Athletics

Getting Ready

N Our Voice by Peter Kobelt

Scott Bruhn

Tennis has been running in our family for generations.

My grandfather played.

My dad played.

And so did my siblings. Funny enough, my sister is actually the Assistant Coach here on the women's team at Nebraska.

It was my dad who introduced me to the sport at a young age.

Growing up, every day, we would head to the country club in New Albany, Ohio, where he was the head pro. 

I would spend the whole day at the courts, hitting balls or watching matches. 

Tennis was a family affair for us. 

It was a way for us to bond and share a common passion.

From college to the pros

When I was in high school, I also played basketball.

Tennis was always there, but truthfully, I didn't take it super seriously until college. 

When I joined Ohio State on a small scholarship, I wasn't sure how good I was or if I even had a future in the sport. 

It wasn't until my junior year that I really started to believe in myself and commit to becoming the best player I could be.

Playing for Ohio State was a dream come true. 


I had always been a fan of the school and its athletic programs. 

But joining the tennis team was a whole new level of excitement. 

I knew I was playing for one of the best teams in the country, and that pushed me to work even harder. 

I wanted to prove myself and show that I belonged on that team.

And I did just that. 

I worked my way up from doubting my own abilities to becoming the number one player in the country. 

It was an incredible journey, filled with so many ups and downs, but it was all worth it. 

And once I reached that milestone in my career, I wanted to see this through and how far I could take it. 

Peter 4
Peter 3
Peter 2
Peter

My pro career

After college, I started my professional career. 

I played on the tour for a while and reached a ranking of 332 in the world in singles. 

It was a challenging and rewarding experience, but eventually, I had to make a decision. 

Professional tennis is an incredibly challenging career path.

In order to really make a solid living off of the sport, you have to be amongst the top 200 — or even 150 — best players in the world. 

And at that point in my career, I simply wasn't sure if my body and my financials would allow me to reach that ranking.

That's when the opportunity to coach came knocking. 

I had always thought about coaching as a possibility, especially with my family's background in the sport. 

When COVID hit, and everything came to a halt, I took the chance to start working with my dad and gain more experience in coaching. 

It was during this time that I received a call from a good friend who was the head coach at Kentucky, Cedric Kauffman, offering me a volunteer position. 

Kentucky was one of the top programs in the country at the time, and the position really allowed me to gain a new perspective on the sport.

During my two years as a volunteer, we even made it to the finals of the NCAA tournament once, which was an incredibly rewarding experience.

But after those two years, an opportunity here with the Huskers opened up.

I got lucky in the sense that I learned about the opening right on day one, allowing me to call up then-head coach Sean Maymi and put my name in the hat.

And when he offered me the Assistant Coach position, it was a no-brainer. 

Men's Tennis vs Michigan State-JH001
Men's Tennis vs Michigan-JH001

The Husker experience

Since joining the program in June of 2022, my time at Nebraska has been nothing short of amazing. 

I've fallen in love with the school, the town, and the people. 

Every day, I appreciate being here more and more. 

Year one was an amazing experience. Learning under Coach Maymi and getting my feet wet as the Assistant Coach at a P5 program with big goals and a championship mindset was invaluable.

And truthfully, I needed it.

This summer, Coach Maymi took the head coaching position at Michigan, and as a result, I was promoted to be the Interim Head Coach here at Nebraska.

It's hard to describe how much the trust of this community and staff means to me.

Sure, I was fortunate to be in that position, but at the same time, I also feel incredibly confident about the future of Husker tennis.

Also because of my new Assistant Coach, Ray Sarmiento, who has been doing phenomenal work since stepping foot here on campus a few months ago.

Ray was also one of the best college players in the country. He was a five-time All-American and won three NCAA titles with USC, and ranked as high as 287 in the world in singles as a professional.

We have a shared vision of success and a belief in our players' abilities. 

It hasn't always been easy, but the guys have bought into what we're doing, and it's been incredibly rewarding to see their growth and success.

One of the highlights of my coaching career so far has been Calvin Mueller's victory at the Big Ten Championships just a few months ago.

It's great to see him play up to his talents, and we're all beyond excited for him.

It's a testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire team. 

We're building a close-knit family and a culture of winning. 

Calvin's success is also our team's success.

I want the Husker fans and the community to know that we are committed to bringing this type of success to Nebraska.

We have two young, hungry and ambitious coaches who know how to win and are determined to make this program thrive.

 Looking ahead

Stepping into the role of interim head coach has been both exciting and nerve-wracking. 

The responsibility of leading the team and shaping their future is not something I take lightly. 

But I know that with the support of my coaching staff and the dedication of the players, we can achieve great things.

I want the Husker fans to be excited about what's to come. 

We're focused on winning and doing all the right things to get there. 

We're building a program that can compete at the highest level and make a name for itself in college tennis. 

I invite everyone to come out and support us, to be a part of this journey.

I'm grateful for the opportunities that have come my way and for the chance to be a part of something special at Nebraska. 

Every day, I'm reminded of the rich history and tradition of this program, and it inspires me to work even harder. 

I can't wait to see what the future holds for us, and I'm confident that we will continue to make Nebraska proud.