Lazo Living His Best Life At MSU
March 02, 2023 | Men's Tennis
STARKVILLE – Patrick Lazo spent four years at Georgia State and graduated last spring with a degree in managerial science.
However, since he redshirted his freshman year, Lazo still had one season of eligibility remaining on the tennis court and decided to enter the transfer portal in hopes of making the jump to a Power 5 program.
"I wanted to go to a university that was known for its sports," Lazo said. "I really wanted to go somewhere that had a lot of emphasis in development in sports and also had a name, like Mississippi State. That was a really big thing, so I was really only looking at ACC and SEC schools. I wanted to come to a program that had great coaching, a great athletic department and where I could get a great degree."
Lazo found his final collegiate stop at Mississippi State after making a quick connection with coaches Matt Roberts and Jake Jacoby during his official visit to campus.
"I think this was the right fit for me because the coaches were very personable with me," Lazo said. "Right from the start, they really wanted to know about me and my family. It felt like they truly cared about me. It's been the same way since I've been here. They've catered to my needs and done a really good job of making me feel a part of the team."
The Alpharetta, Georgia native has made his mark with the Bulldogs with seven victories so far during his redshirt senior season. Five of Lazo's wins have come in singles and has claimed back-to-back victories to bring his career record to 41-38 in singles and 31-26 on the doubles side.
"He brings really good vibes on and off the court," Jacoby said. "He's brought a lot of maturity and is such a great guy. He fit our culture right away and the guys love being around him. He gets it done in the classroom and working on his grad degree this year. There's been nothing but positives from him."
Although Lazo loves being able to compete on some of the biggest stages in college tennis, his decision to transfer was not solely based on sports. Since arriving last summer, Lazo has immersed himself in many of the extracurricular activities afforded to him as a student-athlete at MSU.
Lazo was nominated by his coaches and participated in the Top Dawg Leadership Academy back in August and will receive his master's degree in business administration with an emphasis in supply chain management in December.
"It's pretty incredible all of the opportunities that we're given within the athletic department," Lazo said. "Whether it's hours toward our Hall Award or different things like SAAC or the Top Dawg Leadership Academy, this has been really great. Coming from a mid-major, we had opportunities but not nearly at the scale of an SEC school and I've been trying to take as much advantage as I can.
"They do a really great job of preparing you for when you're done with athletics, which is inevitable for most of us. I've been able to learn a lot of good skills and values that are needed to become a good leader in a business environment."
With Southeastern Conference play starting today, Lazo is coming to terms with the reality that his days as a student-athlete are winding down. But the southpaw is determined to make the most of the remaining time he has with his teammates.
"I'm just trying to take it day-by-day and enjoy every day that I can," Lazo said. "It hit me when I looked at the schedule and saw that we're starting to get into SEC play and once we do, that's kind of it for us. I'm just trying to have a lot of fun and know that this is a big part but also a small part of my life and just enjoy it with the guys. One of the things I'll miss the most is all of the off-court stuff we do like team dinners, staying in the hotel and all of the little inside jokes that we have. I cherish those moments."
Whether it was his four years at Georgia State or his brief time with the Bulldogs, Lazo is grateful for all the opportunities that were awarded to him as a student-athlete, both on and off the court. Playing alongside and growing close to teammates from all walks of life has provided him a cultural perspective he doesn't feel he could've gotten anywhere else.
"This has probably been the best experience you could possibly have as far as diversity goes for getting know guys from across the world," Lazo said. "There's really not any other sport in college where you get to have guys from Bosnia, Montenegro or South America and experience their culture and how it compares to yours. It's helped me grow a lot as a person. I've had five years of this experience and it's one that I'll cherish forever, especially getting the opportunity to come here for my last year."
