BLACKSBURG— Virginia Tech men's tennis coach Jim Thompson is delighted to announce that Mitch Harper will exercise his option to return for another year, due to the cancellation of the 2020 spring sports season.
Harper, who graduated last weekend, was in the midst of a spectacular season before the NCAA made the decision to end the year due to public health concerns. The Brisbane, Australia native boasted a 10-0 record with all matches being decided in straight sets and included three ranked victories.
"The devastating end to my last two seasons has fueled my desire to come back and represent Hokie nation on the court one last time," Harper said. "I'm so grateful to Virginia Tech and Coach Thompson for giving me the opportunity to play alongside my teammates for one more year and to see out my Hokie career on my own terms."
Harper earned a redshirt year following an injury that caused him to miss his senior campaign in the spring of 2019.
The 2017-18 season was a breakout year for Harper, who downed 14 ranked opponents and soared as high as No. 12 in national rankings. In this campaign, he received first team All-ACC honors, along with qualifying for the NCAA singles championship.
"[I'm] looking forward to being a part of this great team again and to help set us up for success in the future. The Hokies are coming," Harper insists.