Jobe getting job done at Boise St.
By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer
Ikaika Jobe is having an unexpected homecoming tennis party this week.
H
e'd like to celebrate it with a Western Athletic Conference championship.
Jobe
Jobe, a 2001 Punahou graduate, is a senior for the Boise State men's team. All the WAC teams — men and women — are here this week for the WAC Championship Tournament at the UH Tennis Complex.
Jobe transferred to Boise State prior to this school year after three years at Saint Louis University.
"I knew this was my last year of college tennis, so I wanted to make it a good one," said Jobe, who was raised in 'Aina Haina.
The Broncos are 28-7 and the No. 1 seed in the men's draw. Jobe is 25-12 as a singles player.
"We're having one of our best years ever and Ikaika has been the heart and soul of our team," Boise State head coach Greg Patton said.
Jobe said his decision to leave Saint Louis was "mostly because of tennis." When Jobe was a nationally ranked youth player, Patton was one of his coaches.
"It was like a coconut falling out of the tree and hitting me on the head," Patton said of Jobe's transfer. "I knew he'd come in and improve our program."
Jobe said he does not regret his move to Boise State, and he even enjoys the cold winter.
"It was really cold, but it was fun because there's skiing right around the corner," he said.
It will be far from cold at the UH Tennis Complex this week, and the Hawai'i teams are hoping to take advantage.
"A lot of teams we play here complain about how hot it is, but we deal with it every day," said Lauren Fitzgerald, a senior on the UH women's team.
Ryan Sceats of the UH men's team added: "We're used to the weather, we're used to the courts. We feel like we have a chance against any team here."
Both the UH men and women are No. 6 seeds. Hawai'i is hosting the WAC tournament for the first time since 1984.
"Having it here is huge for the whole tennis community in Hawai'i," UH women's coach Carolyn Katayama said.
The Hawai'i players are hoping it leads to some hometown support this week.
"We normally have our solid fan base of about seven," Fitzgerald said with a laugh. "But I think we'll have a little more this week."
Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8101.
