Men's Tennis | 4/28/2015 8:53:00 AM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
(article posted by Emily Zadny, Student Sports Information Assistant)

Apr. 28, 2015 - Having the opportunity to play the sport he has loved since he was in fourth grade and do so with his older brother, Mason '14, was enough motivation for sophomore men's tennis player and Naperville native Connor Sass to continue his education and love for the game at North Central College.
 
"We were a great team together and playing with him really are some of my favorite memories of last season," Sass said, thinking back to his doubles days with his older brother. "Tennis was a major reason why I decided to come to North Central."
 
This year, while he has a new doubles partner, Sass still prefers the speed and intensity that comes with the doubles game. He and freshman Ryan Doeckel are 9-11 for the season and 2-4 in conference doubles play, leading the team in conference wins.
 
Sass has had a lot of success in doubles, including a pair of wins over regionally-ranked local rival Elmhurst College.
 
"Last year Mason and I won doubles against Elmhurst, which was a shock to everyone because needless to say, they were and still are a great team," said Sass. "This year Ryan and I played a great Elmhurst doubles team and ended up on top as well. Being undefeated in doubles against a team as strong as Elmhurst is a great memory. Hopefully I can keep this tradition going in the future!"
 
The young team, led by second-year head Coach Nick DeFalco, has been working its way up the ladder in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW). With only one senior and the remainder of the players being freshmen and sophomores, Sass agrees that there is a lot that needs work, but that there is also a lot of noticeable improvement over the past season.
 
"It is a blessing and curse; being on such a young team means that a lot of guys don't have the experience and previous exposure to college tennis," said Sass. "On the other hand, it means that we have a growing team and in the next few years we will all grow and gain experience together and be a powerhouse in the CCIW. It also helps us all connect because we are all about the same age so it's easy to bond."
 
Sass attributes a lot of the team's success to both the coaching they receive and the overall comradey on and off the court.
 
"Playing for [DeFalco] is truly an honor; it's only his second year and the amount of work he has put in with us is truly inspirational," said Sass. "The team would be nothing without all the hard work and backbone that he gives to the team.

"When it comes to the team, we are unlike any other team on campus. We are all so close that going to practice is actually one of the most relaxing parts of my day because I get to go hang out with all my friends and play the sport I love."
 
Off of the court the finance, economics, and business management triple major stays busy, juggling practice, class, homework, and Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) meetings. Sass is also in training to be an Athletic Mentor next year for freshman student-athletes.
 
While the team has worked hard all season, it had a chance to let lose and have a little fun off of the court on Spring Break when the Cardinals traveled to Hilton Head, South Carolina.
 
"I can say that we take tennis very seriously over Spring Break, but we take pool basketball just as serious," said Sass. "We spend hours playing and by the end of the trip the winning team has bragging rights that last one full year until we have our next pool basketball tournament."
 
For now, Sass and the team are focused on the postseason after cruising to a 6-3 victory against tough CCIW competitor, Millikin University, this past weekend. Conference tournament play starts on Thursday and concludes on Saturday at the Smeds Tennis Center in Kenosha, Wisconsin.