Sam Whitehead describes himself as a reserved person when he first joined the utrgv men’s tennis team back in 2021. Five seasons later, through hard work and success on the court, he earned his way as the team leader.

“He’s going to show what needs to be done and you either follow or you get left behind. That’s what he’s done a great job of over the last two years” said UTRGV men’s tennis head coach Nathan Robinson.

“It's definitely something that I don't take lightly and something that I really cherish,” he said.

Whitehead points to self confidence as a key factor in his evolution as a college tennis player. Whitehead’s rise took an unexpected turn in his junior year suffering a left wrist injury, shutting him down for the season.

“Trusting the wrist again it was hard at first using it and almost expecting pain but it wasn’t coming so it was just getting that trust back that confidence back” he said.

A comeback that led to Whitehead being named Southland Conference Men’s Tennis Player of the Year and All-Conference first team in singles in his senior season.

Now as a graduate student, his focus is having fun while competing against the best collegiate tennis players and hopefully capped off with a championship ring.