Michael Duquette could have been frustrated. He could have been discouraged. He could have given up.

But after struggling through a tough 2000 season, the Virginia men’s tennis player didn’t give in. He kept on going and worked hard in the offseason, and this year, he has turned things around.

Duquette has “come an incredibly long way in the past 12 months,” Virginia coach Dick Stockton said. “He’s a completely different player now. I’m very pleased with the progress he has made.”

Because of the team’s injury problems last year, Duquette was thrown suddenly into the grueling scene of college tennis mid-season, when inexperience and intimidation plagued the freshman. At the No. 6 singles spot, he finished with a mediocre record of 5-12 overall, 1-3 in the ACC.

It’s a different story this year, however. Even though Duquette, a sophomore, still finds himself as the youngest player in Virginia’s lineup, last season’s struggles are nonexistent. Duquette’s impressive play in the fall earned him the No. 4 singles spot, where he has compiled an overall record of 11-12, 2-4 ACC so far. And with two match-winning victories against William & Mary and Clemson, he also has proven to be a crucial factor for the Cavaliers.

“I love having him on the team,” Stockton said. “He’s a great athlete and is very fast. His improvements show his terrific heart and attitude. He’s played some excellent tennis lately.”

“I’ve just been able to step up my game and play well,” Duquette added. “I realize that every match I play is really important for the team.”

On and off the courts, Duquette continues to work hard in whatever he does. He has a passion for education and hopes to teach government – his major at Virginia – as well as coach tennis in high school. The past two summers he has enjoyed running an advanced unit clinic in tennis for children at a club in Norfolk, Va., where he lives.

“It would be really exciting for me to be able to be a teacher and a coach,” Duquette said. “It would be a lot of fun.”

In pursuing his future, Duquette has received support from his parents – both teachers and Virginia alumni who attend as many matches as they can – as well as sophomore Pete Cownie, his good friend that also is his teammate and last year’s roommate.

“He could do whatever he wants,” Cownie said. “He’s a very hard worker and has come the farthest among everyone. He’s got a lot of energy and is a really wound up guy. That’s his best quality as an athlete.”

Duquette’s combined youth and talent not only play a part in his pursuit of his aspirations, but also make him a big part of the future of Virginia men’s tennis. With four seniors in the Cavalier lineup leaving after this year – including the top three – he will most likely move up to No. 1 and be more important than ever for Virginia next season. He has a big weight on his shoulders, and things definitely won’t get easier.

But one thing is clear: His hard work ethic already has once pulled him through, and it can definitely help him again.

“He’s going have to step it up to another level to hold his own at No. 1 next year,” Stockton said. “But he’s capable. If he continues to work hard, he’s going to do fine.”