The Easterner spotlights Nico Riego de Dios

Most EWU students would prefer to live in a place that has consistent 90-degree weather, but not Nico Riego de Dios. He chose the cold weather of Cheney over his humid home in the Philippines.

De Dios, a senior at EWU and the lone upperclassmen on the men’s tennis team, is just two wins away from moving into fourth place all time for men’s single matches.

“To be honest, it is an individual goal, but I’m focusing on my team,” said de Dios. “But I’m definitely looking forward to breaking some records.”

De Dios was born and raised in Olongapo City where he first found his passion for tennis. His parents, Rico and Divina, are both avid tennis players. He has been around the sport since he was 4 years old, starting as a ball boy for his father.

“I got the fundamentals and the correct technique from my parents, so it makes the sport really fun,” de Dios said.

He gained his experience playing tennis at Olongapo City National High School and competing in pro circuits across the country. He was spotted at a match in Tacoma by a former EWU tennis coach who offered him a scholarship. De Dios returned home to talk it over with his parents, ultimately deciding to come to Eastern’s campus.

When he first arrived on campus, de Dios suffered a groin injury. He believes it was due to the drastic change in the weather. His body wasn’t ready for such a drastic climate change. With the experience, he has grown to appreciate what trainers can do for a team and has chosen to major in exercise science and physical therapy.

“Some Filipinos think academics are second to sports but [academics] is a good thing to have on your belt once you graduate,” de Dios said.

Changing his play style was one of the harder things de Dios had to do once he moved to Cheney. The courts are different here than in the Philippines. There, he played on clay courts, but here, the courts are a harder surface.

“When I first came here, I was a baseliner [player who prefers long shots], but in order to win points on a hard court, you need to attack the net, so I had to develop a net game,” de Dios said.

De Dios also had to grow familiar with playing doubles. He always played singles matches and never attempted doubles until he moved to the states. It was no problem for him, however, as he and former teammate Kyle Schraeder became the most successful men’s doubles team to ever step foot on an Eastern tennis court. Last season, they  ranked 68th in the nation and even defeated the 30th-ranked team.

His favorite part about having the opportunity to be a Division I athlete is the chance to play good schools and good players. Playing in Division I is a big thing for de Dios.

“It’s a pleasure for me to play here because in the Philippines we don’t have the same opportunities,” said de Dios. “Knowing you’ve played in Division I is very recognizing.”

De Dios was injured at the start of the season, but has fully recovered and is now ready to lead the team to the Big Sky Conference Tournament. This season, all the members of the team are freshmen and sophomores, with the exception of de Dios whose experience will help the team achieve their goals.

De Dios’s time as an Eagle is coming to an end in a mere three months, but he is making the most of it by preparing and praying for each and every match with his iPod turned to the latest Jay-Z album, which to help him focus on his opponent.

“It’s all about God for me. I just meditate and focus on my game plan,” said de Dios. “I just try and grasp everything I see [about my opponent] and just be myself.”