DePaul University Athletics
Cariov's Singular Achievement Nets Hall of Fame Induction
2/23/2017 12:00:00 AM | DEPAUL ATHLETICS FUND
(DePaulBlueDemons.com will be posting feature stories on the DePaul Athletic Hall of Fame inductees from the class of 2017. The Hall of Fame ceremony takes place Saturday, Feb. 25 at McGrath-Phillips Arena.)
CHICAGO - After competing for two seasons at Texas Tech, Jevgenij Cariov made the most of his fresh start with DePaul men’s tennis.
While competing in the Conference USA meet at Tulane in 2001, the junior received news that he had secured a berth in the NCAA Championships. He became the first and only Blue Demon men’s tennis player to accomplish that feat.
“Making it to the NCAA tournament was something I really wanted and I was so happy when it happened,” Cariov said. “When I realized I was the first to qualify from DePaul, I was glad to get that berth for the university.
“I made quite a comeback that season. In the beginning of February, I had appendicitis which forced me to miss several weeks. I came back, played well and got a couple big wins. You earn a spot in the NCAA Championships based on a rating system. I had enough to get me into the tournament.”
The excitement level Cariov felt back then will be magnified when he is inducted into the DePaul Athletic Hall of Fame on Feb. 25.
“I found out in early January with a voicemail from Jeanne (DePaul athletics director Jean Lenti Ponsetto),” Cariov said. “I was really happy and made me realize what I had accomplished back in those days.
“It’s very cool and leaves me with a warm feeling inside. Tennis is a sport that doesn’t always get a lot of recognition, so this makes me very happy. To be considered among the greatest athletes in the history of DePaul---it brings a very unique feeling to me.”
Cariov said the NCAA experience was a little strange in that he missed his opportunity to practice before his opening match.
“It was something I just had to overcome,” Cariov said as he went on to defeat Edo Bawono of Kentucky in the NCAA singles first-round match in straight sets, 6-4 and 6-2.
“I struggled in the beginning but then things started to click,” Cariov recalled. “I had enough to win it. I remember thinking what a treat it was to be playing in the NCAA tournament.
“It was very exciting. I remember thinking that I was able to succeed even though I had missed the practice round. I had played against him before and had confidence going in.”
It was just the opposite in the second round. His match was against Alex Hartman from Ole Miss, an adversary Cariov had lost to earlier in his career at the juniors level.
“That second match didn’t go as planned,” Cariov said about the 6-3, 6-4 setback at Georgia, which hosted the event. “I had a hard time getting started and I think the loss at the juniors level still haunted me. It felt like I never reached my full potential in that match.
“What the NCAA experience taught me was to never take anything for granted. Cherish every moment and whatever it brings. The NCAA singles tournament is such a big event, you just have to cherish it.”
Cariov looks back at a significant move he made in college that led to his NCAA experience.
“I played at Texas Tech my first two years of college,” said Cariov, who currently resides in Boulder, Colo. and has continued his success on the tennis court. “One of the reasons I transferred to DePaul was to become the team’s No. 1 player and qualify for the NCAA tournament.”
After a seven-year layoff from the sport, Cariov returned to competitive form in 2015 and won the Broomfield Open Championship. He was a conditioning coach for top players at the Rocky Mountain Tennis Center and advanced to the title match of the highly competitive Babolat Boulder Open.
On Saturday night, the native of Lithuania returns to his collegiate home to be celebrated for his singular achievement in the history of DePaul men’s tennis.
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For information on the Feb. 25 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony including purchasing tickets, please contact Catherine Ramsey at cramsey@depaul.edu or 773-325-7504.
