Senior Greg Andrews

Andrews Heads To National Indoor Championships

Nov. 6, 2013

NOTRE DAME, Ind. — Senior Greg Andrews is no stranger to elite tournaments. He has played in both the NCAA tournament and the ITA All-American Championships over the course of his career at Notre Dame. But this week, he will travel to New York City to participate in his first ever National Indoor Championships, held at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

The Notre Dame men’s tennis team is not new to this tournament. The last Irish player to qualify for the 32-man bracket was Brett Helgeson, who graduated in 2009.

“It’s a strong tournament, but it’s not something that Greg hasn’t seen before,” explains head coach Ryan Sachire. “It’s on par with the NCAA Championships and the All-American Championships. He’s going to be one of the more experienced players in the tournament from just having been in that environment more as a senior. He’s going to approach it the same way he always does and give his best effort.”

Andrews agrees that while this is his first time to the National Indoors, he will strive to keep the mindset that he has for any other tournament. The stage may be different, but the players are all the same. And not only is Andrews used to competing at this level, but the environment of the Notre Dame team has fostered a mentality of success.

“Our team has a really good atmosphere where we expect to be in big events,” Andrews says. “We expect to be a top-20, top-10 team. We expect excellence, and I think that has really prepared me to not only make a tournament like this but puts me in a position to be successful in a tournament like this.”

Andrews plays the fourth seed in the tournament, Austin Smith of Georgia, in the first round Thursday, Nov. 7. And to both him and Sachire, this tournament is just another step in his already distinguished career.

“The thing about Greg’s personality that makes him a champion is he never settles for where he is right now,” Sachire says. “He’s always looking to be better and better and better, and that constant desire to improve and to be excellent is what has pushed him to the level he’s at right now.”

–Lauren Chval, Media Relations Assistant

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