Senior Alex Thomas has officially committed to play tennis at Marquette University in Milwaukee.

“I decided on Marquette because it was close to home, has a great tennis program where I could be a starter right away, and offers a strong business program that will set me up for my future,” Thomas said. 

The university’s internship opportunities and academics helped influence his decision.

Despite the accomplishments Thomas has made, his tennis journey hasn’t always been simple.

Thomas started playing tennis when he was four years old, but he didn’t take it seriously until he was ten. 

After taking a break from tennis at 13, he started playing tennis seriously again during his freshman year at NDA.

“When I came back to tennis, I wasn’t even one singles on the Notre Dame team,” Thomas said. 

Guidance from coaches like Niko Rongos and Paul Miller helped Thomas get back into the swing of things.

 “My coaches were truly able to unlock my full potential,” he explained.

Thomas has one goal for his senior year, getting a Division I singles state title. 

He has already made some big accomplishments during high school like finishing second in Division II as a sophomore and third in Division I as a junior. 

“I want to finally secure first place,” Thomas said.

Competition is what fuels his energy the most. 

“With tennis, you either get all the glory or all the failure,” he said. “When you get a good win, it’s extremely rewarding.”

Going to a bigger school means bigger opportunities, but also bigger challenges. 

“Through losing and learning, I hope to become the best player I can be,” he said.