The University of Mississippi Athletics
Scholtz Makes One More Memory
4/5/2015 | Men's Tennis, Blog
The reigning SEC Player of the Year, Nik Scholtz decided to return for his senior season, wanting to give Ole Miss and Oxford one more season.
Playing in perhaps his last home match at the Palmer/Salloum Tennis Center Saturday, Scholtz gave the home crowd another match to remember, a fitting send-off, if it was indeed his last home match.
Scholtz partnered with freshman Zvonimir Babic for a 6-4 win at No. 1 doubles, and in singles play, he won 6-4, 6-3 at No. 1 singles to give the Rebels a 3-0 lead on the way to a 4-0 win over Kentucky. For Scholtz, it was his 21st win in his last 22 home matches and his 80th career victory.
"Last year when I walked out of here, it was emotional, but I knew in the back of mind there was a possibility that I could come back if I wanted to, but this time there is no coming back (after the last match)," Scholtz said. "That's life. It goes on. It's time for the younger guys to step up. I feel like I gave everything I had to the school like they did for me. I'm satisfied."
Fittingly, with all eyes and camera phones on him, he served to close out his singles match, delivering the winning point after his opponent saved three previous match points.
"I told myself that if that situation came to not think anything too erratic or think too far into the future, and it's so easy that, and then when that time comes and you hear that slow clap, it's in your mind," Scholtz said. "You have to handle it. He played three good points to get it to deuce, and then I was able to come with a good serve. It was good to finish with a serve. It's the right way to end it."
"They were soaking in the atmosphere, and they deserved every bit of it," said head coach Toby Hansson of Scholtz and fellow senior William Kallberg. "It's an amazing feeling for those guys, and also for me to be part of it. It's been a privilege to work with these guys for four years."
After the winning point, he threw up his signature Landshark, fist-pumped and then hugged his current head coach, Hansson, and his former head coach, Billy Chadwick. He also saluted the crowd, hitting the ball into the stands, before exiting Billy Chadwick Center Court for perhaps the last time.
"If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have been here in the first place," said Scholtz of Chadwick. "That's where it all started, and I finished on his court. That's where I played my first and last match. A lot of things came together to make it a really special moment."
Ole Miss plays their last two regular season matches on the road at South Carolina and Georgia, before traveling to College Station for the SEC Tournament. The Rebels, ranked No. 14 in the nation and now 15-6 overall, still have a chance to host the NCAA first and second rounds.
"It's good to know in the back of my mind that there's a slight possibility to play here again, and if that's not motivation, I don't know what is," Scholtz said. "I am going to do my best to make sure we get a chance to be back here for two more matches and I know the rest of the team will as well."
