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University of Virginia club member John Greenwood won a national title in 2008 with Texas.
© Susan Mullane/Camerawork USA
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By Sarah Houseknecht, special to USTA.com
CARY, N.C. -- John Greenwood has some experience with winning.
Now a graduate student, Greenwood was a member of the University of Texas-Austin team that won the 2008 USTA Tennis On Campus National Championship title and served as the club president the following two seasons.
After playing four years with the Longhorns, he headed to the University of Virginia for his Master’s degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering. NIRSA: Leaders in Collegiate Athletics, allows for student-athletes to play six years of club sports. Greenwood joined the UVA club tennis team to finish out his eligibility.
"The biggest difference is I’m not serving on the executive board at UVA," Greenwood said. "It’s really the undergrad’s club. I’m just happy to still be playing."
Greenwood is hoping to have a similar experience as his very first national championship experience his sophomore year – win another title, but this time with UVA. The Cavaliers took on the University of California-Berkeley in the National Championship pairing on Saturday at Cary Tennis Park
"We lost to Cal-Berkeley in pool play at the national tournament last year," said Greenwood. "So it’s a bit of a rematch for us."
The men’s doubles player has a bright future ahead of him. Greenwood has already signed on to work for Worley Parsons, an engineering services company based in Houston, Tex. He will work mainly in the oil industry.
"This is a great way to finish up. It’s hard to believe we’re actually here," he said. "Club tennis has evolved so much, even since the last time I made it this far in 2008."