Division 3 College Tennis Experiences

[FHslice]

Totally depends on which school you are going to. I went to Gustavus in the 90's which runs a pretty intense program. They carry 30 players and the time commitment for the top guys is similar to d1. We traveled a ton, from February to mid-May we had matches every weekend. The spring season was short ending in mid-October. During the off-season guys played tournaments, and practiced on their own. The challenge matches were as intense as the real ones. Don't forget that your coaches will have a huge impact on your experience. I had an awesome coach who would have done anything for you on or off the court. I am in my mid-30's and an a coach now, not for a school, but a teaching pro.

d3 tennis IMO is playing at higher level than ever, it's a lot deeper. I recommend a website called Divsion3Tennis.com. It's updated regularly, and if you read it, you'll be an expert on d3tennis nationally.
http://Division3Tennis.com



If your school is not competing nationally, you can still have a great experience...it's really what d3 is all about...having fun, learning about yourself, traveling, making lifelong friends. Some of my best friends now are guys from the team...and guys from other schools too. I am playing a former teammate tomorrow morning...and it's gonna be a war...best of luck

[Coach Carter]

If you're a stud at a D1, you're going to play both singles and doubles in a college match! You think the coach will take the chance to not play his best because it's D1?

[DakotaM]

I have my first 2 college matches this weekend. One against Piedmont and the other against Lagrange. I'll check in with how it went next week. Wish me luck!

[TennisNinja]

I play for one of the best schools in my DIII conference, and there are definitely a lot of high level players out there. Our team can beat some DII schools, but we're still not considered elite in DIII.

My experience as a whole? I really love it. It helps that I have awesome teammates but there's just something about turning an individual sport into something revolving around a team that is great.

I chose DIII for the academics. Realistically I know I'm a student first and then an athlete. I'm not going to go to some mediocre school for tennis and gamble with my education. With DIII, tennis is a big part of my life still but it isn't the only thing in my life.

[Costagirl]

Originally Posted by willyd24

I've grown up around tennis my whole life as my dad has been a teacher for about 18 years. I didn't really get serious about it till freshmen year of high school but have since become a USTA Tournament competitor. Next year I will be attending an in-state Division 3 school where I will most likely play for the team because I love to play the game and would love to compete at the collegiate level. I've been looking online for people talking about there experiences playing Division 3 Tennis but sadly have found nothing. I was wondering if anyone had any stories about what they enjoyed about playing Division 3 and what the overall experience was like.
Thank You!

Wow...interesting as you must be inside my head lately. I love to do college tennis interviews as part of my business / blog. I just landed UNC's Whitney Kay who is doing well right now. Zoe Scandalis from USC and Jarmere Jenkins (UVA) Sloane Stephens as we all know...but i have been thinking specifically about D3. I love college tennis in general not just D1...college players have experiences and challenges I am very interested in. Which school are you going to? I wish you great success. And maybe - just maybe?

[mhj202]

Originally Posted by vandre

oh man, this is the topic i've been waiting years for! grab some popcorn and a seat...

...i played d3 tennis ... in the 90s. the other guys on my team ranged for high school stand outs to converted [soccer] players (you have not lived until you've played a ... pusher!!!!!!).

d-3 tennis was great because i made a ton of good friends, i learned alot ... and i've got more stories than this thread can hold!

+1. Almost exactly my experience as well.

Played in the 90's for a school that was D-III and was in the process of transitioning to D-II at the time (and is now D-I).

Though the composition evolved quite a bit even just during my time there, the varied range of players on our team and the variety among D-III teams in general was astounding.

For example, with respect to our team, when I first joined, the #1 player was already a D-III All-America but then the quality quickly dropped and the bottom half of the starting line-up barely owned their own rackets. After the #1 player/All-America graduated, the coach started recruiting internationally in anticipation of the transition to D-II so at the end of my career we had the top 4 spots anchored by a Norwegian, two Koreans and a German who were all really strong players (all played seriously among the junior ranks) but again, the rest of the team was a motley crew (including me) that ranged from what would be 3.5 to 4.5 (being slightly generous) NTRP players.

Some of the craziness that occurred on and off court during practices and matches would have to have been seen to be believed.

Great times!

[Costagirl]

Originally Posted by Hodgey20

I currently play DIII tennis in the boston area. I am a senior and I can tell you first hand that college tennis at the DIII level is a great time and you will have memories that will last a lifetime. I am so happy that I played tennis at the collegiate level it is a great experience, and there is not a ton of pressure but it is definitely more serious than high school. The competition that I play is good, the winner of the conference I am in gets an automatic bid to the NCAA's. Being a part of a team while you are at college enhances the experience, and being able to play a sport you love makes it even more worthwhile. Goodluck and enjoy it because trust me it goes by much faster than you can imagine.

Damn...you made me wanna be back at a D3 school playing just reading this....really well said!

[Hodgey20]

Originally Posted by Costagirl

Damn...you made me wanna be back at a D3 school playing just reading this....really well said!

Haha thanks

[Cesar1992]

Playing DIII and having a great experience has much to do with the coach's philosophy, the make-up of the team, and then, the team's success. The first two are the most important, but, the third will make the first two OK if the team is really successful, although the fun or camaraderie may or may not be there.