RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The fall season was all about growth for The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros men’s tennis team – growth and improvement the squad is looking forward to building on in the spring.
A trio of returners in senior captain Emilien Burnel, junior Sam Whitehead and sophomore McAllen Memorial alum Agustin Salazar set the tone and have taken a big step forward on and off the court. Through ups and downs, the Vaqueros came together through hard work and developed a strong team camaraderie in the fall.
“This was a hugely productive fall season for us,” head coach Nathan Robinson said. “Having three returning players allowed us to quickly get our new guys up to speed and ready to compete in our challenging region. The fall season is an invaluable time for us to gain experience and work on specifics, and the guys did that.”
Burnel built on his incredible first year at UTRGV and had a strong fall. He opened by winning the top singles and doubles draws at the Jake Frederick Memorial Islander Open. He then became the first Vaqueros men’s tennis player in five years to be selected for the prestigious ITA Men’s All-American Championship, picking up a resounding 6-3, 6-4 win in the first round over Furman’s Elijah Poritzky. Burnel was named the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Men’s Tennis Singles Player of the Month for his success in September.
Burnel and Whitehead combined to make a strong run in doubles at the ITA Texas Regional, earning wins over teams from Texas Tech and SMU to reach the Round of 16. They were named WAC Men’s Tennis Doubles Players of the Month in October.
“Emilien had a great fall with tournament wins and being selected for All-American in Tulsa, and winning a round there. Sam showed great growth. We have seen him get better and better every year and really view him as a guy to keep your eye on,” Robinson said.
Salazar and freshman Ivo Isqueiro, who spent spring 2023 with the team but is in his debut season with UTRGV, got their first taste of playing doubles together and had good results. They won the Flight B doubles draw at the opening tournament in Corpus. Both turned in some big performances in singles and made great strides in their games. Newcomer Hasith Gummuluru, a true freshman, is a hard worker with a willingness to learn.
“Agustin has continued to be a tireless worker who is going to be a huge contributor for us this year. He has shown massive strides as a doubles player and will give us more options for doubles,” Robinson said. “Ivo trained with us over the spring and is showing his immense talent. We look forward to seeing him put that talent to work against our competitive 2024 schedule. Hasith has come in and worked very hard and grown in our program. We see him as a guy who will continue to be a valuable piece for our program for years to come.”
On the court, the Vaqueros spent time emphasizing improvement with the rally ball, conditioning and overall physicality. Through tough practices and a dedication to strength & conditioning, the Vaqueros saw changes in their performances and will continue their intense training efforts to ensure opponents “feel our presence” when they line up against UTRGV.
The team culture in place, a credit to the leadership of Burnel and Whitehead, has the Vaqueros excited for what’s to come in the spring with some new pieces on the way and consistent development on display.
“We had some adversity in the fall, but watching the team pull together and make their team goals their priorities was special,” Robinson said. “That mindset is what I am most excited about. These guys are constantly talking about all they want to achieve, and even better, they have laid out the blueprint on how they will make those goals a reality. We had a ton of growth over the fall and that should help us carry great momentum into the spring.”
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