July 24, 2009
The 2008-09 athletic year at Northwestern University was one to be remembered. Filled with a plethora of memorable wins, honors and championships, there was much to be celebrated this past year in Evanston. Be sure to follow along at NUsports.com through August 10 as a look back is taken at just some of the numerous highlights the Wildcats experienced.
Recap: NU Heads to NCAA Tournament
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Head coach Arvid Swan brought with him a clear vision for the men's tennis program on his arrival to NU in 2007. After laying the program's groundwork during a first season in which the team posted a 7-17 mark, Swan saw his vision become reality in 2008-09 as NU finished 18-9 and reached the NCAA Championships, a turnaround deemed Northwestern's 12th-most memorable story of the year.
Perhaps the most notable aspect of the Wildcats' turnaround was their performance in conference action. After a winless Big Ten season in 2008, the 'Cats battled to a 6-4 league record this year--posting wins over NCAA Tournament qualifiers Wisconsin and Minnesota along the way--to earn the fifth seed in the 2009 Big Ten Tournament.
"Our guys accomplished a lot this year and I couldn't be prouder of them," Swan said. "With the senior leadership that we had and the contributions that class made to the program, I think we're moving in the right direction. That's been exhibited by the way the guys worked hard and practiced and competed well in matches throughout the season."
Northwestern's memorable campaign featured more than a handful of edge-of-your-seat dual matches that continually tested the 'Cats' fortitude. Between April 3 and April 12, Northwestern eked out four consecutive 4-3 wins against Big Ten opponents, including a Senior Day victory over Iowa that Alexander Thams clinched with a marathon three-set win over the Hawkeyes' Reinoud Haal.
Over the course of the season, Northwestern gave itself a legitimate chance to win nearly every match. Six of NU's seven regular-season losses came by a score of 4-3, including tight decisions on the road at traditional powers Notre Dame and Illinois as well as a heartbreaker at home against Michigan.
Swan shares his success with assistant coach Chris Drake, who after the year was named the ITA Midwest Regional Assistant Coach of the Year.
Swan and NU are poised to continue their rise to national prominence in 2009-10 with five returning dual starters and a recruiting class ranked No. 8 nationally by TennisRecruiting.net.