2008 Woodie Awards
Freshman tennis athlete touted as future superstar
By Adam Brewer
Rocket Sports Editor
Issue date: 9/30/05 Section: Sports
Among the biggest additions to the men's tennis team thus far in 2005 has been an influx of freshmen talent.
The list includes Nick Bolea, who is slated to start in the no. 1 spot in singles and doubles for the duration of the season.
Bolea, who hails from the Niagara Falls region, said he has been playing tennis since the age of eight and has always loved the sport.
"My dad got me on the sport and I instantly loved it," Bolea said. "I've loved it ever since then, and now I'm trying to play at a very serious level."
The 5'5", 130-pound Bolea competed on his high school tennis team, Niagara Wheatfield, for six years. Five of those six years, he competed in singles competition and in four of those years he reached sectionals. Coming out of high school, Bolea was ranked in the top 40 in the Eastern District and in the state of New York.
Bolea, an Exercise Science major, said he chose SRU because of its great campus and the positive feedback he received from other players as well as coach Matt Meredith.
"I have a friend who went here and he talked about the campus, and he asked me to visit here," Bolea said. "I liked the campus, and the coach and other players were nice and friendly to me."
The friend that asked Bolea to visit SRU was sophomore teammate John Crossley. Crossley, a native of Grand Island, N.Y., was friends with Bolea and encouraged him to check out SRU and the tennis program.
Competing in the number one singles and doubles match-ups versus Allegheny during the 2005 season opener on Sept. 15, Bolea has made an immediate impact on the team.
Even though the Rock lost by the score of 9-2, the two wins came courtesy of Bolea doubles and singles victories.
"I didn't expect getting the No. 1 spot, but it feels good to play with the expectations of being in the number one spot," Bolea said. "I will try my best to do the best that I can do."
Bolea defeated Allegheny's Reid Lein by scores of 7-6, 4-6 and 10-8 in the no. 1 singles match. Bolea and sophomore Adam Shosky defeated Allegheny's Seth Wilmore and John Pappas by a score of 9-7 in the no. 1 doubles match.
"It was an unbelievable feeling getting my first two collegiate victories in my first two collegiate matches," Bolea said. "Even though we lost, I think that the team and I will get better as the season goes on."
Meredith said Bolea is one of the strongest freshman and tennis players he has seen in some years.
"Nick is very quick and has a very sound and fundamental ground stroke," Meredith said. "We are glad to have him here in our program."
Up next for the Rock is the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's East Regional tournament at Bloomsburg on Saturday. The event will take place all day and consists of the top players in the eastern region.
"It's a tough tournament, and I'm going out there trying to do my best," Bolea said. "I think that the team and I will do well this weekend."
The list includes Nick Bolea, who is slated to start in the no. 1 spot in singles and doubles for the duration of the season.
Bolea, who hails from the Niagara Falls region, said he has been playing tennis since the age of eight and has always loved the sport.
"My dad got me on the sport and I instantly loved it," Bolea said. "I've loved it ever since then, and now I'm trying to play at a very serious level."
The 5'5", 130-pound Bolea competed on his high school tennis team, Niagara Wheatfield, for six years. Five of those six years, he competed in singles competition and in four of those years he reached sectionals. Coming out of high school, Bolea was ranked in the top 40 in the Eastern District and in the state of New York.
Bolea, an Exercise Science major, said he chose SRU because of its great campus and the positive feedback he received from other players as well as coach Matt Meredith.
"I have a friend who went here and he talked about the campus, and he asked me to visit here," Bolea said. "I liked the campus, and the coach and other players were nice and friendly to me."
The friend that asked Bolea to visit SRU was sophomore teammate John Crossley. Crossley, a native of Grand Island, N.Y., was friends with Bolea and encouraged him to check out SRU and the tennis program.
Competing in the number one singles and doubles match-ups versus Allegheny during the 2005 season opener on Sept. 15, Bolea has made an immediate impact on the team.
Even though the Rock lost by the score of 9-2, the two wins came courtesy of Bolea doubles and singles victories.
"I didn't expect getting the No. 1 spot, but it feels good to play with the expectations of being in the number one spot," Bolea said. "I will try my best to do the best that I can do."
Bolea defeated Allegheny's Reid Lein by scores of 7-6, 4-6 and 10-8 in the no. 1 singles match. Bolea and sophomore Adam Shosky defeated Allegheny's Seth Wilmore and John Pappas by a score of 9-7 in the no. 1 doubles match.
"It was an unbelievable feeling getting my first two collegiate victories in my first two collegiate matches," Bolea said. "Even though we lost, I think that the team and I will get better as the season goes on."
Meredith said Bolea is one of the strongest freshman and tennis players he has seen in some years.
"Nick is very quick and has a very sound and fundamental ground stroke," Meredith said. "We are glad to have him here in our program."
Up next for the Rock is the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's East Regional tournament at Bloomsburg on Saturday. The event will take place all day and consists of the top players in the eastern region.
"It's a tough tournament, and I'm going out there trying to do my best," Bolea said. "I think that the team and I will do well this weekend."
