While 2024 marks just the second season of existence for the Sun Prairie United boys tennis co-op, there’s reason for excitement within the program. United remained fairly in tact following the end of 2023, losing seniors Noah Berg (No. 1 doubles), Pallav Karri (No. 1 doubles), and Prabhav Karri (No. 2 doubles) to graduation.
The core of the team returns, headlined by standout senior Nikko Vilwock. He was elected as the team’s captain for the third consecutive season in 2024, and for good reason. He’s a two-time Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) state qualifier. As a sophomore in 2022, he finished as state runner-up as part of a No. 1 doubles duo. He went solo in 2023, qualifying for individual No. 1 singles state as a sectional runner-up.
While Vilwock brings a veteran leadership role to the singles group, sophomore Gavin Bruere represents the future. He broke onto the scene as a promising freshman last season, often filling a No. 3 singles role. He could climb to No. 2 this spring, learning from Vilwock as the heir apparent as Sun Prairie’s top singles player.
Challenging for that No. 2 singles spot is another sophomore, Aashrith Kamini. He was another immediate contributor as a freshman last season, often filling the role of No. 4 singles. No matter which one takes the top spot between Bruere and Kamini, the future remains bright for the program in singles.
The sophomore class’ talent extends over to doubles, as well. Monith Venigalla hopped right into a No. 2 doubles duo as a freshman last season and picked up some valuable varsity experience. This spring, he’ll be paired with veteran senior Quinton Maddax, who played No. 3 doubles last season and placed third at WIAA sectionals.
Three more seniors will add depth to the lineup, as well. Mandeep Srirameneni played No. 2 doubles last season and should fill a similar role. Sam Ebersole dabbled in both singles and doubles last spring, but is a likely candidate for doubles depth this season. Carter Giese is in the same boat, pushing for No. 2 doubles also.
United’s new season was supposed to begin on Thursday, April 4 with a home match against La Follette. That competition was cancelled due to a snow storm. Now, Sun Prairie will hope to open the season against another Big Eight conference opponent, Madison East, at home on Monday, April 8. That potential opening week could be a busy one as United is also slated to travel to Middleton for a match on Thursday, April 11 and compete in the La Crosse Area Tennis Invitational on Saturday, April 13.
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