STARKVILLE – Patrick Lazo spent four years at Georgia State and graduated last spring with a degree in managerial science.
However, since he redshirted his freshman year, Lazo still had one season of eligibility remaining on the tennis court and decided to enter the transfer portal in hopes of making the jump to a Power 5 program.
“I wanted to go to a university that was known for its sports,” Lazo said. “I really wanted to go somewhere that had a lot of emphasis in development in sports and also had a name, like Mississippi State. That was a really big thing, so I was really only looking at ACC and SEC schools. I wanted to come to a program that had great coaching, a great athletic department and where I could get a great degree.”
Lazo found his final collegiate stop at Mississippi State after making a quick connection with coaches Matt Roberts and Jake Jacoby during his official visit to campus.
“I think this was the right fit for me because the coaches were very personable with me,” Lazo said. “Right from the start, they really wanted to know about me and my family. It felt like they truly cared about me. It’s been the same way since I’ve been here. They’ve catered to my needs and done a really good job of making me feel a part of the team.”
The Alpharetta, Georgia native has made his mark with the Bulldogs with seven victories so far during his redshirt senior season. Five of Lazo’s wins have come in singles and has claimed back-to-back victories to bring his career record to 41-38 in singles and 31-26 on the doubles side.
“He brings really good vibes on and off the court,” Jacoby said. “He’s brought a lot of maturity and is such a great guy. He fit our culture right away and the guys love being around him. He gets it done in the classroom and working on his grad degree this year. There’s been nothing but positives from him.”
Although Lazo loves being able to compete on some of the biggest stages in college tennis, his decision to transfer was not solely based on sports. Since arriving last summer, Lazo has immersed himself in many of the extracurricular activities afforded to him as a student-athlete at MSU.
Lazo was nominated by his coaches and participated in the Top Dawg Leadership Academy back in August and will receive his master’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Mississippi State…