The University of Mississippi Athletics
REBELOG: Men's Tennis' Bram ten Berge 04.08
4/8/2009 | Men's Tennis
OleMissSports.com's Rebelogs provide fans with a look inside the life of Ole Miss student-athletes. One of two team captains, senior All-American Bram ten Berge is blogging throughout his final season on the Rebel tennis team.
April 8, 2009
Hey folks,
It has been several weeks since I last reported to you about the team’s endeavors. It has been quite a month for us. I am sure you all are well aware that your Rebs are ranked No. 2 in the nation and are still undefeated in the SEC. Considering that we have four true freshmen on the team, I think that the season so far has been truly outstanding.
I would like to take this opportunity to express my congratulations to these very talented players for jumping right into the nation’s toughest conference and showing what they are made of. I think that you all (fans) are one of the main reasons that they have been able to adjust so easily. I have had the privilege of playing in front of you for many years now, and I know how much fun it is and what a confidence booster it is to feel supported. Something that you are probably not yet aware of is that Ole Miss leads the nation in average attendance (532) this year. With your support we have taken down some of the toughest teams in the conference. We will be on the road for our remaining three conference matches, but we expect to be back in town during graduation weekend (May 8-10) to host the NCAA Regionals. I cannot emphasize enough how important you all are to us, and we hope to see you out there.
On an individual basis your Rebs have been highly successful as well. Devin “D-Money” Britton, Marcel Fritzy’ Thiemann and Otto Otto-matic’ Sauer have all received SEC Freshman of the Week Honors, while Jonas Berg was recently selected as SEC Player of the Week. Needless to say, the remaining members of the team have largely contributed to what is now our best start in SEC play since 1996. I myself was awarded the 2008-09 H. Boyd McWhorter Southeastern Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year award. To be the recipient of this award means a lot to me, considering how many great student-athletes there are at Ole Miss, let alone in the entire conference. Individuals are shaped by their environment and their accomplishments are a reflection of the quality of that environment. The H. Boyd McWhorter Award is an individually based award, but it is also a tribute to the recipient’s surroundings. I therefore want to thank my family, coaches, teammates, friends, professors, academic counselors, tennis fans and the Until next time...Go Rebs! March 5, 2009 We are currently 8-2 on the young season with highlight wins over then 7th-ranked Florida and then 16th-ranked Florida State. The Rebels recently shut out the Memphis Tigers in their final tune-up for what will be the biggest weekend of the year. Fellow senior All-American Jonas “the Ice” Berg (or Jompa for the insiders) and I “10-B”, started the year as the No. 1 ranked doubles tandem in the nation. We lead an exciting group of talented young Rebels, who just started their collegiate careers and are getting a taste of what it is like to play in front of one of the most electrifying crowds in the nation. The crowd has been an integral part of the Rebs’ outstanding 63-3 home record dating back to April 6, 2003, during which the Rebs have won two overall SEC championships and seven straight (yes, it is true) SEC Western Division titles. Let me tell you something about this group of talented Rebels and why it is worthwhile to see them in action this weekend. I bet you do not know that we have one of the best college players in the entire world on our squad. No, he is not from Sweden or any other European country. Mississippi’s Devin Britton, already ranked No. 32 in the nation, made the finals of the U.S. Open Juniors last September and is rapidly making a name for himself in collegiate tennis as well. In addition to Britton, the Rebs can count on 52nd-ranked junior Kalle Norberg or “Fresh” and freshman Otto “Otto-matic” Sauer, former top-ranked junior players in Sweden. The rock-solid German twins Chris “Hansi” Thiemann and Marcel “Fritzy” Thiemann, and last, but not least, Tucker “the Dragon” Vorster, round out the talented squad. Vorster, a former top-ranked junior player in South-Africa, is the team cheerleader and most exciting player to watch. Talent alone is not enough. Speaking for the team and myself, we love to play in front of you and in the terrific atmosphere you always create at the tennis center. Our home record indicates how important a part you play in our success, and I hope that together we can continue the rich tradition of Ole Miss Tennis. So get out there this weekend and support us in our quest for another SEC regular season crown! It is free, no tickets, no lines, just some of the best tennis in the nation. GO REBS!!
