Helgeson Transfers to Georgia
What's been a rumor since the NCAAs in May has been confirmed: Travis Helgeson, who spent two years at the University of Texas, will join the Georgia Bulldogs.
With John Isner, Luis Flores, Helgeson and incoming freshman Jamie Hunt, coach Manny Diaz has a very impressive lineup to begin the year, and Nate Schnugg has verbally committed and may join the team in January. After falling just short in their quest for a national title in May, they are now the overwhelming favorites. And the NCAA Championships will be in Athens in 2007. It's a script the Stanford women followed perfectly in 2006.
17 comments:
Collette,
Is there a reason why Helgeson is transferring?
That is now the 2nd top-ranked guy from Texas that has transferred to UGA. Antonio Ruiz did it after the 2004 season. Is he jumping ship since Beale and Gubser graduated to win a championship? If so, he should sit out a year, that's what they do in most other D1 sports. He is the 4th good player to leave Texas in the past four years. First Hoskins, then Ruiz, now Venus and Helgeson. Anyone know the true reasoning behind the transfer?
By the way, I think this is a bad move for him because they already have Isner and Flores. That means that one of them will be playing #3.
So your telling me UGA's lineup is going to be Isner,Helgeson,Flores,Omerzel,Hunt,Schnugg,Gonzalez? If they don't win it next year then...well...I don't really know what would come next because it would be so far fetched.
Yeah, I'm wondering if he was friends with Ruiz or something. After seeing what The Donald did to Venus at Kalamazoo, maybe he should re-think leaving also. Anyway, I'm sure Center will be able to recruit some one else to take his place, but probably not an American.
I agree they should have to sit out. Ufortunately only 3 sports - football, basketball and hockey - require players to sit out a year for transferring. Baseball tried to pass legislation last spring and they even got denied. It's a problem in tennis, especially on the women's side where about 7 or 8 top 30 players are transfers. On the flip side coaches don't have to sit out when they change jobs, so maybe it's not that big of a deal.
Coach Center has a verbal from Kellen Damico for Fall of '07.
They might not be as good next year, but Kellen Damico verbally commited who is going to graduate in 07 and I heard Clint Bowles might go there too.
We'll see if Damico shows. If he keeps improving he might make the jump. But remember I am saying this without ANY inside information, just speculation based on what other highly ranked juniors end up doing who travel the world as juniors. Texas should be able to recruit the best with their facilities and talent pool.
Collette, I don't know who sparked it, maybe my comments about Drew Daniel(prob not), who knows, but it seems like the site has really taken off in the past two weeks. All of the sudden these top-ranked juniors and parents are coming out of the woodwork and posting daily on here. Don't know if you wanted it to become this, but the can of worms has been opened and your site is easily the most popular junior site in America. Congrats! Who knows, maybe the top college kids and some pros will find out about it and make it real interesting with some posts.
Once again, do you have any clue what happened to the next great American Brian Baker? It's just a shame, I mean a year ago he beat one of the best players in the world and now he's dunzo. I hope whatever happened to him can be fixed.
Hi guys,
My name is Kellen Damico, and yes I have verbally commited to the University of Texas. Although Center has lost 2 top players I have no doubt that he will keep them at the top. He is a tremendous coach, and a leader.
The last I heard Brian Baker had had hip surgery this winter and was just starting to hit again. This was in March. I forgot to ask my source when I saw him here if there's been another setback.
I really hope it wasn't the Guga hip surgery, we all know what has become of him...
You guys can speculate all you want. His transfering had absolutely nothing at all to do with Ruiz already being there.
He left for one reason and one reason only. CENTER! That guy personally tried to ruin Helgeson. He is a good recruiter. But once players get there, they discover just how terrible of a coach he really is.
Until he leaves, Texas will continue to run off talent.
Good luck, Kellen. You're going to need it.
I would like to know where you found this information, but there was a lot to the situation with Helgesen. It's a two way street.
Whoever wrote that comment about Center clearly knows ZERO about college tennis or Michael Center. He's actually highly respected by his peers and showed just how good a coach he is this past season. Why would Center try to ruin his star player who improved greatly under him, was ranked in the top 10? From what I heard he put up with some real insanity from Helgeson's dad this season and did an amazing job keeping the cancer from spreading. That's just an insane comment and sounds like something from someone with a lot of weird issues.
Hi this is Michael Venus. Just a few comments on the UT matter. I left because I felt like coach Center was not helping my game and my Tennis was not going anywhere while I was there. After telling Center that I was going to leave he proceeded to tell other college coaches that my GPA was below a 2.0 and that I was not eligble which is completly not true. I passed all my classes and am eligble. Currently I am talking to some other colleges right now. As for the matter with Helgeson, I don't want to talk for him but I do know why he left and we have very similar reasons.
Thanks Michael Venus
Glad to see an honest answer. Congrats on winning the Clay Courts. Transfer to Alabama or Pepperdine, it sure worked out for Ivor Lovrak.
I am no longer accepting comments to this post that are not signed.
I wondered how long posts claiming to be someone would last, I mean, how can you moderate a post that claims to be written by a specific person?
"This is Bill Tilden and I've come back to play for a select southern university and run my car into a pole, then take a lot of money from the USTA" I would skip any posts claiming to be someone specific. I suppose you could call them or something.
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