Former University of Memphis tennis player Alex Bucewicz came to the United States from Melbourne, Australia, with a racket and some potential. He left with more than he could take back.
A college tennis career later Bucewicz (pronounced BOO-ka-vich) leaves The U of M with a degree, memories, a national ranking, and a girlfriend.
In the beginning, it was potential, academically and athletically for Bucewicz.
"I knew he had the potential to have that type of career," said head coach Paul Goebel. "He was a good fit for us (when I recruited him)."
However, the players he scouts have to have more than just great forehands, smooth backhands and powerful serves.
"We want him to represent the school and the city on and off the court," he said.
Anyone who's watched Bucewicz on the court may wonder how he packs that much heart into that 5-foot-7 frame. Moreover, if it weren't for that small stature Memphis may have never had the opportunity to recruit him.
"My size was always an issue growing up in the juniors in Australia," said Bucewicz. "It was one of the major reasons why I wasn't selected for national and elite state training, because the selector thought that, with my size, I wasn't able to make it to the next level."
In the classroom, his brain gets as much of a workout as that heart. A four-time letter winner, Bucewicz also has four Conference USA Academic Honor Rolls to go along with them.
"He takes (each one, athletics and academics,) probably equal," said Goebel, whose program gives the more sedentary side of college life more than enough attention.
"I think I am more proud of my results in the classroom. I knew I always had the potential to be successful on the tennis court, so it was just a question of me doing well in the classroom," said Bucewicz.
Last year, the men's team was just one of 35 schools across the country to earn an Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-Academic Team Award. It also had three players named TA Scholar Athletes. The award was given to Memphis because the team had a cumulative GPA higher than 3.2. It was the team's third straight honor. Taylor Lee Walker, Andrew Olswing and Bucewicz earned the Scholar Athlete awards for GPAs of 3.5 or higher.
"Tennis is a big part of it, but it's not all of it," Goebel said.
Numbers as impressive as those also came for Bucewicz on the court.
He finished his career with an 89-41 record in singles, most often at the top of the playing rotation, a 63-34 record in doubles, the ranking of 124th in Division 1 Men's Tennis, and a team ranking of 73 during his senior season.
Two of those singles victories stand out proudly in Bucewicz's mind. "The first was the 3-3 point against long-time rivals MTSU in which I defeated my long-time rival from Melbourne, Australia 7-6, 7-6. (That was) our only victory against that college. The second was this past year against Georgia State, where, once again, it was the 3-3 point. I came from 2-5 down in the third set and won 7-6 with the tie-break score of 13-11 and saved 6 match points along the way."
A five-time C-USA player of the week winner, Bucewicz started early as he led the Tigers in singles victories in both his freshman and sophomore year. He tied for lead in singles victories the past two years.
"It's nice to have your best player as your leader," Goebel said.
Aside from success and good grades, Bucewicz also found a relationship.
"It has really been great for me to have a girlfriend that was also on the women's team," he said. "We were able to understand and help each other on and off the tennis court, which really, in the end, made me to be the person that I am today. Let's just say if I hadn't met her, then my results in the classroom would not have been as good."
