Jeffrey Cohen | Sports Writer
With a trip to the third round of the NCAA tournament on the line, it came down to the No. 1 singles matchup. Then-sophomore Devin Badenhorst went to the third set against Texas A&M’s Theo Papamalamis. Papamalamis won the set 6-1, ending the Bear’s season.
Baylor finished the spring slate 23-11 and ramped up throughout the summer, looking to start the fall season on the right foot.
“It’s hard to get good training blocks of time in the gym, on the court with fitness, working on different technical and tactical aspects of their game,” head coach Michael Woodson said. “We really try to spend some of the summer doing that with our guys while giving them as much competition as they want and need.”
Bringing players back to train over the summer is a process that is built throughout the season. Woodson and his staff have helped build the players’ desire to practice at Baylor and strengthen bonds between each other.
“We’ve developed a great culture of guys wanting to be here, training, basing out of here throughout the summer,” Woodson said. “All three of our freshmen started in summer one, so it’s been a lot of fun to spend time getting to know them, helping them get acclimated, putting in some good work.”
Leading the group are juniors Badenhorst and Louis Bowden. Last year, the pair broke out as two of the seven players consistently competing in the spring.
Badenhorst immediately emerged in the No. 1 slot for singles and remained there, finishing 12-13 and 16-7 across three doubles partners, including 14-6 with senior Luc Koenig. Badenhorst also played the most nationally-ranked opponents, going 6-10 in those matches.
Bowden moved around in the order last year, competing in five slots. He settled into the fifth spot halfway through and earned a 4-3 record.
“You have to have experience, and the earlier that guys can get the experience, usually the better it is for them and for the team,” Woodson said. “To have those two guys be able to play as big of a role as they have had over the last couple of years … it’s been invaluable for them and the progression of the team.”
The two, as well as other veterans like Koenig, will lead the charge. Woodson wants his team to be “holding each other accountable” and “pushing each other” on the court and in the gym.
Strong leadership can be the driving factor in keeping the team playing their best despite constant travel.
The Bears will play 12 tournaments outside of Waco across seven states, including multiple tournaments that overlap. They will play at home only twice — the Baylor Fall Kickoff Classic, Sept. 12-14, and the Big 12-SEC Challenge, Oct. 3-5.
“It’s pretty tiring for the coaches, just understanding who needs to be where or when with what guys,” Woodson said. “It’s challenging for the guys, but they’re used to it.”
Life can get in the way for the coaches and players as they travel across the country for tournaments. The coaching staff wants to show their players that life and the people outside of tennis are important, so they ensure that planning throughout the fall is crucial for the development of players and a strong work-life balance.
“If the communication is strong, we’re able to do a good job with everybody,” Woodson said. “But it starts with just understanding that those things are really important. And frankly, I want my guys to see that as well.”
Fall competition is used to prepare the team for the spring, as well as helping the players reach their own goals and compete.
“It’s a developmental time in my mind,” Woodson said. “At the same time, some of these guys are playing towards the All-American status. They’re playing for the NCAA individual qualifications that are important to these guys and to us.”
The rivalry with TCU is circled on the spring calendar. The Bears are looking for their first win over the Horned Frogs since 2022 after losing the past nine matchups.
“A couple of big ones for them is they want to beat TCU,” Woodson said. “That’s a big rivalry for us where we belong up there with them.”
Baylor also has its eyes set on its first conference championship since 2022. Woodson believes his group is the right one to do it, with a good mix of veteran leaders and up-and-coming talent.
The Bears will open their season at the Baylor Fall Kickoff Classic Friday at the Hurd Tennis Center.
