Up close and personal, Lukas Koncilia is warm and engaging. He’s soft-spoken and polite in conversation, and his brown eyes are disarming. But from 78 feet away – the length of a tennis court – he makes quite a different impression.
He plays aggressively, looking to strike winners early in rallies. He wants to vanquish his opponents as quickly as possible.
Last spring, Koncilia had a breakout season, going 15-4 at No. 1 singles. His record was so impressive that he was named the 2010 SoCon Men’s Tennis Player of the Year, and he made the All-Conference first teams for both singles and doubles players. This coming spring the senior from Innsbruck, Austria, will compete in his final season of collegiate tennis, hopefully leading the Cougars to a conference title.
Regardless of what happens, he’s already added to the Koncilia family’s athletic legacy, making tennis headlines to complement the achievements of his father and uncle, both of whom played professional soccer three decades ago and were members of Austria’s national team.
Soon, his star could shine brighter than his relatives.
“Lukas is a great all-court player, with weapons to dictate from the start of every point and the attitude to get to the next level,” says men’s tennis head coach Jay Bruner. “He has gained valuable experience at the top of the lineup and has the potential to gain national recognition.”
Photo by Mike Ledford
