HOPE — Ethan Wallace grew up playing basketball and baseball, but when he got to high school, he decided to try a different sport — tennis.
Four years later, the Hauser senior is still playing tennis, and he plans to continue for at least another four years. Wallace signed a letter-of-intent Wednesday to play at Trine University.
“I just thought it would be fun,” Wallace said. “I gave it a shot my freshman year. My dad has a buddy from work that hit with me a few times, and I thought it was a lot of fun, so I went out my freshman year. It grew on me, and I began to like it more, so I just kept playing and stuck with it and now, I’m able to take it to the college level.”
Wallace played junior varsity as a freshman and went 12-0. He then went 17-1 at No. 2 doubles as a sophomore on a senior dominated team.
The next year, Wallace moved up to No. 1 singles, where he went 8-6. This season, he went 12-7 at No. 1 singles.
“We had six seniors my sophomore year, so a lot of space cleared out,” Wallace said. “The position was kind of up for grabs between me and a few other players, and I worked hard over that offseason, kept playing and was able to make the jump. It was a bit of an adjustment my first year at 1 singles because doubles and singles are obviously different, but going from the back of the team to the top of the team, it’s a lot more competition at that level. But my senior year, I was ready for it.”
Wallace, who picked up golf his sophomore year and is entering his third year of varsity golf, plans to major in mechanical engineering at Trine.
“Trine has a great academic program and a great career placement rate, and that’s what matters for me most — being able to find a career coming out of college,” Wallace said. “Their tennis program is really nice. They have indoor courts, and their coach is great.”
