburgh. The list of accomplishments could go on. To be able to adjust that quickly to college tennis and rake in the awards and victories along the way speaks of Sandgren’s talents and expertise over the course of one season. “When you have an incoming freshman who doesn’t know or doesn’t fully understand the level of college tennis – nobody does until you go out there and experience it – but he was able to come in and adjust so quickly,” Winterbotham said. “I think that does go back to the fact that he has the experiences that he’s gone through, traveling everywhere, playing, getting used to handling a new environment. I still feel that it says something about him.
“He has tremendous confidence. He has a tremendous commitment to the team, which I thought was very impressive for somebody new.” Sandgren’s ability to quickly adapt to Tennessee’s team last season was helped by the fact his older brother, Davey, was a senior on the squad. Without Davey, it is a different environment for Tennys. “It’s definitely different not having him go through the practice and weights,” Sandgren said. “It’s not the same not having him part of the everyday activities. I hadn’t really gotten to see him a whole lot during his four years of school when he was here and I was home, so it was really nice for that one semester. I still see him a fair amount, but probably not as much as I like.” It was all that traveling, however, that Sandgren was doing before he arrived at Tennessee that has helped him become a better college player. And according to Winterbotham, the best is still to come. “Tennys is pretty special,” Winterbotham said. “His adaptation to college life from being homeschooled and taking a different path from most college freshmen, for him to adjust, grow and mature as quickly as he has really just shows why I think he’s going to be a superstar. He really is fantastic. His best tennis is ahead of him.”
OUTLOOK COACHES THE VOLS REVIEW HISTORY
‘Best Tennis is Ahead’ for Sandgren HONORS AWARDS
Freshman (2010) • Second-Team All-SEC • SEC All-Freshman Team
SINGLES TITLE
2010 Elon Invitational
DOUBLES TITLE
2010 Elon Invitational (with Edward Jones)
THE USUAL ANSWER:
He’s heard the question dozens (maybe hundreds) of times before. He’s been asked about it by media in interviews everywhere he’s played. No, he’s not named after the sport. Seriously. In his own words: “It was my great-grandfather’s name. He was also Tennys Sandgren. He did not play tennis. No relation to the sport of tennis. It’s Swedish. And a family name.” “I’ve figured it out now: the more that people know, that’s one less person I have to tell. Eventually, I can knock out a few thousand, and we won’t have to discuss it anymore. That’s the plan.” 2011 Tennessee Tennis Media Guide
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SOPHOMORE
RHYNE WILLIAMS 6-1 | 177 Knoxville, Tenn. (Alpha-Omega Academy)
FOR THE RECORD... SINGLES
Career 54-10 Conference 10-1 Vs. Ranked 22-6 Highest ITA Rank No. 1 (1.5.11) 30
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SINGLES RESULTS DOUBLES
Career 42-9 Conference 10-1 Vs. Ranked 5-5 Highest ITA Rank No. 4 with Conkic (3.30.10)
2009-10 Fall 2010 Total
Overall Vs. Top 125 SEC Dual W-L Pct. W-L Pct. W-L Pct. 41-7 .854 14-3 .824 10-1 .909 13-3 .813 8-3 .727 -54-10 .844 22-6 .786 10-1 .909
DOUBLES RESULTS 2009-10 Fall 2010 Total
Overall Vs. Ranked W-L Pct. W-L Pct. 36-6 .852 5-3 .625 6-3 .667 0-2 .000 42-9 .824 5-5 .500
SEC Dual W-L Pct. 10-1 .909 -10-1 .909
RHYNE WILLIAMS
MORE INFO
BY DREW EDWARDS UTSPORTS.COM It’s been a while since a Tennessee tennis player made the kind of impact Rhyne Williams did in his first season. The Knoxville native posted a 41-7 record in singles matches – the second most wins for a UT freshman behind Peter Handoyo’s 43 in 1999 – and was a key part of Tennessee’s runner-up finish in the NCAA Championships, where he won three matches at the No. 3 singles. He ended his freshman season ranked No. 30 and earned ITA All-America honors after reaching the round of 16 in singles at the NCAA Championships. But all that was so last year. “It’s clear to everybody who’s ever seen him play tennis that he has great ball-striking ability and great talent,” coach Sam Winterbotham said. “But I think what he’s done