JACKSONVILLE, Fla. β The UNF men's tennis team sent its third-ever player to the NCAA National Tournament.
Unfortunately for Jonas Hartenstein, he fell in the first round to Alabama's top singles player, 6-2, 6-1. But on top of that, Hartenstein led the UNF men's tennis team to its third ASUN Tournament title and a national tournament bid, while being named the ASUN Player of the Year.
"Initially, I didn't want to come back for this year because I graduated with my bachelor's degree. But then, I wanted to do my master's and get my last year in," Hartenstein said.
Head Coach Matt Lucas noted that Hartenstein's best achievements extend beyond the tennis court.
"Scholar Athlete of the Year, 4.0 undergrad, and now he's doing his master's. He took five classes while playing this spring season. When he told me he was taking five classes, I was like, 'Are you sure about that?' He's just absolutely crushed it, and I think he made all A's again this semester," Lucas said.
In addition to balancing a master's degree and a stellar tennis career, Hartenstein started his own college tennis recruiting agency.
"From Germany, coming here is like a 17-hour journey with all the flights you have to take. And people are scared, which is totally normal. Changes are scary at the beginning and uncomfortable. But I want to take away a little bit of that stress and fear," Hartenstein said.
Coach Lucas emphasized that Hartenstein truly embodies the perfect student-athlete.
"You talk about wanting your best player to be your hardest worker. We have that on and off the court. So, the other guys that are out here with him every day, they see the work that he's putting in, and it definitely carries over to those guys as well," Lucas said.
Hartenstein will graduate with his master's degree in December and said his ultimate goal after that is to see how far he can go on the professional tour while continuing to grow his recruiting agency.