College sports can be about friendship as much as competition.
Take senior men's tennis players Ryan Stotland and David Kowalski.
Stotland and Kowalski are teammates and roommates. Together they are having two of the most successful tennis careers UNM has ever seen.
In doubles, Kowalski and Stotland are ranked fourth in the country, and earlier this year, they were the first to make it to the finals of a national tournament, taking the stage at the Icy Hot-ITA All-American Championships.
But how does a kid like Stotland, from the cold, forested land of Boise, Idaho, become a friend, roommate and dynamic tennis partner to someone like Kowalski, who is from hot, dry Las Cruces.
"Well, we have been friends since the first day of college," Stotland said. "And now that we live together, it's like we are brothers."
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Kowalski and Stotland are the only two remaining seniors on the team from their freshman year, and according to Kowalski, it has made them closer friends to see how much each player loves the game.
It wasn't until a year ago that the dynamic duo was paired, and they have been inseparable ever since.
"We were just kind of mixing and matching doubles teams, and these guys really started to show me something," head coach Alan Dils said. "They meshed well together both on and off the court."
Coach Dils wasn't the only one impressed with Kowalski and Stotland's play in doubles. The two entered the season ranked third in the nation in doubles.
As for living together, that is new to them.
"My brother and I were looking for another roommate, and Ryan just happened to be looking for a place," Kowalski said. "So we asked him if he wanted to, and sure enough, he took up our offer."
The two said they don't think living together affects their game much. They agree it seems to be to their advantage.
"It's great living together because we both have the same schedule, so there really aren't any conflicts," Kowalski said. "It seems to help on the court, because we each have a better understanding of each other. We know more or less where the other one is going to be."
Living together also helps the players accept leadership responsibilities as the seniors on a relatively young team.
"We are really too busy to get to go out together much, but every now and then we get Downtown," Stotland said. "We really try to plan free-time events with the team like bowling or going out to eat just to relax and have fun."
Their coach said the bonding time is paying off.
"They have really done a good job of mentoring this year to try to help the team for the future," Dils said.
As for living in the same house after a rough day on the court, Stotland and Kowalski said they try to keep the tennis on the court and just relax at home.
"We really don't ever fight unless it's jokingly," Kowalski said.
That is just what the coach said he likes to hear.
"They play so well together on the court, and they both have such a desire to win," Dils said. "I would hate to see them get mad at each other and blow everything they have worked so hard on."
The duo realizes the pressure is on for the rest of the season with such a high ranking.
"Everyone is going to be gunning for us, and they are going to come out with nothing to lose," Kowalski said. "I just hope I can get healthy and pick up my play."
"We both just want to win the conference and hopefully become All-Americans," Stotland said.
If they can pull it off, they would become UNM's first All-Americans since 1999.
And they wouldn't even have to argue over who gets to keep the plaque at their house.
Kowalski and Stotland will wrap up their home season this weekend against Santa Clara University at noon.