over the last year is he’s really knuckled down. “He’s worked hard. He’s become more disciplined. He’s maturing. It shows in the way he competes and it shows in the way he goes about his daily business.” It certainly showed on the court during the fall season. Williams was 13-3 in singles and won the season’s biggest tournament, the USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championship, in November in Flushing, N.Y. And to think he was one of the final players to qualify for an at-large bid to the exclusive 32-player tournament. He began his run by defeating top-seeded Alex Domijan, a freshman at Virginia and a familiar opponent from Williams’ days on the junior circuit. He ended it with a comeback victory against defending champion Steve Johnson of Southern California after dropping the first set 6-1. “I feel good on the court,” Williams said. “I’m happy being here. It’s always a great time
R/L RIGHT (2-HANDED BACKHAND) JOINED THE VOLS FALL 2009 BIRTHDAY MARCH 21, 1991 PARENTS BOB & MICHELLE WILLIAMS MAJOR PSYCHOLOGY
“
We had such a great team. We had such a good run. We played in huge matches in front of huge crowds. Those are the things that really help you mature as a tennis player. Just being able to handle those moments ... We’ve been there.”
here at UT. I’m excited for the season to start.” There was a time when it looked like Williams would bypass college tennis. But after deciding to attend UT – where his uncle was a two-time All-American and his grandfather coached from 1981-1994 and led the Vols to a NCAA runner-up finish in 1991 – he’s continued to blossom within the program. “College tennis is really good,” Winterbotham said. “The best collegiate tennis players are turning out to become professional tennis players. You have to mature, or you’re going to go one way or the other. I think obviously Rhyne’s chosen the right way.” An emotional player whose racket sometimes pays the price, Williams is handling the ups and downs of a match much better, says Winterbotham. At the ITA Indoors in November, Williams leaned on his offseason conditioning work and survived two matches in a one day, an area where he might have struggled earlier in his career. There’s no question college tennis has been
Rhyne Williams
good for Williams, on and off the court, and the experience of playing in high-profile, highpressure matches last year helped speed that maturity. “We had such a great team. We had such a good run,” he said. “We played in huge matches in front of huge crowds. Those are the things that really help you mature as a tennis player. Just being able to handle those moments… We’ve been there. We’ve all been there. And it’s definitely helped us grow as a team, and it’s help me grow as well.” That early success helped slingshot Williams into the spring season, with the victory in Flushing propelling him to the top of the national singles rankings. On the heels of his ITA win, he’s entering his second year poised for even greater things. “It’s sort of carried over,” Williams said. “Those things just happen. You don’t know why they do. When they do, you just gain so much confidence. All your shots feel great, you feel great all the time. It’s definitely carried over. I hope it lasts throughout the season.”
OUTLOOK COACHES THE VOLS REVIEW HISTORY
College Tennis Pays Off For Williams HONORS AWARDS
Freshman (2010) • ITA All-America • NCAA Championships All-Tournament Team (No. 3 singles) • SEC Freshman of the Year • First Team All-SEC •SEC All-Freshman Team •SEC Freshman of the Week (2 times) • ITA National Team Indoor Championships AllTournament Team (No. 3 singles, No. 2 doubles) • SEC Freshman Academic Honor Roll
SINGLES TITLES
2010 USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championship 2009 Georgia Tech Fall Tournament
DOUBLES TITLE
2009 ITA Ohio Valley Regional Championship (with Boris Conkic)
POINTS OF INTEREST 1. FED AND RAFA
Rhyne Williams and Tennys Sandgren were among the top-ranked teenagers on the planet before they joined the Vols last season. It just so happens that they’ve hit with the two best pros in the world as well. Williams played a practice set with Roger Federer in 2008 in Cincinnati. Sandgren hit with Rafael Nadal during two practice sessions at the 2009 French Open.
