Bulldogs Find The Right Fit In Vilicich

STARKVILLE – Mississippi State's coaching staff was in search of a midyear enrollee to join the men's tennis team that could step on the court and play right away this year.

Assistant coach Jake Jacoby knew just the player who could fulfill that role. Two years prior, he'd come across a young man from Argentina named Bautista Vilicich that had paid his own way to play tennis across Europe.

It was just the kind of commitment and dedication to the sport Jacoby and head coach Matt Roberts were looking for on their roster.

"He was a lot younger and super raw but really talented," Jacoby said. "He went on his own to Europe from Argentina without a lot of resources and that showed a lot of desire, self-belief and determination in himself to be the best tennis player he can be. Combining his character and raw talent, we thought that he'd be a great fit to come in January."

So Jacoby reached out to Vilicich to see if he'd be interested in coming to MSU on an official visit. Vilicich was playing a Futures tournament in Ecuador when he received Jacoby's message and the two arranged for him to fly to Starkville in August.

"When I came, it was unbelievable," Vilicich said. "Everything was incredible. The facilities that we have here are impossible to compare with somewhere else. But the thing that made me make the decision (to come) was the group of people that they have here – the guys and the coaches. I'm very happy with the relationships that I've made here."

So Vilicich made preparations to move to the United States and join the Bulldogs in January. Just days after enrolling at State, Vilicich made his collegiate debut and knocked off then-No. 106 Stepan Holis of Middle Tennessee in straight sets 6-2, 6-4 in his first match.

"Honestly, I didn't even know that he was ranked," Vilicich said. "I don't look at stats and rankings all that much, I just try to play and be healthy. It was really cool because it was my first match in a long, long time and I wanted to play so much. I wasn't expecting the atmosphere that we had that day at the tennis courts. It was unbelievable."

Vilicich went on to win 11 more matches during his freshman campaign but hit a snag in mid-March when a stress fracture was discovered in his left foot. The injury kept the Balcarce native out of action for over a month during the SEC slate.

"I'm a guy that loves to play tennis and enjoys competition," Vilicich said. "I love that feeling of adrenaline before a match. But when they told me I had to stop for at least three weeks, it was tough because it was my first semester here and I wanted to play so, so bad. After about two days though, I decided to use it as a positive and come back stronger."

Vilicich made his return at the SEC Championship in Athens, Georgia and picked up a 6-4 doubles victory alongside partner Carles Hernandez over LSU's Ben Koch and Nick Watson. He also represented the Bulldogs in singles and doubles at the Cambridge Regional of the NCAA Championship.

"I've learned a lot and gained a lot of experience these past few months," Vilicich said. "I think I've grown a lot in a very short time and I'm very happy for that."

AMERICAN ADAPTATION

Although Vilicich's mother, Denise, was born in California, he did not grow up speaking very much English while growing up in Argentina.

And aside from a tennis trip to Miami a few years ago and his visit to Starkville last August, Vilicich experienced his first extended time in the United States when he moved here back in January. Learning the language was the biggest barrier he had to overcome.

"At the beginning it was tough," Vilicich said. "I had to pay a lot of attention when people were talking to me and didn't want to miss any words they were saying. It helped me to daily be talking with my teammates, coaches and in classes that I had. Being in class and hearing a professor for an hour every day helped me a lot."

Vilicich appreciates the rigorous daily schedule that Southeastern Conference student-athletes have to adhere to and believes it helps him stay focused on each task at hand.

"I like that everything is organized," Vilicich said. "I'm not used to that. Back in Argentina, it's not like that. I like that everything is structured."

Another adjustment Vilicich had to make in his new country is the abundance of food he was given at each meal. However, it only took him a matter of time to learn that moderation is key to staying in shape.

"Everything here is made so huge in size," Vilicich said. "After two or three weeks of having waffles every morning and huge breakfasts, I told myself I needed to stop because I was eating too much."

SWEET HOME ARGENTINA

Just two days after Mississippi State returned home from Massachusetts, Vilicich boarded another flight back home to Argentina for summer break, although it is nearing winter there now.

Now armed with a semester of experience in college both on and off the court, Vilicich vows to return to State even better to start his sophomore season in the fall.

"I want to play tennis at a high level, and I know that I can do that," Vilicich said. "I'm trying to focus day-by-day and do the small work that no one sees. Having good results are a consequence of daily hard work."

The MSU coaching staff believed that Vilicich was just perfect fit for their team. And with an entire spring season now in the books, their intuitions proved to be spot on.

"He hit the ground running and really jived," Jacoby said. "On the court, we knew he could play. But off the court, his chemistry with the team has been off the charts. We couldn't have asked for anything better."

Mississippi State University Athletics

Bulldogs Find The Right Fit In Vilicich

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