STARKVILLE — When Mississippi State University sophomore Malte Stropp saw MSU assistant men’s tennis coach Matt Hill at one of his matches in Germany, he knew Starkville would be a great place to call home.
“When Matt came to see me play in Germany, it made a big impact,” Stropp said. “He was telling me some really great things about the program. That is what set Mississippi State apart. The coaches were really focusing on me. They were happy to see me play. They were excited that I was coming.
“Even though this is only my second year, this experience has been even better than I thought it would be.”
Stropp and the No. 14 MSU will open their home schedule at 2 p.m. today against Texas Christian University at the Pitts Tennis Centre. MSU (4-2) has played a tough schedule, which includes losses to No. 3 Ohio State and No. 11 Texas A&M.
“We have three seniors this year and we have a really good team,” Stropp said. “We want to win the (Southeastern Conference) championship. We have played six matches and looked good so far this season. It is just the beginning of the season though. We are getting better every day because we are the hardest working team around.”
A native of Dusseldorf, Germany, Stropp went 25-6 record in singles and 16-12 record in doubles en route to SEC Freshman of the Year honors.
Five other letterwinners — seniors Louis Cant (Brugge, Belgium), George Coupland (Hatfield, England), juniors James Chaudry (Southampton, England), Artem Ilyushin (Granite Bay, Calif.,) and sophomore Zach White (Ontario, Canada) — rounding out the singles lineup.
Greenville native Trey Seymour is a redshirt freshman and the lone Mississippian on the squad.
Cant is 6-0 record in dual singles, while Coupland is 5-1. Coupland and Ilyushin have teamed for a 3-1 record in doubles. Coupland is ranked No. 32 in the nation, while Cant is No. 45.
“We have a bunch of ranked guys on the team,” Cant said. “There are so many good teams in the country. You can’t get distracted and you can’t quit working. We never give up on anything. You have to keep the energy level high. This team is really close and that is important when you play the matches against the really good teams.
“We push one another. A little support from a teammate is what can put you over the top against the nation’s best like that.”
MSU men’s tennis coach Per Nilsson is in his fifth season with the Bulldogs. After a combined six conference wins his first three seasons, the Bulldogs returned to the NCAA tournament, won 14 matches, and captured the school’s first SEC Western Division championship since the league split tennis into divisions in 2002 last season.
“Last year, we proved how good we could be,” Cant said. “Now it is our job to not get the big-head but to continue to work hard. Suddenly, we are going from being the underdogs to being the hunted. That is quite a challenge. We have talked as a team about how we are going accept that challenge and be ready for anything that comes our way this year.”
With only two Americans on the roster, the ability to work together as a team could be tricky for such a diverse group. Instead, the Bulldogs mastered the team camaraderie part rather quickly.
“We are a real team,” Stropp said. “We hang together off the court, just as friends. We all know each other very well. We live having fun with each other. No one sticks out and everyone is part of the group. I play for the team every time I go out. I want to give my best for the team. It is a lot of fun.
“The team supports you. It is good for your tennis. During the offseason I try to play as many matches as I can. However, the hard work is put in to make my game that much better for the team.”
Cant adds the younger players sometimes struggle with the built-in support group of teammates. It is atypical for tennis. However, it turns out to be a win-win situation.
“When you come to college, all you have done is play a bunch of tournaments on your own,” Cant said. “Here you have a team. They push you extra hard, because you wouldn’t go this hard on your own. When you are down, a teammate says, ‘Hey, you can do this.’ ” We lift each other. It’s a natural fit because everyone has the same goals.”
MSU still will face No. 2 Virginia and No. 21 Ole Miss in non-conference tilts before facing a top-heavy SEC schedule that includes three top-10 teams.
“We played Ohio State and 1 through 6 they were really good,” Coupland said. “In the NCAA tournament, those are the types of teams you will face. It is important to play as many of these matches as we can, so we know the areas to fix.
“Now, is the time to keep getting better. We were hot at the end of the year last year and hopefully that can carry over.”
Stropp also hopes to build on his stellar first season of playing college tennis.
“My first year of playing college tennis was an incredible experience,” Stropp said. “I was grateful for the opportunity I was given and I tried to do my best to take advantage of it. Each week we are playing the best teams in America. We are getting in shape because we play matches every weekend.
“We don’t have an off weekend until spring break. We have to focus on tennis. It is going to pay off for us if we stay focused and work hard, we will have some good results.”
While hard work is a cornerstone for the program, so is the personal touch. To know you will be appreciated and respected are huge keys when asking a young person to travel across the continent to play senior college tennis. Nilsson wants such an interaction with all of his players.
“When I first talked to the coaches over the phone, I knew this was a professional program,” Cant said. “I could tell right away there were taking an interest in me. I came here for that extra bit of coaching. The coaches know each and every player inside and out and they help us in every way possible.
“We have one of the best game-day atmospheres in the SEC. Overall, this has been an incredible experience.”
Stropp is excited he is still in the early stages of learning under Nilsson, a letterwinner at MSU from 1991-94.
“Per is a really good coach,” Stropp said. “He works with us every day individually. At some programs, it is all about the team. That is not how it works here. We film every match. I had never watched myself play before. Per breaks down every tape with us individually. I know the things I need to work on. It is so much fun working with him and playing for him. Then you throw in all of these great guys I hang out with and work with every day, it has been really cool.”
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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