The University of Mississippi Athletics
2015 Season in Review
6/10/2015 | Men's Tennis
OXFORD, Miss. -- When longtime hall of fame coach Billy Chadwick retired he said the Ole Miss men's tennis program would not "experience a bump in the road" with then-assistant Toby Hansson taking the reins. After one year, it's safe to say the future under Hansson is bright.
The Rebels finished the year ranked No. 17 in the nation, marking the 22nd top 20 finish in program history and the third in the last four years.
Ole Miss finished with an 18-9 overall record (8-4 in the SEC) and earned their 22nd consecutive NCAA bid. The Rebels hosted the NCAA first and second rounds for the 12th time. They finished top four in the Southeastern Conference for the 17th time and reached the SEC Tournament semifinals for the 16th time.
"We had a great first year," Hansson said. "They guys worked really hard and we established a routine for how we want to do things. The guys are hungry to take that next step into the top 16, top 10 or top 5, whatever it may be. They want to be at the top. I am looking forward to working with them in the fall and preparing them for another great season in 2016."
NOTING THE REBELS
All-American Times Four...
Senior Nik Scholtz left his mark on the program in more ways than one. He became the first four-time All-American in the history of Ole Miss men's tennis and the first to earn All-SEC First Team honors all four years. Scholtz ended the year ranked No. 19 in the nation in singles, marking the fourth consecutive year for him to finish ranked inside the top 20.
Impressive Feat When You Consider...
Nik Scholtz joined a pretty exclusive club this year, becoming just the 39th four-time All-American in NCAA Division I men's tennis history. They have been naming All-America teams since 1957. Making it even more impressive, Scholtz accomplished this feat in only six semesters. Â
Mr. Clutch...
Junior Stefan Lindmark had an outstanding year and became the fifth Rebel to go undefeated in the SEC regular season with an 8-0 record at No. 2 singles. He earned All-SEC First Team honors and ended the year ranked No. 79 in singles. Six of Lindmark's eight SEC wins came in straight sets, and he clinched the Rebels 26th straight win against Auburn and sixth straight against Tennessee. Lindmark went 5-3 in the SEC in doubles, 4-2 with Gustav Hansson at No. 2.
Thrice is Nice...
In addition to Nik Scholtz and Stefan Lindmark, freshman Gustav Hansson made his presence known around the league, earning All-SEC Second Team honors as well as All-Freshman Team distinction. Hansson finished 4-2 in the SEC all at No.3 singles. Six of his matches went unfinished, including one where he had match point and two where he was up a set. He also went 5-3 in the SEC in doubles, 1-1 at one and 4-2 at two with Lindmark.
Depth Key for Rebels...
While the top of the lineup all earned All-SEC honors, several players who will return next year played key roles in the success of the team. Sophomore Vinod Gowda posted an 8-4 dual match record and went 5-2 at No. 6 singles. He clinched the win over Kentucky. Fellow sophomore Ricardo Jorge finished 19-7 overall and went 7-3 in dual matches. Freshmen Zvonimir Babic and Grey Hamilton earned plenty of experience playing mostly doubles in their first season, but Hamilton did earn his first SEC singles win in helping lead the Rebels to their sixth straight win against Tennessee. Babic teamed up with Nik Scholtz for a final ranking of No. 31 in doubles and a berth in the NCAA Doubles Championship.
Hot Start...
The Rebels put the rest of the nation on notice right out of the gate, when they knocked off then-No.13 Florida in Gainesville on their way to winning the ITA Kickoff and advancing to the ITA National Team Indoor for the 19th time. At the National Team Indoor, the Rebels beat then-No. 10 UCLA 4-3.
Home Sweet Home...
Ole Miss is a tough assignment for opponents in Oxford. The Rebels own a 164-34 (.828 winning percentage) home record since 2000 and finished 11-2 this year.
Attendance Race...
Ole Miss boasts one of the top fan bases in the country. For the eighth consecutive year, the Rebels ranked among the nation's top 10 in attendance, finishing ninth overall and fifth in average attendance in the final ITA Attendance Race standings. The Rebels played in front of 3,246 fans. Nearly 1,000 supported the Rebels in their final regular season homestand against Tennessee and Kentucky.
Academic Success...
Success didn't stop on the courts, as the Rebels posted the highest men's team grade point average (3.50) in recorded history at Ole Miss. The Rebel netters boasted nine student-athletes on the honor roll, including senior William Kallberg and freshman Zvonimir Babic with 4.0s. Ole Miss is once again eligible for the ITA All-Academic Team Award.
Graduates...
Nik Scholtz came back to not only make history on the tennis courts, but to earn his degree. He did both, graduating with a degree in general studies. Johan Backstrom, who completed his career in 2014, also graduated, earning numerous accolades, including a Taylor Medal.
For more information on Ole Miss Men's Tennis, follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissMTennis, on Facebook at OleMissMTennis and on Instagram at OleMissMTennis.
Players Mentioned
