Net News, Volume 12
4/30/2025 5:04:00 PM | Men's Tennis
Hello Bama Tennis Faithful,
The postseason has arrived, and this week, we officially learned that we earned a spot in the NCAA tournament field. The team gathered at the tennis facility to watch the selection show as the bracket was revealed, one team at a time, from 1-64. The top-16 teams were placed as regional hosts of the first and second rounds. The winner at these regional sites advance to a Super-Regional consisting of one match on the campus of the then higher-seeded team. The final eight schools left in the draw then travel to Waco, Texas, where Baylor University hosts the quarterfinal, semifinal and final rounds. Basketball has its March Madness, while tennis has what I like to call, "May-hem".
Several athletic department support staff, Crimson Racket Club members and coaches' spouses, Kristina Husack and Hannah Gils (the real coaches), joined the team to celebrate the season and next chapter ahead. ALABAMA popped up in the draw just after Pepperdine was revealed along with New Mexico and host Stanford. An excited applause filled the "Legends Lounge" (player area at the tennis facility) coupled with high fives and plenty of smiles. The selection marked a second consecutive trip to NCAAs for our program. Unlike last year when we traveled east to Duke University in Durham, N.C., this time the Tide would Roll in the opposite direction to the West Coast. Our match is scheduled for Friday at 12 p.m. CT against Pepperdine while host Stanford takes on New Mexico at 3 p.m. CT. The winners play Saturday at 2 p.m. CT and advance to the Super-Regional. Stanford has a unique tennis set up with six competition courts, a nice viewing area for spectators and a massive roof covering the entire area like an indoor facility. There are no walls, however, so the air passes through as do rays of sunshine throughout the day. It's a temporary home for the Cardinal as a new 12-court facility is constructed across the street on the grounds of the former tennis stadium.
So, the "May-hem" officially began, though it seemed to have started the last couple of weeks of April. Following our match at LSU on April 11, we hosted Mississippi State on Senior Day on April 13 and then immediately traveled to Columbia, S.C., on April 14 for the SEC Championships. After competing in a pair of tight 4-3 battles with Vanderbilt and Tennessee, we returned to campus, took a few days off and started back with fitness and practice the following week. We had an off weekend before the selection show was aired so there was time to get organized and ready for final exams and our postseason path.
When the celebratory festivities ended on Monday, it was time to get the travel wheels in motion. We had discussed potential departure plans with the guys after returning from SECs, so they were prepared for a short final exam week and quicker end to the spring semester. Fortunately, our Student-Athlete Academic Center staff and university professors have developed strong relationships over the years so rescheduling exams or making proctoring accommodations were not an issue (Thank you Daijah Thibodeaux, our team's academic advisor for her great work!). The guys wrapped up their projects, presentations, papers and exams by early afternoon on Tuesday, as well as ran a couple loads of laundry, got their rackets strung, packed their bags and jumped on a Crimson Ride bus bound for Birmingham Shuttlesworth Airport, and ultimately, to California. This opportunity was well earned and certainly not automatic. I give credit to the guys for battling all season amidst some thrilling moments and challenging times. It was a full team effort, while many others, not holding a tennis racket or playing a single point, contributed greatly to our season and kept us moving in the right direction.
Traveling to the San Francisco Bay Area is a bit of a homecoming for me. I grew up about twelve miles north of Stanford and spent several years living in Palo Alto after I graduated from college. I attended Stanford summer tennis camps under the direction of Hall of Fame coach Dick Gould, got my first introduction to college tennis as a young teen watching Stanford versus USC in a dual match, played many sets with friends at Taube Tennis Stadium and was fortunate to win an NCAA team championship while coaching at USC in 2011 when Stanford was the final site host. So many memories created at a school with a wild and colorful pep band, and an even wilder, dancing tree for a mascot. Â
We have a singles and doubles line-up that is healthy and will be ready to go this Friday. This is a season first which comes at an opportune time. Pepperdine has a long and successful tennis tradition that includes a national team title, won ironically at Stanford in 2006 (the first time the NCAAs were a combined men's and women's event). While coaching at my first school, Santa Clara University, our team competed against the Waves on an annual basis as we both were in the West Coast Conference . When I moved onto the University of Illinois, we competed against Pepperdine both in Champaign and Malibu. At USC, the Trojans faced the Waves annually. And since arriving at Alabama, our program has twice played the Waves, once at home and another time at their beautiful campus. They are very well coached, have a strong roster of experienced international players and are a spirited team who has had a solid season. It should be a great match and I'm excited to get started with our prep work later today at the tournament site.
It's an honor to play in the postseason and I'm sorry we won't be in Tuscaloosa this weekend in front of our fans. While it was a preseason goal, things happen and how you respond to situations dictate the road ahead. We're battle tested as one can see with our dozen 4-3 matches. That may have some people pulling out their hair, but as I see it, we've been in the hunt throughout the year. It has been such a treat to compete at home this season as we've seen tremendous crowds fill our stands and provide an impactful home court advantage. Friday's match will be streamed online and have live scoring. We will give our best effort, keep the energy up and cheer loud and proud…and recruit some of my friends and family to pull for the crimson and white throughout the weekend. Â
I thank you again for your unwavering support this season as it has been incredibly invaluable to the coaches, players and support staff. To quote former athletic director Mal Moore, "there are plenty of Tigers, Bulldogs and Bears, but there is only one Crimson Tide." Here's to you, the Bama Tennis faithful, and the next time we see you in T-Town.
Roll Tide,
George
