Upstate Tennis Grateful For Wofford's Kindness In Time Of Need
5/12/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
May 12, 2009
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - It's a natural rivalry. Wofford and USC Upstate are separated by just a few miles, one sitting square in downtown and the other resting on the North side of the city. But this fall, when USC Upstate head tennis coach Alessandro De Marzo went home to his native Peru just days before the season-opening USC Upstate Tennis Tournament to be with his ailing father, the rivalry between the two schools disappeared.
Wofford men's tennis coach Rod Ray, in his ninth season at the small liberal arts college, came to the aid of De Marzo, taking control of the men's side of the tournament at Wofford's tennis courts while Upstate's Director of Tennis Tami Matheny, ran the women's side of the tournament at Upstate.
The cooperative effort was recognized by the ITA in April, recognizing Wofford as the winner of the ITA National Team Sportsmanship Award, one of two men's teams this year to earn the monthly award.
"I just gave Coach Ray a call and he was happy to do it," De Marzo said. "Obviously, I was in a tough spot and we needed some help, but that really speaks to the kind of person Coach Ray is. He has always been a great person to work with, but obviously, he went above and beyond that weekend."
"We have a great working relationship with both Coach Ray and Coach Katie Hangstefer," he added. "We play in the same tournaments, we play each other in the spring, we work the same tennis camps in the summer, so we know each other and we know the players on the teams. They are great competitors and have built a good program, but one of the reasons they have built it is that they are such good people."
The ITA listed as the cause for the award, "While Coach Ray and the Wofford tennis program are highly-respected in their region for their character and fair play, the actions provided to in-state rival USC Upstate by the Wofford staff in a time of need went well beyond the call of duty. Four days prior to the USC Upstate Fall Tennis Tournament, USC Upstate Head Coach Alessandro De Marzo had a family emergency that required him to return to his home in Lima, Peru. De Marzo turned to Coach Ray and his team, who took over the men's half of the tournament with no hesitation and hosted and supervised the two-day event at Wofford's tennis courts."
