Building a tradition: Tigers making NCAA trips a habit

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Cedric De Zutter had finished teaching a late-morning tennis lesson when his path from the outdoor courts at The Racquet Club took him past the University of Memphis team awaiting a postseason practice opportunity.

It was with a sense of pride that De Zutter stopped and talked briefly about the Tigers, his former team and one preparing for another NCAA tournament trip – its sixth in seven years.

De Zutter, now a tennis instructor at The Racquet Club, was a member of the 2012 team that earned a postseason invitation, the first in the-then 63-year history of the program. He said it's been rewarding to watch coach Paul Goebel keep the program's NCAA appearances coming at a consistent pace.

"A standard has been set," De Zutter said. "It's kind of what we expect now. We expect Memphis to be good."

The 21^st-ranked Tigers (18-5) open the NCAA Championships at 10 a.m. Friday against South Alabama (14-9) in opening-round play at Starkville, Miss. In the other first-round pairing, host and No. 6 seed Mississippi State (20-2) meets Tennessee Tech (10-11). The winners meet at 1 p.m. Saturday.

Memphis, which reached a program-best No. 16 national ranking earlier this season, will be appearing in its third straight NCAA Championships. The Tigers also had a three-year run from 2012 to 2014, including a Sweet 16 trip in 2013.

"I think we expect to make the NCAA tournament now," Goebel said.

That the program's postseason run began in 2012 is no coincidence, according to Goebel. Six years ago, the tennis program found a new off-campus home at The Racquet Club. The environment at the facility – which offers a locker room and ideal spectator viewing – has created an attractive, and invigorating, college atmosphere.

"In 2012 is when we started practicing and playing and paying a fee to use The Racquet Club," Goebel said. "It helped in recruiting. It helped the players feel better about the program. It made them feel important."

Goebel said the move, coupled with the team's success, has allowed him to enhance the non-conference schedule. Top programs are coming to Memphis to play the Tigers. Next year, Mississippi State, a perennial NCAA power, makes its first trip to the Bluff City since 2007. Earlier this season, the Tigers played host to No. 14 Oklahoma State and No. 25 Texas Tech.

What's impressed De Zutter has been Goebel's ability to re-load the roster, and develop the players, to maintain a healthy postseason run. Goebel is in his 14^th season as the team's coach.

"A lot of it comes down to the coaches' recruiting (at a high level) and, obviously, setting a standard in practice every day," De Zutter said. "The other part is manning-up in the matches and going for it."

Goebel said the Tigers have prospered recruiting internationally. No. 1 singles player Ryan Peniston is from Great Britain as is No. 2 Andrew Watson. No. 3 Kai Lemke is from Germany. Of the team's newcomers next season, David Stevenson and Oscar Cutting are from England. Jeremy Taylor is from Australia.

Chris Patzanovsky, a junior from Germany, said he has only known success as a member of the Tigers tennis team.

"There's a lot of pride representing such a good program," he said. "It's nice to look back on our success (the No. 16 national ranking, wins over ranked opposition, the NCAA invitation). We're very happy with how the season has gone so far.

"Obviously, we heard a couple of records were broken this year. That's a nice thing that comes with the success. "

A native of Belgium, De Zutter said he recognizes the players enjoying the process of building upon what his teammates started. They are enriching the program's status as an annual postseason contender. Eventually, De Zutter said, Memphis tennis is going to be regarded as one of the nation's top programs.

"We want to keep it at this level from now on," De Zutter said. "We won't expect anything less."

University of Memphis Athletics

Building a tradition: Tigers making NCAA trips a habit

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Kai Lemke

Chris Patzanovsky

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