Junior Quinn Dippel continues to make strides throughout his college career in the Creighton tennis program.

Through the first portion of the 2015 spring season, the junior is currently 3-2 singles and 3-2 in doubles.

“Mainly, I chose Creighton because of the great school and the group of guys on the tennis team,” Dippel said. “Our team is really close. We all get along really well; we work together and pump each other up.”

Dippel joined the tennis program in the fall of 2012 and later received Missouri Valley Player of the Week on March 20, 2013. Dippel finished his first season 7-10 in singles.

“Over the course of the two and a half years he’s been here, he has improved a lot,” coach Tom Lilly said. “He’s a hard worker, and he is very competitive, so he’s always going to be there at every practice, every match, going after everything he can as hard as he can.”

Dippel finished his sophomore spring season 9-7 in singles and 3-1 in doubles.

“He has a really big forehand. He moves well around the court and has a steady backhand, but his forehand is really his shot; he can hit any ball on the forehand side,” Lilly said.

It wasn’t until Dippel’s sophomore year that he started playing doubles and singles for the tennis team, but he still prefers to play singles over doubles.

There has been a lot of time put into Dippel’s game in order to make the improvements he has made over these last couple years. In addition to practicing with the team, he tries to get any extra time in on the court.

“It’s come around, and he’s playing number two; he’s out-worked a lot of people, and his game has just improved,” Lilly said.

Dippel takes advantage of his free time in the summer to really focus on his tennis game.

“During the summers I usually play two to three hours a day, and then in offseason I work on lifting and running, mainly just trying to stay in shape,” Dippel said.

Not only does the time and work improve his game, but Dippel also believes the team has an impact on everyone’s improvement.

“We motivate each other and try to make each other better in practice every day. Everyone wants to beat each other in practice and I think that helps us focus more and make each other better,” Dippel said.

Over the course of his collegiate career, Dippel has made numerous memories with the team, one of them being the Big East Tournament last year. The team went to Flushing Meadows, home of the US Open. They were also able to hit in the Louis Armstrong stadium.

As Creighton finishes up its season and picks up again next year, Dippel is expected to continue to make an impact and improve his game.

“He keeps taking his game up a notch, about every two weeks he’s improving something. The latest thing he’s improved is his net game, and that was something that has always been his weakness and just trying to finish points at the net,” Lilly said. “You have to do that in order to play at the top two positions that he’s been playing at.”

The Creighton men’s tennis team is currently 4-1 and continues its spring season at home Saturday, Feb. 14 against Hastings College.