To find out Tennis Server spoke to former National Amateur Champion Jeff Landau, a recent graduate of Wake Forest University and a four year member of their Men's tennis team. Landau came to Wake Forest in 1991 with impressive junior credentials but quickly found the transition to the college game to be extremely demanding and humbling. A 5-time nationally ranked junior, Jeff's achievements meant virtually nothing to his new teammates. I was the new freshman and freshmen are not highly thought of.
Seniority is very big in college and the upperclassmen really stick together.
They want to beat the incoming freshmen very badly, particularly the guys who are at the bottom of the line-up because they are afraid the new players will take their spot on the team. As a result, cracking the line-up as a freshman is extremely difficult. The upperclassmen have a big psychological advantage in that they've been there before and have strong peer support and incentive to beat the new guy, especially if he has come with a big reputation. Things like filling the water coolers each day before practice, cleaning the towels and, when on the road, carrying the stringer into and out of the hotel. After a road trip, while the upperclassmen are relaxing, the freshmen get down on their hands and knees and clean out the team vans.