2. AUSTRALIAN OPEN BID
Williams nearly joined Federer and Nadal in January’s Australian Open. He was one of eight players invited to the USTA Australian Open Wild Card Playoff in December, a tournament in which the winner got an automatic bid into the Grand Slam. Williams reached the semifinals and lost to eventual wild card winner, Ryan Harrison.
2. BLOOD RUNS ORANGE
Not medically-speaking, but Williams is part of a long line of Vols. His grandfather, Mike DePalmer Sr., coached UT from 1981-94, and his uncle, Mike DePalmer Jr., was ranked No. 1 in the country in 1982. Rhyne’s mother, Michelle, was an All-America recipient for the Lady Vols. 2011 Tennessee Tennis Media Guide
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FRESHMAN
JARRYD CHAPLIN 6-0 | 182 SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA | KARABAR HIGH SCHOOL BY AMANDA PRUITT UTSPORTS.COM Jarryd Chaplin suspects he set some sort of speed record in the time it took to graduate high school in Australia, file all the right paperwork and join the Vols just in time for the season-opening trip to Hawaii. “It’s something I look back on now and don’t know how I did it,” said Chaplin, who finished up his final schoolwork at home in Sydney in mid-December. While Chaplin cannot answer how he managed to finish everything in time, he knew exactly why he wanted to come to Knoxville in a hurry. “The reason I did it so quickly was that I was so excited to get over here,” he said. “It was very obvious when I came over to see the team that this is a close bunch of guys, and I think I’ve fit in really well.” Chaplin, who picked up the nickname “Chaps” in no time, filled his role with the Vols so quickly that head coach Sam Winterbotham called him everyone on the team’s best friend only a few days after his arrival. On the courts, the right-handed Chaplin brings the increasingly rare serve and volley style to the Vols’ deep roster. Tennis has certainly taken Chaplin to all points of the world, but he has also achieved success at home as well. Last year, he played his way through singles qualifying into the main draw in the junior competition at the Australian Open. In doubles, he has reached three semifinals in ITF Futures events in Australia during the past year. He was also a member of Australia’s Junior Davis Cup Team in 2008. “I think we’ve got a very strong team, so Jarryd’s going to have to really work to make a role for himself,” Winterbotham said. “We’ve got great 32
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depth of players. One thing we’re certain of is that he’s at that level. It’ll be up to him to settle in quickly and adjust to being a college student and a student-athlete in a new environment. “We’re very impressed with how he’s handled the process. I’m certain he’s going to have a great future at Tennessee.” In his first few weeks stateside, Chaplin has already realized the strength of college competition, particularly in the Southeastern Conference. “I didn’t realize how much depth there would be coming over. You know, watching the SEC Indoors, there’s a certain level that all the guys are playing at – and that was a pretty high level. I didn’t think the lower guys would be playing at that level. I’m extremely impressed with it, and it’s starting to make sense why college is such a good avenue for the professional ranks.” Just by arriving on campus, Chaplin has joined a strong history of Australian players to wear the Orange and White. Since 1988, the Vols have had at least one Australian player on the roster, and plenty of them have been successful. Five players during that time have earned All-America Honors, including current senior John-Patrick Smith. Two head coaches, Michael Fancutt and Chris Mahony, also hailed from Down Under.
