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What a difference a year can make.
After advancing to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Championships on the wings of a talented group of seniors, the Pepperdine men’s tennis program has made some changes, some by choice and some because of graduation.
Shortly after the end of the 2002 season, former Pepperdine coach Pete Smith took the head coaching job across town at USC. Shortly thereafter, the university picked up Head Coach Adam Steinberg, formerly of the University of Alabama, and Assistant Coach Per Nilsson. Young and determined, the two coaches inherited a team made up of six freshmen, one sophomore and two juniors. But Steinberg’s plan has always been to keep the team winning, just as it has for the past 25 years.
“Our expectations are to be in the NCAA tournament and keep Pepperdine tennis where it should be. I came here to do a job, and to be successful, and I want this program to be successful now,” Steinberg said earlier this year.
Two talented juniors, team captains Diego Acuna and Calle Hansen, anchor the team. After gaining experience and knowledge in the 2002 season, the two spent their offseasons doing nothing but getting better. Through three dual competitions in 2003, the doubles partners have yet to drop a match, playing together or individually.
“(Hansen and Acuna) are phenomenal in every way,” Steinberg said. “In their play, in their attitude, and in their leadership … they’ve backed up everything they say with their play and their hard work.”
Along with their strong individual games, the duo makes up one of the nation’s most potent doubles teams.
“Calle makes very good returns and has a solid serve,” Acuna said. “This gives me confidence when I’m at the net … playing together has really worked out great.”
Throw into the mix newcomer Pedro Rico, who just arrived at Pepperdine this month after working out visa problems to come over from his native country of Spain. At 6’3” and 185 pounds, Rico will be one of the squad’s most important new assets.
“He’s a great player … I definitely expect him to be a force nationally,” Steinberg said. “He’s somebody that can really help this program tremendously, and be a real impact guy.”
Other players to look for on the courts are sophomore Alexis Rafidison, freshman Kevin Borzenski and freshman Scott Doerner. They, along with every other player on the Pepperdine roster, will get the chance to compete against one of the nation’s toughest schedules.
“We have no choice, they’re going to play,” Steinberg said. “We have very talented players, but we just have to be patient right now and work hard … We’re going to be a scary team in a month, I can tell you that.”
If you ask Doerner, the opportunity the freshmen have to make an impact on the team is a welcome one.
“I enjoy the challenge, but it’s a team effort — everyone makes up for everyone else’s mistakes,” Doerner said. “Everyone goes though everything together, it’s up to everyone to carry each other.”
The freshman also talked about the strong connections team members have made, especially with the new coaching staff.
“The coaches are great,” Doerner said. “Our head coach has got a lot of coaching experience and the assistant has a lot of playing experience, there’s a good blend there … They’ve been fantastic, and have really got us together.”
Included on Pepperdine’s national tour are stops at Duke, Georgia, and University of Southern California, and Texas A&M and Illinois will take on the Waves here in Malibu. And last but not least, a match away from home against Stanford on April 15.
With three months of tennis ahead of them, Pepperdine’s young but enthusiastic group of players is ready to prove it's a sleeping giant.
“One of the things the guys like to say is ‘We’re going to shock the world this year,’ and I think we will,” Steinberg said. “When you work that hard and have the talent we have, it’s going to show. We just need to get playing more matches, and everyone will see.”
Submitted January 23, 2003
MALIBU, CA
