A team's success is often dictated by its senior leadership. Usually there are several seniors to shoulder the load, but for Ball State University's men's tennis team, there is only one.
Joe Epkey is the lone senior for coach Bill Richards' team and one of only two players, the other being Joe's younger brother Jarrod, returning with significant experience. To add to the pressure, Joe will be expected to step into the No. 1 singles slot this year to replace Matt Baccarani.
"I would expect him to [become the number one player]," Richards said. "Nothing is ever guaranteed but based on the fact that he played number two last year and did a good job and is actually off to a good start this fall [it's expected]."
With the loss of seniors Baccarani, Patrick Thompson and Joe's older brother Tony, this season's squad is more inexperienced and needs a leader to emerge.
Coach Richards, along with the team, naturally looked in Joe's direction for guidance.
"Well Joe, he's not a real vocal guy," Richards said. "So I don't expect him to be the 'rah-rah'-type guy; that's not really his personality. I think Joe leads more by example. He has a good work ethic."
With three seniors last year, Richards said Joe Epkey did not have the responsibility of leading the team. This year, however, Richards is looking for Epkey to become more vocal and more of a leader.
"As a new leader on the team, since this is my first year playing as a one and being the leader," Epkey said, "I didn't want to come straight into the year being the vocal-type leader. I wanted to establish myself as the leader by example and hopefully as the year goes on I can step my role up as leader in different parts as far as being vocal."
However, Epkey will not be alone in leading the squad. Richards is looking to juniors Jarrod Epkey and Aaron Philips to assume some leadership responsibilities as well. Richards also said that with a young team, everyone is expected to be a leader.
The Epkey brothers be sharing the leadership duties, they are also competing together in the Polo Ralph Lauren Intercollegiate Tennis Association's All-American Pre-Qualifying Tennis Championships at the University of Tulsa. The event features some of the best singles players and doubles teams from across the nation. "It's the biggest college tournament in the fall and for them it gives them the opportunity to advance into the tournament," Richards said. "And from an individual standpoint, there are ranking opportunities out there and opportunities if you advance to play some of the best players in the nation. So we need the exposure and it's a great experience for them." Joe Epkey is familiar with playing some of the nation's best players. At the University of Notre Dame's Tom Fallon Invitational, he defeated two nationally ranked players. Epkey hopes that his success against these tough opponents will lead to a national ranking for himself. "[I'm] just trying to get ranked as high as I possibly can, so I can get into the NCAA's for singles, and hopefully I'll do that just by working hard every day in practice," Epkey said. While Epkey is establishing himself as one of the nation's top competitors, Richards said he is also solidifying himself as one of Ball State's greatest players. "We've had an awful lot of good players," Richards said. "So I think he's capable of being one of the best that we've had and I think he's on track right now, early in his senior year. When it's all said and done, we can look back and say Joe Epkey was one of the top ten players to ever play for Ball State and he's in a position to be in that group." Though Epkey is finishing his career at Ball State, he hopes to continue to play tennis competitively in the future. "I'm going to try to play pro tennis," Epkey said. "This summer I was close. I was a couple of matches away from getting a world ranking. And actually one of the wins I had this past weekend, [over] Purdue's number one guy Paul Rose, he is like 1300 in the world and I beat him. So I definitely want to try to play some pro tennis for a couple of years and see how high I can get ranked." While Epkey will look to bigger things after his college career, he realizes that his final year at Ball State will be unique. "It's special, it's like I've been playing tennis since I was like six," Epkey said. "There's a little more sense of urgency every time, knowing this could be the last time you do certain things. The last time you play certain teams, the last time you play certain matches so every time I go out onto the court, I just have that in mind and do whatever I can to win."
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
