When you ask any athlete their favorite memory on the court, their thoughts probably go straight to the biggest success of their career. For senior tennis player Ryan Shane, his immediate answer was the NCAA national championship. However, he had to think a moment to decide between the two championship trophies he has helped bring home for the Virginia men’s tennis program over his four years here.
Ultimately, he said his singles title last May was “a little more enjoyable” than the program title earned his freshman year “because [he] actually got to be on the court.”
Due to that singles title, the name Ryan Shane graces the sideline of the Cavaliers’ home courts at Boar’s Head — embroidered into the champions’ banner hanging from the wall. This season, he originally thought of this title, literally hanging over his head, as a sort of “burden,” as he knew that “every opponent [he] played was looking at that [banner], really wanting to beat [him].”
As the season progressed, he said he decided to “just try to ignore it.”
“It’s in the past, and it doesn’t really matter anymore,” Shane said. “I’m more focused [now] on trying to do it again this year.”
As he tries to look forward, he finds support in coach Brian Boland and his staff, who he claims foster a “family” environment.
“It isn’t just a tennis program — it is a lot more than that!” Shane exclaimed with a smile. “Like I said, it is a family — the staff will do anything for you. They will work 24 hours straight for you — they’ll do anything.”
The family feel is not something that is contained during players’ four years in Charlottesville. After graduation, Shane said, “[We] have a place that … [we] can always come back.”
Shane said he and his fellow teammates have remained in touch, traveling the world to continue to support each other off the court. This past fall, former Cavalier Sanam Singh had a wedding in India, where Shane said he thought every one of Singh’s teammates from his four years, as well as Coach Boland, showed up to celebrate.
Shane said he was lucky to get a head start in his family connections on the team when he arrived on Grounds, getting to follow the guidance of fellow Hoo and older brother Justin Shane.
“I asked him and followed him and I wanted to kind of follow in his footsteps a little bit,” Shane said. “I still text him now if I have a problem or something, because he’s gone and he experienced graduation … [and] his last year — he knows all of the pressure.”
As he prepares to leave, his word of advice for those who will come into the program after him without the guidance of an older brother is to embrace the experience.
“Embrace everything U.Va. has to offer,” he said. “And I think if you embrace everything U.Va. has to offer for you — the fans, the school, teachers, everything, I think — you will have a great four years here.”
Shane himself is trying to embrace everything his program has to offer before he graduates in May. As far as goals, he just wants to “just give everything [he has] everyday” and “get better and never get worse.”
As he headed into this season ranked No. 2 in singles, there is only one possible result in getting better — another national title.
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