Welcome to Saturday Spotlight! Here, we dive deep into the lives of Ohio State student-athletes and learn more about their journeys to Columbus, their love of the Buckeye traditions and who they are as competitors and students.
As a native of Virum, Denmark, Ohio State men's junior tennis player Mikael Torpegaard is on a mission to prove his doubters wrong.
After taking down Wake Forest’s Petros Chrysochos in a three-set match decided in a tie-breaker this past weekend, Torpegaard now sits in a tie for the top-ranked spot in the Oracle/ITA Division I Men's National Singles rankings on the nation's second-ranked squad, and was named Big Ten Athlete of the Week.
Following their epic encounter at #ITAIndoors, Mikael Torpegaard & Petros Chrysochos share the #OracleITARankings No. 1 singles ranking. pic.twitter.com/E2nSTbBd08
— ITA Tennis (@ITA_Tennis) February 21, 2017
Now in his third year in Columbus, is looking to help the Buckeyes to their first ever team national championship later this spring. We sat down with Mikael this week to discuss his transition from Europe, guitar skills and much more.
When did you realize you might have a chance to play tennis at the collegiate level?
Mikael Torpegaard: When I was traveling my last year as a junior, I traveled all around the world, played a lot of tournaments and I got a lot of offers from a lot of schools from all over America. In my mind, I had two opportunities after high school — one being going pro directly after, and another being going to college. I’m 18-years-old at the time, and the Danish Tennis Federation doesn’t fund anything after you turn 18 and become a senior and that’s when you need support the most; So I was forced to go to college and take that route. I remember the first college coach that asked me if I ever considered college tennis, and I said, “HAH! No chance I end up in college” because in my country, people have the standing that college is where good players go to die and never amount to anything after. Right now, it’s an unbelievable feeling to prove them wrong, and try to show them that college is actually a stepping stone to going pro after — and I couldn’t be happier to have come to college.
What drew you to come to Ohio State outside of tennis?
MT: I think what did it the most is that (coach) Ty (Tucker) separated himself from pretty quickly from other coaches around. The fact that he showed so much interest and care before I even got to college, he constantly kept up to date with what I was doing, and that was a great feeling knowing you have a coach that really cares. I wanted to use college as a stepping-stone to going pro, and I still do. The end goal of my career is going professional, and seeing that Ohio State has previously developed professional athletes in tennis, it was really interesting to me when I had to choose between the last few colleges.
What is the best part about being an athlete?
MT: Tennis is an individual sport, but playing for Ohio State and playing college tennis means you have someone to share the victories with. You have 10-12 other players you can share the happiness with, and who understands that happiness on the same level.
What’s been your best tennis moment?
MT: Every win you have is really great against these top teams, but I’d have to say that the match against Wake Forest last week has to be up there for the best experience I’ve had so far in college.
What are you studying?
MT: Strategic Communications. I was an economics major about two weeks before I found out that wasn’t going to happen, but I like talking to people, public speaking, and all these aspects of it — so I’m happy with my major.
What’s been your favorite class at OSU and why?
MT: I really like the public speaking or the persuasive speaking classes. A lot of these communications classes have written assignments all the time, but in these classes, you have to present something you prepared in front of class and actually talk to people and I really like that.
What's your favorite Ohio State tradition?
MT: I like the Buckeye Bash thing where athletes get together and eat, like, once a year at the beginning of the semester. So you get to know athletes on other teams, and I like the fact that teams get together and spend time together so it’s not separated. You understand each other’s daily life, go to each other’s games and that whole aspect at Ohio State of a community of athletes is really great.
What’s been your favorite aspect of Columbus?
MT: We love to go to Blue Jackets games. We like hockey, especially us from Scandinavia and Canada, so we like to go to hockey games, whether it’s the Blue Jackets or Ohio State.
What’s your favorite meal/restaurant in Columbus?
MT: Usually before we go to Blue Jackets games, we like to go to that Brazilian steak house across the street, and it’s nice and like that. There are so many great restaurants in Columbus that I’m not used to back home, so it’s nice to try all the new experience, restaurants and events.
What’s something that not a lot of people know about you?
MT: I like to play guitar. I’m in a band with Herkko (Pollanen) from the team, he’s the drummer and I’m the guitarist. We’re trying to make some music happen, and if tennis doesn’t work out, then hopefully we give that a shot.
What is something you would tell an incoming student about Ohio State that you'd like them to know?
MT: That you constantly have people who are willing to do their best in your best interest. Education is not easy, but you can get help at all times from different people from advisors, to trainers, to coaches — and Ohio State is such a big place with great facilities.
