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39 B eing one of two freshmen on a team full of upperclassmen can be intimidating to some, but for University of Iowa men's tennis rookie Peter Alam, he is taking everything in stride. "I think the best thing about Peter is that he has been able to figure out how we do things and mesh well with his teammates," said Mellecker Family Head Men's Tennis Coach Ross Wilson. "Some freshmen come in hot and he's not that way. He will stand back, observe and see where he can fit in." Alam, a native of Manchester, England, was inserted into both the singles and doubles lineup last month at the start of Big Ten competition. He is seeing action at No. 6 singles and No. 3 doubles with senior Joe Tyler. Alam says the biggest thing he has adjusted to since arriving on campus is nerves. "Before, when I would play matches, I would never get nervous," Alam said. "e guys told me there is nothing like the nerves you get when playing your first college match and I kind of brushed it aside. But when I played my first match, I could feel it." Alam, who is one of five British student-athletes on the team, said one of the main reasons he chose Iowa was because of the British flavor up and down the roster. "I thought it would be easier to integrate with the guys," said Alam. "e humor and chemistry off the court is good and it has been easier for us to click." One of his teammates who he has been clicking with, is Tyler at No. 3 doubles. Wilson says Tyler has taken Alam under his wing. "I think it's one of those relationships where Joe is the big brother; he's been through all the battles and knows what it takes to win here," Wilson said. "He is able to keep Pete focused and intense in the appropriate moments." Between dates on the schedule, the Hawkeyes have spirited practices, which Alam said is a different dynamic than he was used to in England. "e practices are much more intense here," said Alam. "Obviously, you are playing for a team, so you need to be there for your teammates and bring energy. From what I heard about this team from previous years, their vocal presence on the court has helped win matches." Wilson said Alam has an abundance of talent and ability and is excited to see his progress as the season progresses. "He has a good serve and hits the ball clean off his forehand," Wilson said. "He has a good body for tennis. He is a good team guy and fits in well with our guys. Hopefully we are at the point where he starts to assert himself more because his teammates and coaches respect him and know he can be a great player." MARCH SCHEDULE 5 at Illinois 7 at Northwestern 12 Wisconsin 14 Minnesota 19 Michigan 21 Michigan State 26 at Penn State 28 at Ohio State