Laying The Foundation
February 08, 2024 | Women's Tennis
STARKVILLE - There were a lot of changes for Mississippi State's women's tennis program in the offseason.
A new head coach took over. Fresh assistants came in. A couple of student-athletes joined the squad for the first time. Everybody had to adjust, and quickly.
Despite all of this, the Bulldogs have caught fire to start the spring season with a perfect 6-0 record and are the only undefeated team remaining in the SEC. The wins have been gritty and close with each competitor battling until the end and showing plenty about the character of the team as a whole.
Character: it's an impactful word that means an awful lot to head coach Chris Hooshyar.
"Battling through adversity is what character is in our world," Hooshyar said. "Finding a way to continue to fight, continuing to drive to succeed and not feeling sorry for ourselves."
Needless to say, every player has had a chance to demonstrate that character so far.
"The character isn't one or two of them, it's all of them," Hooshyar said. "As a coach, I couldn't be prouder."
The first-year head coach set his goals early in the season and wants to give the program an identity that it can build on for years to come. Big wins are always a plus, but Hooshyar explained that success means much more than the outcome of each match.
"It all starts with the foundations that we create, and this year is all about creating the habits, creating the character on court, on how we represent ourselves, how we represent Mississippi State," Hooshyar said.
Hooshyar's determined attitude trickles down to his players, including team captain Alexandra Mikhailuk. The graduate student spoke for all of her teammates as she described how the hard work that the Dawgs have put in over the past few months has paid off.
"We're getting more and more confident with everything we've been working on in the fall, and we're carrying that into the spring and getting some reps in," Mikhailuk said. "It's just a bonus that we're coming out on top so far."
Another concept that goes hand-in-hand with character to make up a strong team: unity. When each student-athlete is pushing to meet a common goal, the possibilities are endless. As Mikhailuk stated, it's something that has made a huge impact on the program's success already.
"No matter the battle, no matter who we're playing, we're always together," Mikhailuk said. "[Hooshyar] is preaching togetherness, and that's the biggest thing that I'd say has made a difference so far. I think that if we can stay together throughout the season, we can do some really big things."
Character and unity will undoubtedly help MSU become a force in the landscape of college tennis for seasons to come, but not every Bulldog will be around to witness the program's growth. As captains and seniors graduate and continue their lives elsewhere, it will be up to newcomers to continue the legacy that they are building right now.
That's where the younger members of the squad come in, including sophomore Dharani Niroshan. The Canadian looks up to her older team members like Mikhailuk and senior Chloé Cirotte and admires the work they are putting in to build a winning culture for the program's future.
"They're starting something that they won't really be here to see come to fruition, but both of our seniors attack each and every day with their whole heart, and it inspires all of us," Niroshan said.
The cornerstones of the program that are being established this season will be around for years to come. Given the growth that the team has had since Hooshyar and his assistants Taylor Russo and Noah Tippen arrived on campus, it's safe to say that the Dawgs' hot start won't be the peak of their success. After all, it's what the coaching staff is doing away from competition that is making the biggest difference.
"I think with Chris, Noah and Taylor, what they're doing now is really holding us accountable, but also fostering that kind of caring culture," Niroshan said. "I'm super grateful to have the three of them because they push us to be the best version of ourselves both on-court and off."
That motivation has inspired MSU and is setting expectations for the future of the program, as Niroshan explained.
"My hope for this team is just that we continue to grow and bond as we have been," Niroshan said, "And I think if we kind of continue on the same path that we're on, we can do some really big things."
Hooshyar's first season in Starkville is just beginning. There's plenty of competition left, plenty of opportunities for big wins and learning moments. Mikhailuk anticipates that the season is only going to get more challenging, including the team's first away match at Memphis on Sunday.
"We're going to have some more tough matches even before the SEC," Mikhailuk said. "It'll be interesting to see how the team responds to adversity when we're not playing at home as well."
Regardless of how the rest of the year unfolds, the student-athletes sporting the Maroon and White have it all: talent, character and each other. The possibilities are endless, and Niroshan knows it.
"I love the people here and the culture that we're starting to build," Niroshan said.
