2008 Woodie Awards
Men's Tennis: A team of Champions
James Fuccione
Issue date: 3/1/05 Section: Sports
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Men's Tennis Coach John Ippolito is a salesman. His products? Assumption College and the new tradition that he has established.
"By all standards," said coach Ippolito, "it's a dynasty."
Just in case you didn't know, that dynasty Ippolito is referring to is the 78 consecutive match wins-the longest such streak in any sport in the history of the NE-10. While we're on the subject of history, John Ippolito's record currently stands at 136-34. That makes for an incredible .800 winning percentage, which is the highest of any coach in the 100-plus year history of Assumption College. Not only that, but Men's Tennis has the highest GPA (3.51) of any team for the past several years.
"What has made my job a lot easier to attract the elite academic athlete," said Ippolito, "is since President [Thomas] Plough's arrival, he has raised the standard year by year to a very high level. This has enabled me to provide academic excellence."
That excellence is attributed to Ippolito's salesman approach to recruiting. He takes those who can excel and then helps them to excel. Ippolito himself played on the professional tennis circuit for six years. Since his arrival nine years ago, Men's Tennis has gone from 9th to 5th to 1st and they haven't looked back since. Still, Ippolito also emphasizes that academics are first from day one.
"He recruits the student-athlete," said Kathy Murphy of Admissions, "not the athlete-student."
Either way you arrange it, these guys can perform in the classroom and on the court. Last week they beat Dowling College 8-1. Dowling is the number one ranked team in the northeast and ranked 34th nationally. Now Assumption has taken over the number one spot in the Northeast and, according to the latest ITA rankings, they are 36th in the nation. Dowling tennis still has something that Assumption does not: full scholarships. If that was not enough, only one player on Dowling is from the United States.
When asked who is really number one on his tennis team, Coach Ippolito said, "We have a team of number ones. Any one of my guys could play number one on any team."
"By all standards," said coach Ippolito, "it's a dynasty."
Just in case you didn't know, that dynasty Ippolito is referring to is the 78 consecutive match wins-the longest such streak in any sport in the history of the NE-10. While we're on the subject of history, John Ippolito's record currently stands at 136-34. That makes for an incredible .800 winning percentage, which is the highest of any coach in the 100-plus year history of Assumption College. Not only that, but Men's Tennis has the highest GPA (3.51) of any team for the past several years.
"What has made my job a lot easier to attract the elite academic athlete," said Ippolito, "is since President [Thomas] Plough's arrival, he has raised the standard year by year to a very high level. This has enabled me to provide academic excellence."
That excellence is attributed to Ippolito's salesman approach to recruiting. He takes those who can excel and then helps them to excel. Ippolito himself played on the professional tennis circuit for six years. Since his arrival nine years ago, Men's Tennis has gone from 9th to 5th to 1st and they haven't looked back since. Still, Ippolito also emphasizes that academics are first from day one.
"He recruits the student-athlete," said Kathy Murphy of Admissions, "not the athlete-student."
Either way you arrange it, these guys can perform in the classroom and on the court. Last week they beat Dowling College 8-1. Dowling is the number one ranked team in the northeast and ranked 34th nationally. Now Assumption has taken over the number one spot in the Northeast and, according to the latest ITA rankings, they are 36th in the nation. Dowling tennis still has something that Assumption does not: full scholarships. If that was not enough, only one player on Dowling is from the United States.
When asked who is really number one on his tennis team, Coach Ippolito said, "We have a team of number ones. Any one of my guys could play number one on any team."