FRESHMEN: JARRYD CHAPLIN & COLTON NORTON OUTLOOK COACHES THE VOLS REVIEW HISTORY
FRESHMAN
COLTON NORTON 5-11 | 167 JACKSON, TENN. | UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF JACKSON BY JOSH PATE UTSPORTS.COM When the e-mail landed in Sam Winterbotham’s inbox, he read it and knew to take it seriously. Winterbotham gets those e-mails fairly routinely. There’s always someone contacting the Tennessee coach, explaining how they want to be part of the program, how they want to contribute, how they can make the Vols more competitive. But this one, from Colton Norton, was a little different. Norton, who is from Jackson, Tenn., expressed his desire to play for the Vols as a walk-on. Per NCAA rules, Winterbotham was allowed one contact with him, so he asked for Norton to simply stop by when he arrived on campus to begin classes. Norton did. “He did exactly what he said he was going to do,” Winterbotham said. “When we met him, I felt like he was somebody who could help and was willing to give him a look. He’s just grabbed that opportunity and ran with it.” Put simply, Winterbotham liked the boldness Norton displayed. “I’m always impressed and I always have a tremendous amount of respect for anybody who comes in the door and says, ‘I want to play for your team,’” Winterbotham said. “I’ve been on that side of the desk. I’ve been in the role where I’ve said, ‘I feel I can contribute, I’d like an opportunity.’ I respect that. Colton, that’s exactly what he did.” Given the opportunity, Norton had a lot of business to address. He had already scheduled classes, so he had to change his schedule around to accommodate for practice and workouts. Done. He had to adjust to the early-morning workouts, typically before 8 a.m. Done.
“The biggest part of the fall for me was getting used to everything,” Norton said. “Getting used to being up in the morning, getting used to the amount I am on the court and working out, stuff like that.” Norton said college tennis is demanding not just on the competition side, but on every other aspect of life, too. He was introduced early to the new level of competition in college, particularly at nationally competitive Tennessee. It was one thing to adjust his game to the intensity of college tournaments. It’s another to adjust to the constant juggling of time that all freshmen deal with. “In high school, you have distinct parts of your day,” Norton said. “You’re in school and get out at 3. You’re in practice until 5, and you’re free the rest of the day. In college, you don’t realize it until you’re here, but you’re in class and get out and maybe have a couple of hours. If you’re a student-athlete, you have a couple classes and then practice and then a break for an hour, and then you have weight lifting.” After just one semester to get it figured out, Winterbotham can see a difference. “He very quickly became a part of the team,” Winterbotham said. “He knows and understands the level we’re trying to compete at. He’s going to make those adjustments and work as hard as anybody.” 2011 Tennessee Tennis Media Guide
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FRESHMAN
HUNTER REESE 5-10 | 158 KENNESAW, GA. | NORTH COBB HIGH SCHOOL BY AMANDA PRUITT UTSPORTS.COM Hunter Reese is one of the newest Vols, but he still has a few months to wait before he represents Tennessee on the courts. Reese, a native of Kennesaw, Ga., graduated a semester early from North Cobb High School and enrolled in classes at Tennessee. He is redshirting during the spring season. And while that means he cannot play in matches, he will get his share of training against his new teammates during practices while also getting used to balancing the schedule of being a student-athlete. With three seniors graduating from the 2011 squad, there’s no doubt Reese has an important role to play in the Vols’ plans down the road. Given his performance on the junior circuit, the future looks bright. “We know what our program is about we’re honest, we’re going to work our tails off, and we’re going to compete every day. Hunter just fit all three of those criteria,” head coach Sam Winterbotham said. “He competes as well as anyone we’ve seen in junior tennis. We’re ecstatic that he’s here. He had some great offers from great schools and he chose to leave his home state of Georgia and join us here.” The right-handed Reese is already used to the team aspect of tennis, leading North Cobb to its first playoff win in the school’s 52-year history. He has been named the Cobb County Boys Tennis Player of the Year the last two seasons. On a more national scale, he is listed as a
blue-chip recruit and the No. 2 player from Georgia by tennisrecruiting.net. Winterbotham said he was also impressed by Reese’s intelligence on and off the court. “He can break down the court from a mental point of view. He definitely can figure out what he needs to do, and we’re definitely encouraged by that. “He’s also just a brilliant student. His grades and test scores pretty much blow everyone else away that we’ve ever recruited. We know that he’s committed to be a great student as well, which fits what we’re all about. We expect great things from Hunter.” Being from Georgia makes Reese something of a rarity in program history. Tennessee has not had a player from the tennis-rich Peach State since Jason Parker in 1993. Reese signed with the Vols during the November signing period, along with Knoxville native Brandon Fickey, the top-rated five-star recruit from Tennessee. Fickey is scheduled to join the Vols in time for the 2011 fall season. With Reese and Fickey signed, the Vols already have the No. 5-ranked recruiting class in January by tennisrecruiting.net.
