2014 MSU Men's Tennis: A Year In Review
For the Mississippi State men’s tennis program, its foundation is built on energy, fighting together and giving your best. The 2014 season was no exception, as head coach Per Nilsson led his squad to yet another successful campaign, continuing to climb the ladder toward the top of collegiate tennis.
Nilsson entered his seventh year at the helm of his alma mater fresh off the program’s first trip to the NCAA Championship Round of 16 since 2001 and looking to take it a step further. However, Nilsson faced the challenge of coaching a predominantly young squad comprised of four freshmen, one junior college transfer, one sophomore and two seniors. Nilsson, along with ITA Southern Region Assistant of the Year Matt Roberts and volunteer assistant James Chaudry, went full steam ahead with the challenge.
As a team, the Bulldogs’ 19 overall wins in 2014 tied for ninth in the MSU record book. Of those 19, 13 were triumphs against ranked opponents, including defeating fourth-ranked Georgia for the first time since 2005. A 7-5 Southeastern Conference record sealed a fourth-straight season of .500 or better in the rigorous league. All of those accomplishments combined to give MSU its fourth-straight, and 23rd overall, appearance in the NCAA Championship, but the success to the 2014 campaign was beyond the numbers for Nilsson.
“We brought in players that fit our team and believe in what we do as a whole,” Nilsson said. “That makes such a difference in everything we do. Our team did a great job coming together and playing for each other and Mississippi State.”
Nilsson turned heavily to his newcomers Rishab Agarwal, Robin Haden, Tassilo Schmid, Egbert Weverink and Florian Lakat to carry the load. Agarwal, Schmid and Haden combined for 29 wins for the MSU lineup, gaining valuable experience in the MSU lineup. Weverink, who saw his playing time shortened by injury, was a vocal presence for State, consistently cheering his teammates to victory. Then there was Lakat, who took on the daunting task of leading the Bulldog order for a majority of the season.
“Flo really helped us out playing at the top spot as a freshman,” Nilsson said. “I thought he did a great job and gained so much valuable experience for the future.”
The rookie’s top-notch play at the top of the order led him to being named SEC Freshman of the Year, as well as earning All-SEC Second Team and ITA Southern Region Rookie of the Year honors. The wins and awards culminated in a bid to the 2014 NCAA Singles Championship for Lakat, making him the 10th Bulldog under Nilsson’s leadership to appear in the postseason field of 64.
While Nilsson relied heavily on his five newcomers, he did the same with his seniors.
“Our three seniors played such a big part in our success here the last four years and it is both sad and exciting to see them graduate,” Nilsson said. “They really exemplify what it means to be a student athlete, both on and off the court.”
Players Malte Stropp and Zach White had been mainstays the past several years, along with manager Andrew Kirkland, all helping to lift Mississippi State into one of the premier collegiate tennis squads in the nation.
For Stropp and White, the fire each brought to the court on match days was unrivaled. Since arriving on campus in 2010, both have earned All-SEC honors and numerous of other awards for their on-court play as well as their academics.
White, a native of Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, has trademarked his career in the Maroon and White with passion and a constant striving to improve both on and off the court. An All-SEC player for the Bulldogs, White totaled 118 victories in both singles and doubles play, with 85 of those wins coming in dual match play. In the classroom, White’s performance has been outstanding, helping him to earn multiple Academic All-SEC and ITA Scholar-Athlete honors.
Hailing from Dusseldorf, Germany, Stropp leaves behind one of the more impressive careers in recent Bulldog history, placing himself in the top 10 of several categories in the MSU record book. The 2011 SEC Freshman of the Year has been much more than a force on the court as he has been equally as impressive in the classroom. He garnered a number of academic honors and graduated with a 3.97 GPA and Presidential Scholar honors all four years.
All in all, 2014 was filled with wins, losses and awards. Tennis always has and always will be able to be judged on statistical data but, for Nilsson, it’s more about the players and staff who make up his team and the energy and passion they bring. To him, that is what makes a championship squad.
“We want to compete at the highest level on the courts and we want to do it with class, integrity and pride,” Nilsson said. “We continue to recruit hard, manage the team and develop our players with the goal of competing for a championship. I'm excited about next year, as it could be a very strong team that would be young and have the opportunity to be one of the best we've had since I've been here.”