For the second consecutive year, head coach Patrick Sullivan picked up the top mid-major recruiting class in the nation. | Aisha Bouderdaben/ The Daily Cougar
Recruiting is a major factor in building a championship-caliber program, but for tennis head coach Patrick Sullivan instilling his philosophy is just as important.
“Really the first step last year was getting these (players) to buy into doing things a different way — and that’s the toughest step. It’s hard to bring great new players in when current players’ haven’t bought in, and they did,” Sullivan said.
Sullivan, who just finished his first season at the helm, said the relationships he built with the current players have helped him succeed as a recruiter.
“A lot of the success of the recruiting class was based on the foundation they set and the atmosphere that they bought into and provided. When we had recruits on campus they saw it was a place where these girls wanted to be and a place where they should want to be in the future themselves,” Sullivan said.
The relationships that he has built have paid off.
UH has the No. 6 ranked recruiting class, which registered as the top mid-major program for spring 2013, according to tennisrecruiting.net. The Cougars’ no. 6 ranking is the highest ranking for a mid-major program since 2006.
After adding Auburn transfer Maria Andrea Cardenas last week, the class also includes Greece product Despoina Vogasari and Rocio Martin Fernandez.
Players like Maja Kazimieruk, who competed under Sullivan for only one season before graduating in May, and sophomore Gabriella Jansson, who was part of his first UH recruiting class, have gained a lot from knowledge.
“He walked me step-by-step through everything; the team definitely helped as well. (My teammates) are all very welcoming and you make a lot of friends quick,” Jansson said.
Kazimieruk posted arguably the best season of her career with 34-9 record in dual match play, going 18-4 in singles action.
“He helped me a lot, I was really pumped to play for him,” Kazimieruk said.
Both are giving Sullivan a helping hand at his youth camp, which serves to help younger tennis players develop their skills among college-level coaches and players.
In her senior year, Maja Kazimieruk ranked seventh in UH history in single-season winning percentage (.818). | Aisha Bouderdaben/ The Daily Cougar
For Kazimieruk working at the youth camp offers an opportunity to follow in Sullivan’s footsteps.
“Since I’m done with tennis now, it’s an opportunity for me to teach other kids. I’ve always wanted to coach, and I still want to stay on the court,” Kazimieruk said.
With Kazimieruk moving on from her playing career, Sullivan expects his team to be better next season.
“We return a really strong core group and we are going to add some really good players to that,” Sullivan said. “I think we have enough talent to compete for the conference championship.”
