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The Virginia men’s tennis team continues its homestand this weekend when it hosts an ITA National Team Indoors regional at the Boyd Tinsley Courts. The Cavaliers face Arkansas in the opening round Friday at 6 p.m., after East Tennessee State and Wisconsin play at 2 p.m. The winners meet Saturday at 6 p.m. for a berth in the ITA National Team Indoors to be held in Chicago next month. VirginiaSports.com caught up with junior Houston Barrick for an update on this season and to preview this weekend’s action.
Question: The team opened the season last week and is already 4-0 this year. Was this the type of start you expected from this squad?
Barrick: We are young, but we started off strong. We played some good teams, Illinois and Notre Dame were definitely tough, so to get four quality wins was very important for this team.
Question: The last two seasons, you were one of, if not the youngest player on the team. Now you are one of the veterans and are a co-captain. How has your role changed?
Barrick: It feels kind of weird. I am in my third year and now my role has changed. You see guys come and go. Somdev (Devvarman), Treat (Huey) and Teddy (Angelinos) were obviously mentors to me and they have moved on to bigger and better things as professionals. It is now my time to mentor all the new guys on our team. Hopefully I can pass on the good advice I have gotten in previous years on to them.
Question: Not only did you lose the three seniors from the leadership standpoint, but also they were such key spots in the lineup. How have you adjusted?
Barrick: We are certainly not as strong as we were at the top and the bottom as last year. Last year, Somdev and Teddy didn’t lose a match, so it’s hard to match that production. But the lineup as a whole, from 1-6, is just as strong. Anybody on our team can beat anybody on any day. We are certainly a lot younger, but I think we are just as talented.
Question: Coach Boland has talked a lot that this squad has improved more since the start of the fall to this point of the season in his career. How has this team changed since August?
Barrick: When we showed up in the fall, it was like a different team. The fall is a different type of season. It is more independent. It is kind of cool to see the transformation from a group of individuals to be a real team. That first match, at William & Mary, we got to see what we are made of. It was nice to see that all eight guys that traveled get together and compete for a common goal.
Question: This weekend you have the ITA National Indoor Regional. This is the first year of this format. What do you think of the change?
Barrick: First of all, it is two more matches. The more matches we can play, the better we are going to be. Plus, it is another opportunity to play at home. Last week, against Illinois, we had a packed house, and this Friday, against Arkansas, should be just as fun. It is also a great chance to play a tournament format early in the season, to get used to playing back-to-back days under the pressure of win or go home. Usually that doesn’t happen until later in the season, so to get a taste of it now is a great opportunity.
Question: You talked about the crowd. Last year Virginia led the nation in attendance. What does that crowd support do for you on the court?
Barrick: It is great to play at home in front of these fans. They are the best. It is such a home court advantage. A lot of time you hear that phrase about football and basketball, but for us, it’s just as real. We saw that on the road last year at Illinois about how tough it is to play in a hostile environment and are glad we have that on our side every time we play at home. It’s a big reason why none of us on this team have ever lost at home.