NOTE: For year-by-year bios on all 11 Volunteers, check out the tennis page at UTSports.com. 34
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ACADEMIC HONORS
During the spring semester, the tennis team accomplished what no men’s program has done before: lead the entire Tennessee athletic department in team grade point average. The Vols captured the SEC regular season and tournament titles and reached the final of the NCAA Tennis Championships, all while compiling a 3.48 GPA as a team. They have paced the men’s programs in GPA the last four semesters and became the first men’s program to earn the highest average among all UT sports since the team GPA competition began. In addition to earning the highest spring GPA on campus, Tennessee also qualified to become an ITA All-Academic Team after posting a 3.34 GPA for the full school year. The Vols also won the ITA award in 2009. JOHN-PATRICK SMITH became the first Vol in seven years to be named to the ESPN the Magazine Sam Winterbotham and Chris Wood- CoSIDA Academic All-District Team, an award which honors an athlete’s accomplishments in acaruff, who have been coaching together at demics as well as in team competition. On the court, Smith earned his third All-America honor and UT the last four seasons, have stressed the was ranked No. 1 nationally in singles and doubles for a time during the season. importance of excellence on the court as well as in academics. In 2010, Tennessee Freshman Academic Honor Roll. set a pair of program records when five Vols were All-SEC selecSmith and Fago, who both finished their junior years as tions and nine were named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll. Economics majors, were named ITA Scholar-Athletes. Patrick, “We want them to win championships, but we also want an economics major, also made the list. them to be champions in the classroom,” said Winterbotham, “We’ve got great character on this team, and that’s somewho was named SEC Coach of the Year. “We had the goal to thing we look for in our players,” Winterbotham said. “They be an Academic All-America team, which we did. At the same make doing this job an absolute pleasure. I’m just as proud time, we also accomplished our goal of winning an SEC title, of their off-court accomplishments as I am of what they’ve and we finished just one win away from the NCAA title. The accomplished on the court.” commitment they’ve shown this year in both areas, it makes us Scott Swain, an associate director at the Thornton Athimmensely proud as coaches.” letic Student Life Center, has worked with the tennis team Impressively, all nine Vols eligible for the SEC Academic Hon- and echoed Winterbotham’s sentiments. or Roll made the list, including Davey Sandgren, who earned the “Our men’s tennis program has a championship mentalaward for a fourth time while majoring in aerospace engineering. ity both on and off the court,” Swain said. “I am very proud The eight additional award winners are: Matt Brewer (Geography), of the guys on achieving their goal to have the highest team Boris Conkic (Sport Management), Matteo Fago (Economics), GPA among all sports at Tennessee. With the bright studentTaylor Patrick (Accounting), John-Patrick Smith (Economics), athletes we have here at UT, it is a great accomplishment. Max Stevens (Communication Studies), Bryan Swartz (Business) With an SEC Championship, NCAA runner up finish and and Christopher Williams (Criminal Justice). these academic achievements, it was a tremendous year for Edward Jones and Rhyne Williams were named to the SEC the team.”
