John Nespoli - Men's Tennis Blog
John Nespoli enters his senior season on the Mountain Hawks men’s tennis team with 25 career singles victories and another 24 wins in doubles play. A native of Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania, Nespoli was named the Lehigh men’s tennis Scholar Athlete of the Year Award winner following his freshman season after posting an 11-6 mark on the court. A member of the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll and the Dean’s List, Nespoli has won at least five doubles matches in each of his first three seasons. Check back soon for his latest update.
September 25 – What are we made of?
It’s about a month into the fall season now, and I am confident in saying this team has a bright future ahead. The work ethic of our young team is impressive. We have six new faces on the team, and each one seems very motivated to improve and make an impact. Usually a team relies on upperclassmen to get the job done until the new guys get some matches under their belts. In this case, our freshmen have definitely risen to the occasion and surpassed my expectations thus far.
In the past two weeks, the team has traveled to Cornell and also participated in the ECAC Tennis Championships hosted at Lehigh. Ithaca was a warm-up for the upperclassmen, but even more of a reality check for our new guys. Anyone that’s been toIthaca knows that the weather is miserable. We had 8 AM matches with 30 mph gusts and 47 degrees outside. Not only did the team have to battle their opponents, but Mother Nature also became a big nuisance. Coach Shook and I were happy to see that our team was able to compete hard and pull out some tough victories.
Even though the spring is our primary season, there is still a great deal of tennis to be played before then. We have two more tournaments – first at Princeton and then the Lehigh Invitational. These experiences will help to formalize our line-up for the spring. Depth will be a key factor in our success come dual matches. Our team is young, but more importantly everyone is very talented and capable of contributing. One person in particular, freshman Troy List has quickly become an impact player. Winning the Patriot League is in the realm of possibility with a talent like this at the helm.
As the semester progresses, so will the challenges of being a Lehigh University student-athlete. Four o’clock exams are on the horizon, practices will get tougher, gym sessions more intense and balancing all this with the social rigors of a Lehigh student will pose some major time management issues to many of us. This is where we will see what we are made of. Crunch time is here boys, so let’s get to it.
“Success is a journey not a destination”
- Brad Nelson
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August 27 – Final Year
It’s my second day back at school, and I’m pretty excited about senior year. I honestly can’t believe how quickly senior year came. It was a great summer working, traveling and relaxing with friends, but I’m definitely anxious to join my team and get ready for a new season.
Last year was very difficult for me and my teammates. The first two seasons I played at Lehigh, the team saw great success and was an NCAA Tournament contender both years. Last year we had a great team, fantastic upperclassmen, and were ready to make the leap to the next level until four of our top five players (including myself) endured serious injuries that kept us from competing. After my first practice with the team today, I’m incredibly anxious to get this team back on the right track
Things are looking positive with the addition of six new members (three freshmen, two junior college transfers and one walk-on). All six of them have a lot of potential, and I need to give credit to our coach Dave Shook for bringing in a very solid recruiting class. Injuries aside, as long as everyone puts in the time on the court and in the gym, I see us being top contenders in the Patriot League.
My main focus right now, besides getting my own game ready, is mentally preparing our freshmen for Division I competition. College is a lot different from junior tennis when the emphasis was only on individual players. As a team, we really do depend on everyone doing their part. When I look over at the court next to me I want to see my teammate fighting no matter the score because it in turn motivates me to compete harder.
I’m very eager for this season to start. We have a few tournaments coming up in the fall including the ECACs, which we are hosting. Our main season is the spring, but this is a great opportunity for everyone to get some matches under their belts. Official practice begins this coming Wednesday, and soon challenge matches will take place to form our singles and doubles line-ups.
“Relaxed Intensity”
-Alfredo Fernandez-Concha (Former Capt. 06-07)
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