Lalic finds home, camaraderie with men’s tennis team

As junior Sven Lalic sat on the field of Memorial Stadium, soaking in the Bloomington afternoon sunshine, he uttered five simple words.

“I am 100 percent Hoosier,” Lalic said.

This is Lalic’s first year on the IU men’s tennis team after transferring from Armstrong Atlantic State. While in Savannah, Ga., Lalic finished the 2013 season ranked No. 4 in singles while helping his team win a Division II national championship. Lalic still says coming to IU was one of the best decisions of his life.

“Armstrong Atlantic State was a good Division II program,” Lalic said. “But I always wanted to play in Division I.”

Lalic’s transfer to IU was not immediately set in stone. Originally, Lalic’s scholarship was filled by the No. 1-ranked juniors player in the world before the player became academically ineligible to compete in the NCAA.

“I got to the end of the year before I figured out his situation, so we had a scholarship open up,” IU Coach Randy Bloemendaal said. “I know the coach at Sven’s old program, and I know the situation of where he was going to stack up with our guys.”
Bloemendaal said he is thrilled with the addition of Lalic to his program.

The coach said Lalic’s ability on the court, as well as his leadership and maturity off of it, was perfect for the young Hoosier team.

Another key factor in Lalic’s transfer to IU was the presence of current IU senior Dimitrije Tasic. Their history dates back to their days competing against one another in the Balkan states.

“I’ve known Dima (Tasic) since I was 12, and he told me about the school,” Lalic said. “I knew about the tradition here and how big IU is, so I think it was the right decision to come here.”

Early in Lalic’s recruitment, Tasic received an email from Bloemendaal asking about Lalic. Tasic said the response was easy.

“I was very thrilled when Coach sent me an email asking about Sven,” Tasic said. “Sven was one of my best friends from juniors, and I knew that his personality would completely align with what Coach is looking for.”

Lalic hails from Bosnia while Tasic was born in Serbia. The political relations of these two countries have not been friendly. It’s the polar opposite of Lalic and Tasic’s relationship.

“It’s politicians who enjoy those tensions, not people like us,” Tasic said.

The pair likens themselves to brothers, and Lalic credits Tasic as the deciding factor concerning his transfer to IU.

“I came here because of Dima. He was a big plus for me to come here,” Lalic said. “I was talking to a couple of schools, but he really convinced me to come here.”

Bloemendaal said the pair jokes about the supposed tension between them.

He praised the character of both men, saying they both represent their respective countries with class and dignity.

“In sports, you can be the ambassador of your country,” Bloemendaal said. “You can get people to think differently of your country than what they see politically. Both of them are great ambassadors for their country.”