Transfers provide spark for IU

Coming off a season in which they finished 12-11 and returned only four players, the Hoosiers were looking for a spark from their newcomers. \nIU has gotten just that from its three transfer players -- sophomores Dmytro Ishtuganov and Neil Kenner and junior Ryan McCarthy.\nWith their help, the Hoosiers are ranked No. 70 in the country, working toward a NCAA tournament berth and improving as the season progresses.\nWith transferring comes challenges, including getting used to a new campus, new classes and a new team.\nBeing closer to home is one of the advantages McCarthy, a transfer from Furman University in Greenville, S.C., cites with helping him get acclimated to IU.\n"Being closer to home is definitely an advantage, since my family can come and watch," McCarthy said. "I pretty much made a quick adjustment. Being from the Midwest, I got a lot of friends here, so it was an easy transition into school and the social aspect."\nThe opportunity to play against better competition is also a reason the transfers chose IU and the Big Ten Conference. And having the opportunity to attend a school that combines academics along with a great tennis tradition was another major attraction, Ishtuganov said.\n"School is very challenging, but it is how it should be," Ishtuganov said. "We have great conditions to practice in, and I wouldn't get this many opportunities at other places. This is one of the best spots I could be in."\nFor all the transfers, academics played a large role in their decision to attend IU. The main attraction was the Kelley School of Business, as all three are pursuing degrees from the school.\nAlong with Kelley's reputation as being one of the best in the country, the players welcome the challenges the classes present and the advantages they will receive once they obtain their diplomas.\nOne upperhand the business school provides is it helps attract the ideal players for the tennis program, IU coach Ken Hydinger said. \n"The advantage is huge, since athletics and business have a good correlation, because you have to be a competitor in the business school and athletics," Hydinger said. "When they investigate in our business school, they find out they really want that degree from IU, and it gets us a guy that is achievement oriented and a guy that looks for a challenge and that is a competitor."\nThe opportunity to play at IU is one that involves a lot of decision making with a little luck.\nFor Kenner, his former coach in Dallas, Dan Holden, had an existing relationship with coach Hydinger, which was what got him in the position to make the jump to Bloomington.\nGetting used to a bigger school was one of the challenges Kenner faced when he made the choice to attend IU, he said.\n"I didn't really decide until Aug. 12 to really come to IU," Kenner said. "I think being able to work through all the practices, matches, school work and by getting into a good ritual has allowed me to handle it all."\nAs the season and school year start to wind down, the players said they are pleased with their decisions to come to IU and play for the Hoosiers.\n"I'm extremely happy with both tennis and school here at IU," McCarthy said.\n-- Contact staff writer Dan Click at daaclick@indiana.edu.