2021 NET NEWS, Volume One
1/15/2021 2:14:00 PM | Men's Tennis
Happy New Year Everyone,
I hope the holidays were happy and healthy for you as well as sprinkled with humor, humility and heartfelt warmth. The spring season is upon us and a full slate of dual matches are scheduled from now thru May. We are grateful for the training and competition opportunities we had in the fall as approved by Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey, Alabama president Dr. Stuart Bell and Crimson Tide director of athletics Greg Byrne. If it wasn't for their strong leadership, careful guidance and unwavering support, there would be no spring sports season for any of us. After numerous resources, services and funds were used to provide medical testing and protocol, we embark on a season with great excitement and thrill.
We return all our players from last year's squad and have added three additional names to our roster. At first glance you'll notice that we are a veteran squad with ten players listed as seniors or graduate students. It seems like just the other day we were a group of youngsters competing in the NCAA Sweet 16 in May 2018. Well those boys have matured, learned, improved, and like all of us, gotten a bit older…minus the grey hair.
The returning crew includes Edson Ortiz and Zhe Zhou (hospitality management graduate students), Alexey Nesterov (masters of finance candidate), Jeremy Gschwendtner (senior business major), Patrick Kaukovalta (senior psychology major), Riccardo Roberto (senior business major), Sam Fischer and Grant Stuckey (senior biology majors), Avi Shugar (sophomore kinesiology major) and Marcelo Sepulveda Garza (sophomore business major).
Our new kids on the block include Gabriel Diaz Freire (hospitality management grad student formerly at Clemson), Vincent Rettke (digital and social media grad student formerly at Gonzaga) and Rudi Christiansen (freshman business major). So that gives us a baker's dozen in the locker room which we don't all use at the same time due to social distancing rules, and when we do, we #MaskUp.
In addition to the players, we welcome back assistant coach Dimitar Kutrovsky, team manager and senior Abi Gossett, athletic trainer Katie Wheeler, fitness coach Ashton Mcleod, academic advisor Jenny Sanders, dietician Lauren Cave, stringer Benn Marler, clothing and equipment manager Stuart Moore and our stellar facilities crew Jackie, Letty, Sylvia, Ashley, and the one and only, Ms. Tina.Â
We had a few departures and replacements since last March that included volunteer assistant coach Andrew Goodwin (now coaching at UNC Charlotte). Ezequiel Gils has filled Goodie's shoes and it's a bit of a homecoming as Eze's wife Hannah is from Tuscaloosa. Roots Woodruff is the associate director of athletics communications and fills the opening left by Zach Rhodes who is now at Baylor. Sash-sha Collier, our athletic training intern last year, accepted a full-time position at Tennessee State. Kaylee Shaver is now in that role assisting Katie in the training room as well as spending time punishing opponents in pickle ball. Ms. Tina was promoted to a head role at the Mal Moore building which was a well-deserved opportunity for her but she has filled in from time to time throughout the year … and we love it. Our beloved Crimson Racket Club treasurer, Grill Master and ultimate Alabama tennis fan, David Ford lost his battle with cancer, but his character, enthusiasm and smile will never be forgotten. And finally, Kevin Almond retired from his role as Deputy Director of Athletics and my direct boss/sport oversight to be a husband, father and grandfather on a full-time basis. Senior Associate Athletics Director Jessica Pare, who was my first communications director, successfully climbed up the ranks and earned the role of tennis administrator.
So, a lot has happened inside and outside of the tennis facility since the gates were locked on Friday, March 13, 2020. So much has occurred since that sad and odd ending which slowed us down, kept us in our homes, prevented us from traveling to see friends and family, taught us creative ways of communicating, provided opportunities to re-evaluate our ways of day-to-day life, strengthened our faith and so much more. What a year it was and what a new year it will be.
Alabama Tennis has returned, and after an opening weekend of matches with the Texas Longhorns (the last team to hold the NCAA Team Championship trophy), the dual-match season kicks off this weekend with a pair of doubleheaders indoors. The game has not changed, nor the focus and the drive towards achieving more and more. There are, however, some rules which includes masks, distance, sanitizer and no fans indoors. So live stats and live streaming on RollTide.com will be rocking and providing you with tennis action. Matches will remain inside the Roberta Alison Baumgardner Indoor Tennis facility through our February 6 match with Louisville. We will then move outdoors to the UA Tennis Stadium and look forward to hopefully welcoming fans to cheer loudly and proudly when we open the SEC season on Friday, February 26 at 6 pm.
I look forward to providing you with news, updates, thoughts and commentary on a weekly basis throughout this 2021 season, as well as seeing you at the courts, on the road or in the community. We all thank you in advance for your continued support of Alabama Tennis and wish you good health, happiness and plenty of opportunities to yell…
ROLL TIDE!
George
Head Coach George Husack
Head Men's Tennis Coach
The University of Alabama
Players Mentioned
