WORCESTER TELEGRAM, Tuesday, April 6, 2004

This Hound is top dog

Hounds' JAMES NEWMAN in action

By Jennifer Tolland
TELEGRAM COLUMNIST

WORCESTER - James Newman is one of the stars on the very star-studded Assumption men's tennis roster, but as coach John Ippolito will tell you, there's a lot more than service aces and backhands to talk about when it comes to Newman.

The 23-year-old Newman, South African born and raised, is the first triple major in the college's 100-year history. This accounting/finance/philosophy student, who carries about a 3.97 grade-point average, is also studying the intense Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) curriculum on his own and has passed the first of three brutal exams. He's a Mensa member, wine and whiskey connoisseur, and scratch golfer.

And did we mention charming, polite and articulate?

"James is the benchmark for the academic athlete at Assumption," Ippolito said. "I say academic athlete because as phenomenal an athlete as he is, he's just above and beyond academically. He has set the standards for academics here."

Ippolito, who isn't shy about calling Newman when he can't answer his 14-year-old daughter's homework questions, loves to tell the story of Newman's first away match with the Hounds.

"We were in the van and we had about a two-hour trip and everyone was reading their Sports Illustrated or other magazines," Ippolito said, "and there's James with his little half-glasses reading the Wall Street Journal trying to learn the American stock system. He's amazing. An unadulterated genius."

Newman, who lived in England for four years during his youth, had always hoped to attend college in the United States. When the time came, he enlisted the help of College Prospects of America, an on-line marketing service. It was here Ippolito saw Newman's name and profile and discovered he had known Newman's tennis coach back in the late 1960s. One thing led to another, Ippolito worked his amazing recruiting skills, and, based on his academic prowess, Newman earned one of Assumption's prestigious Presidential Scholarships.
"I doubt I could have gotten what I've got here from any other school," Newman said in between sips of a much-needed cup of coffee one rainy afternoon last week. "I've been able to achieve more here than I think I would have anywhere else. The school is exceptional."

And the tennis team isn't bad either.

Newman is undefeated in Northeast-10 Conference matches in his 21⁄2 years at Assumption and on Saturday helped the Greyhounds to their 66th straight NE-10 victory. The Hounds are the favorite to win their sixth straight NE-10 regular-season and tournament titles and are expected to make the NCAAs for the fifth straight year.

Such dominance hasn't gotten boring.

"Winning doesn't ever get boring," said Newman, 5-0 in both singles and doubles this season. "We'd much rather dominate than find ourselves losing our motivation and slipping down."

Newman, a junior, reached the semifinal of the Newport Hall of Fame Collegiate Tournament in July 2001 and in 2002 won the B-singles title at the Northeast Regional competition at Brown with wins against Division 1 opponents from Buffalo, Boston College, St. John's and Dartmouth.

Newman, who goes home to Johannesburg twice a year, actually swung a golf club before a tennis racquet. His father was a rather successful semipro golfer before wrist problems set him back. He put a chopped down club in Newman's hands when he was about 2. Newman regularly shoots 72-73 back home. He hasn't played here since he first visited, shooting a 68 at Pleasant Valley.

Newman developed his interest in wine during Sunday lunches at his grandfather's house. "He was a true connoisseur," Newman said, and his cellar collection specialized in French burgundy. Newman has a small cellar at home, but plans to expand it. His own taste tends toward French burgundy, German whites and champagne.

"Wine, whiskey, expensive things," Newman said. "My father jokes with me I'm going to have to earn a fortune to support myself."

Those around the Assumption campus are convinced that will happen - soon.

Newman, who plans to be an investment banker, has a great rapport with Assumption's faculty and administrators. Even they seem to marvel at the young man.

"He's so intense, so motivated, so capable, so goal-oriented," athletic director Ted Palauskas said. "He's going to be a high achiever in anything he decides to do."

Newman said he realized a while ago he would not pursue a future in tennis, but while he is still playing, like in everything else, he'll settle for nothing but being the best. And isn't Assumption happy he'll be back for another year.

"I still enjoy it," Newman said. "The competition is something I will miss when I don't have it, but as long as I'm playing, I want to win."