OUTLOOK COACHES THE VOLS REVIEW HISTORY
Vols Reach NCAA Finals, All While Pacing Athletic Dept. in Team GPA
NATIONAL ACADEMIC HONORS COSIDA ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA 1995 Chris Mahony 1996 Chris Mahony
COSIDA ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT 2003 Wade Orr (3rd team) 2010 John-Patrick Smith (3rd team)
ITA SCHOLAR ATHLETE 2007 2009 2010
Kiril Tcherveniachki Chris Racz John-Patrick Smith Matteo Fago Taylor Patrick John-Patrick Smith
SEC ACADEMIC HONOR ROLL Year Name 1984 Paul Annacone Marc Fishman 1986 Marc Fishman Carlos Garcia 1987 Carlos Garcia Tom Goles 1989 Connie de Villiers John Gibson 1990 Connie de Villiers Brice Karsh 1991 Connie de Villiers John Gibson Brice Karsh Fabio Silberberg 1992 Abrie du Plooy 1993 Clayton Johnson Chris Woodruff 1994 Rhain Buth Clayton Johnson Chris Mahony 1995 Daniel Dewandaka Martijn Magendans Chris Mahony Pablo Montana 1996 Chad Copenhaver Chris Mahony 1998 Chad Copenhaver Roger Ilias Kaspar Rasmussen 1999 Chad Copenhaver 2000 Peter Handoyo 2001 Andy Crews Peter Handoyo Mark Parsons Matt Turner
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Andy Crews Mark Fitzpatrick Peter Handoyo Paul Podbury Andy Crews Peter Handoyo Wade Orr Wade Orr Johnny Thornton David Baxendine Bobby Cameron Kaden Hensel Ben Rogers Bo Hardegree Kaden Hensel Adam Hubble Davey Sandgren Kiril Tcherveniachki Kaden Hensel Chris Racz Davey Sandgren Boris Conkic Davey Sandgren John-Patrick Smith Jeremy Tweedt Matt Brewer Boris Conkic Matteo Fago Taylor Patrick Davey Sandgren John-Patrick Smith Max Stevens Bryan Swartz Christopher Williams
2011 Tennessee Tennis Media Guide
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IT ALL ADDS UP+ Need some statistical evidence? Here are 10 reasons why the 2010 season was
unlike any other.... From the Southeastern Conference title won in front of a capacity crowd in Knoxville to their appearance in the NCAA Championship match, there’s no doubt about it: the Tennessee Volunteers had a special kind of season. Tennessee returned the finals of the NCAA Tennis Championships for the first time in nine years and ended the season with a 31-2 record in addition to a No. 2 national ranking. The team hoisted their eighth SEC regular-season trophy and their third conference tournament title. As you’d expect, the Vols took home numerous individual accolades as well, with three AllAmerica winners and five earning All-SEC honors. What’s more impressive is that they managed all the on-court success while pacing the entire UT athletic department in team grade point average during the spring semester. Need some more proof? Here are 10 reasons why the 2010 Tennessee tennis season was unlike any other.
3
Three Vols earned ITA All-America honors for just the second time in program history. John-Patrick Smith became Tennessee’s sixth three-time All-America and has the opportunity to become the program’s first four-time winner as a senior next season. Senior Davey Sandgren was named All-America for
the second time in doubles, and Rhyne Williams completed his incredible freshman season by reaching the NCAA singles round of 16 to claim the award. It’s not so surprising that Tennessee enjoyed similar tremendous team success the last time three Vols earned All-America honors. Call it a correlation. Doug Flach, Tim Jessup and Brice Karsh formed the All-America trio who led the 1990 Vols to a 34-1 record, SEC regular season and conference titles, a national No. 1 ranking for a time and the program’s first trip to the NCAA title match.
5
For the first time ever, five Vols were named All-SEC: Smith, Williams, Davey Sandgren, Boris Conkic and Tennys Sandgren. Smith and Conkic have earned all-conference honors in their first three years at UT. Davey Sandgren had not been AllSEC since his freshman season in 2007. Tennessee also swept the major postseason honors. Smith, who led the Vols at the No. 1 position in singles and doubles, was named SEC Player of the Year as well as SEC Tournament MVP. Williams shared freshman of the year honors with Vanderbilt’s Ryan Lipman, and Sam Winterbotham was named coach of the year.
ve: e Vols now ha th , L A T O T IN 0 8: SEC Titles itles since 199 T t en m a rn ou ls 3: SEC T e NCAA Fina th in es c n ra 3: Appea program history in s n so a se in 2: 30-w