Furman Tennis has consistently produced top tier athletes over the years, so senior Drew Singerman’s skill and success should come as no surprise. The Paladins men’s tennis coach John Whitlinger said, “Drew is the definition of a good teammate. He always exhibits the characteristics of a leader, whether it be on the court, in the weight room or in the classroom. He sets the standard for us as a program, and we are extremely fortunate to have him as a part of the Furman tennis family.” Singerman has been a leader on the court since his freshman season in 2018, and his impact to Furman Tennis is more than obvious.
Singerman began playing tennis at just three years old. Prior to joining the Paladins, he played for the St. Xavier high school team (Kentucky) in addition to competing in USTA (United States Tennis Association) tournaments since the age of 10. Once he reached high school, Singerman realized that he wanted to play in college and embarked on the path that led him to Furman. Singerman was a five-star recruit by tennisrecruiting.net and the top-ranked player in Kentucky.
Singerman’s biggest tennis inspiration is his father John, who played collegiately at Syracuse University and competed as a professional tennis player. Singerman said that his father was influential in his love for tennis. Prior to Singerman’s college years, his father was his coach. He said, “I feel very lucky to be able to have been coached by [him] and have a special relationship with my father.” Singerman hopes that one day he “could be half as good of a player as his father was.” Drew has certainly proven his success on the tennis court in Paladin Purple. In his freshman year, Singerman was named the Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll and the ITA All-Academic Team. Singerman’s sophomore year saw similar successes: He was voted to the All-Southern Conference second team for singles after posting a perfect 17-0 overall singles record and 5-0 Southern Conference record.
When asked about his favorite memory of Furman Tennis, Singerman mentioned that his first match of the regular season his freshman year playing Florida Atlantic University in a doubles match with partner Cameron Green, Furman’s number one player at the time. Recounting the victory, he said, “We won our match 7-6, the team beat 2 of the other teams and went crazy celebrating. It was really an awesome moment as a freshman.” Singerman plans to play for Furman Tennis an additional year after graduating. He said, “I am planning on doing the community engaged medicine program and taking my extra year of eligibility.” The Paladins are fortunate to have Singerman around a little while longer; his proven leadership and strength as a player makes him an invaluable asset to Furman Tennis.
Singerman said that the amount of time and training the team has done cannot be understated. The Paladins are currently preparing for the Spring 2021 season in full force. Singerman said, “Last year we were favored to win conference for the first time in 8-10 years, which was a disappointment when the season got cancelled. The goal for the upcoming season is to fulfill that prediction and win conference.” The Paladins, as Singerman said, will be ready to dominate in Spring 2021.
