Fab Five: Eric Cito

Photographs have the ability to capture important pieces of our past and help us recall people, places, feelings, and memories that made an impact on our lives. For many scholar-athletes, pictures secure those special moments and assist in making their collegiate careers last forever.

In a feature called “Fab Five”, Triton scholar-athletes are tasked to pick five of their favorite photos to be highlighted on UCSDtritons.com. 

Today, it's the turn of men's tennis player Eric Cito. 

As a sophomore in 2022, Eric was one of the Tritons' top doubles players, forming a formidable partnership with redshirt senior Zach Ermert. The two finished with a 7-6 record, including a run of five straight victories in early March. One of those wins came via a tiebreaker against UC Riverside on March 7, earning the Tritons a crucial 1-0 lead in the match. In singles play, the team converted that lead into UC San Diego's first ever Big West Conference win.

A San Diego native, Eric is an electrical and computer engineering major at Warren College, and served as the men's tennis team representative on the Triton Athlete's Council last year.

1. Eyes on the Prize

Taken at practice. Some dread hearing the word practice, but for me it's what I look forward to the most during the day. Practice is where all life's problems can be dropped and the focus be turned into one singular object, a fuzzy yellow ball. This picture showcases the hours and effort put into practice in conjunction to the hours and effort put into studies. Part of what makes being a scholar-athlete so exciting and challenging is finding the right balance between the two.

2. Focus and Drive

If I could describe this photo in one word, it would be energy. This match was a demonstration of the ability of our doubles within the Big West. Going 7-5 in the tiebreaker and winning 7-6 to secure the doubles point, this match was especially special for me and was a big turning point for my confidence. This particular photo is extra special as it was against a top team in our conference, Hawaii. The hours of hard work and strategizing paid off.

3. Practice Makes Perfect

The serve is what I consider to be one of the most important shots in tennis. For this very reason I consider it to be my own favorite shot. A tennis player's serve is the only shot where the player has full control. For this reason it gives the player a chance to start with a concrete advantage. With its importance to the game, I have spent a lot of time perfecting. The ability it has to give the player momentum is just what any tennis player needs to take home a win. 

4. Off to the Races

This picture is from our warm-up against Villanova in which we secured our very first Division I win! Not only is this an historic win for the program, but it also showcases an important part of our pregame routine in which we get ourselves pumped up. 

5. Second Family

Pictured is my team from the 2021-2022 school year. From getting meals together to studying for finals in Geisel Library, the memories made with these fellow gentlemen are irreplaceable. Although tennis can be considered an individual sport, what makes college tennis so great is having your best friends supporting you at every step. I am incredibly grateful to have my teammates and coaches in my life to mentor me not only on the court, but also off it. The lessons they have taught me will continue to shape me as a person and a player. I cannot wait to carry those lessons with me for the rest of my tennis career and into my professional career and personal life.