The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

JOSHUA Turnquest was more than delighted with his freshman year at Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky.

He was named the Eagles men's tennis Player of the Year and was selected to the NAIA Second Team All-American, all during the month of May.

"The season was pretty good," said Turnquest, who is back home on his summer vacation. "In the fall, I was able to compete in the ITA event and I made it and because of that, I got a ranking of number 48 and we made it to Nationals.

"We won our conference and I was able to win Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year and All-Conference Team. As a team, as a result of competing in the Nationals, our ranking jumped from 26 to 17. So it was a pretty good year for me."

Turnquest finished the season 18-3 in doubles play and from his No. 1 singles position he went an impressive 23-2 over the course of the year, including in the ITA Regionals back in the fall.

Turnquest was instrumental in the Eagles' River States Conference win in the conference tournament as well as a big piece of their upset in the NAIA National Tournament over the College of Coastal Georgia for the progamme's first-ever National Tournament win.

Adding to an already impressive list of accomplishments this season including conference Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year, Turnquest picked up his first NAIA All-American selection in just his first season in AU purple and white.

"It was shocking to me because I was definitely playing very well and I felt very confident of my performance," Turnquest stressed. "I put in a lot of hard work. Before I went to school, I put in a lot work because I really wanted to go to a good school.

"I want to thank coach Jarred Miller at Asbury because if it wasn't for him, I would not have made it. He gave me a shot and I went there and I made the most of the opportunity to play college tennis."

In his spare time as he try to stay active so that he can be ready to return for his sophomore year in August, Turnquest said he will be working out with the younger tennis players at the National Tennis Center.

"I know they have the Youth Commonwealth Games coming up and so I'm practicing with them, making sure that they are in shape," he said. "I'm working on my game as well as I work on getting ready for the fall season.

"I have a lot of work to do on my doubles game. I mostly focus on singles, but I got a little better in doubles. I just need to be able to play with someone else and still compete at a high level."

Looking at his season, Turnquest said the ITA Tournament he competed in during the fall of 2016 was his most memorable.

"Coach told me that I was the first rookie to come in and made the semifinal in the history of Asbury," Turnquest said. "It was really motivating for me to do that.

"But this upcoming fall, I want to win that tournament so that I can go to the individual nationals. So that is my first priority when I go back to school in August."

If there were any tournament that he would like to erase of his profile, it would have been one he played in Richmond, Virginia.

"The guy I played was very good. He played for Virginia Tech," Turnquest reflected. "He was the number two ranked player, but I didn't play that well at all. I want to forgot it, but I want to keep it in mind to see how well I've progressed over the season."

Turnquest, 18, is a 6-feet, 2-inch 2015 graduate of CV Bethel Secondary High where he played basketball, softball and baseball.

The son of Bernadette and Jeffery Turnquest and sibling to former tennis player Victoria Turnquest left some words of advise to the younger players here at home.

"Just believe in yourself," he quipped. "You could have the game, but without the mental strength, it doesn't matter. So just stay strong mentally and just go out there and play hard."

Every year that he's been home and he had the opportunity to do so, Turnquest said he's given it his best shot against the elite players in the country.

He noted that he would like to one day represent the Bahamas on the Davis Cup team. But he know that with the team traveling while he is in college, it's going to be difficult right now.

"Unfortunately for my, even if I get into the top four where I would be able to be on the team," he pointed out. "I still won't be able to compete because it's when my college season is on.

So I just go out there to give my teammates some good competition."

Before he leave on August 12, Turnquest said he would like to get to play in a tournament or two to show everybody the progress that he's made.