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Maddie Campanella contributed to the story.
Year after year, teams continue to perform at the highest level – even for decades at a time. The same could be said by individuals who perform at a high level for long durations. There are times that fans see different generations of the same family compete at a very high level.
The last classification could be attributed to USC Aiken men's tennis standout Hunter Lathrop.
A newcomer to USC Aiken this season, Lathrop is a junior that hails from South Londonderry, Vt. Although tennis is pretty strong in Vermont, Lathrop participated in a sport that is more mainstream from his area – and from his family – skiing.
Lathrop's father, Steve, qualified for ski racing in the 1972 Olympics. However, right before the Olympics began, he crashed in a downhill slope and broke his neck, not allowing him to compete.
"I had big shoes to fill after seeing what my dad accomplished," Lathrop stated. "I started out skiing, like my father, but when I became interested in tennis, a lot of pressure was put on me as a kid despite the fact I was playing a different sport.
"My four sisters excelled in skiing, but I wanted to pursue a different sport and be just as successful without the pressure my sisters were receiving," Lathrop explained.
Lathrop was introduced to tennis at a young age and was coached by his father all throughout the junior levels. A competitor, Lathrop began competing in tournament play and taking tennis seriously at the tender age of eight. From that point forward, he realized tennis was the sport he wanted to play for the rest of his athletic career.
Lathrop attended Stratton Mountain School and was the top-ranked tennis player in the state each year of high school. A four-time top-10 New England selection, Lathrop was tabbed as a Top 150 player nationally three times.
After competing in high school, he attended Drew University. There, he posted 13 wins during his rookie campaign. From there he attended ASA and helped guide the squad to a national title in 2014.
"Originally, I started at a Division III school but I ultimately wanted to be at a Division I or Division II institution in order to play tennis," Lathrop stated. "In order to accomplish that goal, I had to go to a junior college.
"When I was at junior college, we had a very solid international team," Lathrop continued. "Our coach trained us very hard on and off the court, which definitely paid off going to a Division II institution."
USC Aiken head coach Steve Dahm recruited Lathrop from his junior college.
"Coach Dahm works at a tennis club close to where I live in Vermont and later found me through a recruiting database," Lathrop said.
Through the Peach Belt Conference Tournament, Lathrop has accounted for seven wins in singles action, including six at the No. 5 spot. In doubles action, he has been outstanding and is tied for third on the team with 12 wins.
"Throughout my junior and collegiate career, doubles matches have remained my forte," Lathrop stated. "I was always solid in singles, but in doubles I excelled."
His record has put USC Aiken on the verge of earning a berth in the NCAA Tournament as the team will find out its fate Tuesday evening at 8 p.m.
"I want to help out my team as much as possible with a court win at No. 3 doubles and No. 5 singles," Lathrop mentioned. "If I can get those two points, it could make a huge impact on the team's final score. Every point counts."
In similar fashion to his father, Lathrop is a true competitor who has performed well during his first year on campus. That being said, with his game improving, Lathrop could have a huge impact for the second straight year during the 2017 season.
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