Cards Honor Seniors Saturday
April 22, 2011 | Men's Tennis
April 22, 2011
The senior class of 2011 is arguably one of the most decorated classes in program history. They have helped the Cardinals to 75 wins, a BIG EAST Conference title, two NCAA tournament appearances, and earned a spot the school's first Round of 16. They have spent three years in the top 25 and reached the school's highest team ranking at No. 10.
Individually, they have earned All-BIG EAST honors every season, each has been ranked nationally in singles and doubles. All four seniors are currently have a spot in the school's top 10 career singles or doubles wins.
Coach Rex Ecarma on the graduating seniors
"The season before Austen, Viktor, Simon and Alejandro arrived on campus was a losing one. We finished second in the Big East but it still was disappointing. Ever since they splashed into the starting line-up from Day 1, we have never had a losing record since. Each of these players have played in a collegiate Grand Slam event with Viktor in one, Alejandro in two, Simon in six and Austen in seven. With these guys leading the team, we have been ranked as high as No. 14 in 2009, No. 10 in 2010 and No. 12 in 2011. They have taken a Top 35 program to a Top 15 program. They have made scheduling the elite programs in college tennis easier."
"I cannot remember a single match in four years where these four were not available and healthy enough to play. They all play singles and doubles and all have played hurt for the team at times. Each of them have been nationally ranked in singles and doubles but all have a different personality. Ale is comical, Simon is easy-going, Viktor has dry wit, and Austen is a gladiator. I challenge anyone to find a entire senior class in the country with these credentials. They have thrilled the tennis fans like no other group of players I have ever coached. Louisville tennis will go on when they graduate but they will have a special place in the heart of many, many people."
The Senior Class
Alejandro Calligari
Alejandro Calligari is a four-year starter. He has posted 20-win seasons the past three years and is currently sixth on the school's career wins list with 63. This season, he earned his first career singles ranking at No. 122.
He has been ranked in doubles with three different people and has reached as high as No. 14. As a junior, he and Simon Childs competed in the NCAA doubles championship. In the 2007-08 he became the first freshman to win the `A' Flight of the Louisville Fall Invitational.
Austen Childs
The 2010 NCAA national runner-up will be remembered as one of the most decorated athletes in program history. He owns the record for most doubles victories in a career with 98 and currently sits at second for most singles victories in a career with 113. He became the school's second All-American when he reached the round of 16 in the 2010 NCAA Championship. En route to his NCAA runner-up title, Childs upset four higher seeded opponents and avenged four prior losses, including a first-round victory over top-seeded JP Smith of Tennessee. In 2010 he was selected as a member of the New Zealand Davis Cup team and registered the deciding point in the nation's Davis Cup victory over Pakistan.
Childs is the two-time defending BIG EAST Player of the Year (2009 and 2010) and is a three-time all-conference selection. He has accumulated 12 conference Player of the Week honors. He was also honored as the 2008 ITA Midwest Region Rookie of the Year.
Since arriving at Louisville, Austen Childs has been nationally ranked in singles in each of his season, reaching as high as No. 8 during his senior campaign. He is currently No. 15.
He has also been successful in doubles, teaming with fellow senior Viktor Maksimcuk to win the USTA/ITA Ohio Valley Regional Doubles Championships title and advance to the quarterfinals of theUSTA/ITA Doubles Indoor Championships. Childs is a three-time NCAA singles and two-time NCAA doubles participant and in 2008, was the first Cardinal freshman to compete in both singles and doubles.
He has consistently been honored among the University's top athletes. As a junior, he earned the school's highest athletic honor, the adidas High Performance Athlete of the Year. He was U of L's Sophomore of the Year in 2009 and Freshman of the Year in 2008.
Simon Childs
Simon Childs is a four-year starter and a three-time All-BIG EAST Conference selection. He holds the record for most doubles victories in a season with 34 (set in 2009) and is also currently tied for third on the all-time doubles career victories list with 92.
He was selected to participate in the NCAA Doubles Championship in each of his three years as a Cardinals, pairing with Austen Childs to compete in 2008 and 2009 and Alejandro Calligari in 2010. He has been nationally ranked in the ITA polls with four of different partners: Austen Childs, Viktor Maksimcuk, Alejandro Calligari and Andrew Carter. In 2009, he and Austen Childs were ranked No. 6 in the poll, the highest-ever ranking for a Cardinal Doubles pair.
Viktor Maksimcuk
Viktor Maksimcuk is a four-year starter and three-time All-BIG EAST Conference selection. He has been ranked singles, reaching as high as No. 62 and is currently No. 103 after having been in every ranking period this season. Maksimcuk is fifth on the schools career wins list with 97 and has been BIG EAST Player of the Week four times.
He has also been successful in doubles, appearing in the national rankings, teaming with Austen Childs to reach as high as (currently) No. 17 nationally and capturing the USTA/ITA Ohio Valley Regional title. Maksimcuk is also currently ranked No. 59 with Simon Childs.
Players Mentioned
