Acorn

Last season, as a freshman, Jason Swenson was thrown into the fire playing No.1 singles for the men�s tennis team. Although he struggled, finishing with a 5-16 record, he remained No. 1 throughout the season and gained valuable experience that will enable him to become a better singles player in his sophomore season.

�It�s unusual for a freshman to play No. 1 singles,� Coach Jeff Brandes said. �But [Swenson] has a big game, played well and finished his points. He won the challenge matches with his teammates and earned his spot all season.�

�It was a tough competition to get No.1 with my teammates and win my challenge matches,� Swenson said.

Challenge matches, which are matches between teammates, used to decide which player will play at what number. No.2 challenges the No.1 to take his spot. Swenson survived these competitions and has also remained number one this season. The experience he gained against older players forced him to mature faster and become a better player.

�I played mostly against seniors, which was really tough,� Swenson said. �I only played against one freshman all season, but those experiences will help me this season, and I hope to improve upon what I accomplished last season.�

Swenson came to Drew with a good overall court game. A Florida native, he played tennis year-round, and that made his adjustment to collegiate tennis smoother.

�I trained all year long in Florida, so the amount of tennis played in college was not a difficult adjustment,� Swenson said. �But getting accustomed to the amount of running and weight lifting was tougher.�

Swenson learned about Drew through the College Tennis Academy. Former Ranger�s tennis coach Ira Miller invited Swenson to visit. �I loved Drew right away,� Swenson said.

His impact on Drew tennis was immediate. While Swenson had trouble in his singles matches, he had great success with his doubles partner, junior Ross Lieblich.

�Swenson has the right game to be a great doubles player,� Brandes said. �[He] has good hands, a great feel for the game and good touch around the net. His two main weapons, [however], are his powerful serve and forehand.�

�[Swenson] has a perfect game for doubles,� senior captain Ryan McDonald said. �He has a good serve and volley game.�

Swenson and Lieblich finished with a 14-2 record last season, winning the No.2 doubles Middle-Atlantic Conference championship. His solid performance as a doubles player earned him all-conference second team honors. This season, Swenson is playing No.2 doubles with McDonald, and they have great potential.

�Swenson has a game that complements mine and he makes it easy for his partner because he makes so many good shots,� McDonald said. �We could have a lot of success this season, and there is nobody on our schedule we can�t beat.�

Swenson has the tools to be a great player, but there is always room for improvement. �The main areas which separate him from the top tier singles players are his mobility and conditioning,� Brandes said. �Swenson understands the game, and he has all the tools. He is working harder on his conditioning and hitting the gym consistently. It will take him time, but being only a sophomore, he has plenty of time to improve.�

His poor singles record last season is providing a lot of motivation, and he plans to improve on that record this year. �I want to at least get my record over .500 in singles, but, more importantly, I want to help the team win the conference title again,� Swenson said.

With one year under his belt, Swenson has both the game and the experience to be a force. So far this season the Rangers had only one meet against a Division II school, Queen�s College, on Feb. 17, which they lost 9-0. Their next meet is the Drew invitational tomorrow. Swenson will have the chance to show off how much he learned last season.

�[Swenson] has the power to bang with the big players,� Brandes said. �He should be a contender this year.�

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