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With the spring portion of the 2019-20 season set to begin Jan. 18 at Vanderbilt, the Nebraska men's tennis team is gearing up for Year 2 under Head Coach Sean Maymi. Three players return and seven new players have joined the program since the conclusion of the 2018-19 campaign.
One of those newcomers in Andre Saleh. The freshman from Newport Beach, Calif., climbed as high as No. 52 in the national recruiting rankings after rising to No. 13 in the state of California and No. 15 in the Southwest region, according to Head Recruiting lists. He also ranked as high as No. 41 in the Dunlop RPI, while owning the No. 46 strength of schedule. Saleh owned a 16-4 record against four-star recruits and went 8-10 against five-star opponents prior to his signing his National Letter of Intent to play for Nebraska. The highly-touted freshman reflects on his journey to Nebraska and his goals for the upcoming season below:
Describe your journey to Lincoln – how did you end up at Nebraska?
"The coaching staff saw me playing at one of our junior national championships and started recruiting me. I got a really good feeling about the coaching staff and I really felt that it would be the right place for me. Then when I took a visit, I really knew it was the right place for me."
What have you enjoyed most during the first few months in the program?
"I really have enjoyed being able to work hard alongside my teammates getting better everyday. I have really enjoyed the team culture and how close we all are as a team."
Describe your individual goals for the upcoming season.
"I want to improve every day and do everything in my ability to make this team a team that will be feared every single match."
Describe the team goals you have for the upcoming season.
"I want this team to be seen as a very gritty and feared team that nobody wants to play because they know we will be fighting until the very last second. "
Finish this statement: "In the years to come, Nebraska men's tennis will be…?"
"A team that nobody wants to play."