The men’s tennis team has been progressing each semester, and a non-conference fall season will serve as a good indicator of what lies ahead for the Raiders.
With the addition of former Raiders tennis alum, assistant coach Brian Vandenberg as the new Head Coach, and the arrival of sophomore Jose Calderon from Chile, the team has great talent to work with before the start of its season in the spring.
When asked about his preview of the upcoming schedule of tournaments and scrimmages this fall and the next official season, Vandenberg says, “It will be a great year. We got some returners and added new pieces to the team, so I look forward to seeing us competing at the highest level. Excited to go after that with these men.”
Originally from Santiago, Chile, and a transfer from Emanual University, a Division II in Georgia, Calderon shares his excitement about joining the Raiders. “I am looking forward to the season this upcoming spring. We have been practicing really hard the past weeks, focusing on the matches ahead and getting tuned in for the spring. We expect to keep finding our rhythm on the court this following week, looking forward to the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) tournament.”
The men’s tennis team has three more commitments this off-season, including the GPAC Invitational tournament hosted in Lincoln, NE and two scrimmages played at home in early October.
Leo Costa, a junior from Brazil and also a captain of the team alongside David Bomgaars, a senior, emphasizes, “We have what we need. The work ethic and the mindset is there. Now it is time to put it into practice and make the most out of it.” Costa reminds the fans to pack the courts on Oct. 4 and Oct. 8. “College Tennis is a little different than the usual white outfit and royalty sport that we watch; the louder and more involved the crowd gets, the better we play.”
