IU men’s tennis honored its three seniors Sunday when the team played No. 23 Ohio State. Graduate students Bennett Crane and William Piekarksy, along with senior Andrew Redding, will leave the program after this season.
The Hoosiers lost to the Buckeyes 6-1. Crane picked up the lone point, capturing a ranked victory against No. 35 John McNally.
Related: [IU men’s tennis defeats Penn State, loses to No. 23 Ohio State]
“We knew Ohio State was going to be a tough task,” head coach Jeremy Wurtzman said. “We talked about it before the match that whether we won or it didn’t go our way, we’re still very proud of what the seniors have done for the program and how much they’ve sacrificed for themselves and for the team.”
Crane and Piekarsky are in their fifth years with the program. Both chose to use their extra year of eligibility they received from the cancellation of last year’s season. Redding has spent four years with the team.
The trio found an abundance of success on the court for the Hoosiers. Crane boasts more than 120 wins in his career and was nationally ranked at No. 49 in singles and No. 42 in doubles during the 2020 season. He earned First Team All-Big Ten honors and qualified for the ITA National Fall Championships during his senior year.
Piekarsky has compiled more than 60 wins throughout his career. He owns a .706 winning percentage as a doubles starter. Redding has a 30-17 dual match record overall for the Hoosiers, including a 6-1 singles record as a freshman.
“They’ve really given everything they’ve had,” Wurtzman said. “They’ve sacrificed so much for themselves, for the team, for the program. They’ve been all about building the team up.”
Crane, Piekarsky and Redding also achieved in the classroom. All three players have been three-time Academic All-Big Ten Honorees and three-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Honorees. Redding received the Jack D. Tichenor Award in 2020, an honor given to IU’s male and female student-athletes with the highest cumulative GPA.
“All three of them have been just model students,” Wurtzman said. “Both on and off the court, they’ve shown us what it means to really get the most out of being a student and an athlete.”
Crane graduates with a degree in exercise science from the School of Public Health. Both Piekarsky and Redding will graduate with degrees from the Kelley School of Business. Piekarsky has a bachelor’s degree in marketing and sales and is completing a master’s in finance. Redding will finish with a finance degree.
With the regular season coming to a close and postseason play in sight, Wurtzman said that Crane, Piekarsky and Redding will be missed.
“With them, it was all about trying to reach team goals and not focusing so much on themselves,” Wurtzman said. “We hope that trickles down and helps everyone grow in years to come."
