Notre Dame Fighting Irish - Official Athletics Website

Senior Duo Named 2017 Captains

Jan. 10, 2017

By Joanne Norell

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame men’s tennis program has named its captains for the 2016-17 season, with seniors Eddy Covalschi and Josh Hagar assuming the leadership mantle for the upcoming campaign. Callaghan Family Head Men’s Tennis Coach Ryan Sachire made the announcement.

“It’s exciting every year to be able to talk about players who are elected captains by their teammates,” Sachire said. “Both Eddy and Josh have played significant roles in our program since their arrival on campus as freshmen, and both of them have achieved national-level success as players. Most importantly, Eddy and Josh have earned the necessary trust and respect from their teammates to be elected to this position. I am very optimistic about the season that our team can have, in large part because of the two seniors that will be leading the way.”

Covalschi and Hagar will be first-time captains, both entering their fourth season as starters for the Irish. The two have linked up as doubles partners for most of the last two seasons and enter the 2017 spring slate with an impressive fall to their credit. The duo advanced to the quarterfinals of the ITA All-American Championships in October after playing into the main draw through three qualifying rounds; played into the semifinal at the ITA Midwest Regional Championships; and won the first-round consolation bracket at the USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships in November.

This fall’s trip to the National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships was the pair’s second as a doubles team. Covalschi and Hagar also made a bid in 2014 after winning that season’s ITA Midwest Regional doubles crown.

Hagar, who last season earned recognition on the All-ACC Third Team and All-ACC Academic team, is 64-37 in his career in singles, while boasting a 54-33 mark in doubles. Covalschi brings a 54-64 singles record and 55-47 doubles mark into the 2017 spring schedule.

The Irish open the 2017 dual campaign at 3:30 p.m. ET Friday, January 20, when they host Ball State at the Eck Tennis Pavilion.

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Joanne Norell, athletics communications assistant director at the University of Notre Dame, has been part of the Fighting Irish athletics communications team since 2014 and coordinates communications efforts for the Notre Dame women’s soccer, men’s tennis, women’s tennis and fencing programs. Norell is a 2011 graduate of Purdue University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communication, and earned her master’s degree in sports industry management from Georgetown University in 2013.