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thedrifter
03-08-07, 07:51 AM
Posted on Thu, Mar. 08, 2007

Tennis star will attend Naval Academy
West senior is also first in class academically
BY DEAN CRIDDLE
News-Democrat

BELLEVILLE - For Belleville West senior Nick Birger, the dream has become a reality.

One of the metro-east's top students and tennis players for the past three years, Birger has announced he will attend and play tennis at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., beginning this summer.

Ranked first academically in his class at West, Birger was nominated for his appointment by U.S. Rep. Jerry Costello.

"I've been thinking the Navy would be a great place to go since about my sophomore year. I couldn't be any happier with the future that I have," Birger said. "I also looked at West Point and took an official visit to the Air Force Academy.

"I really can't say anything bad about any of the service academies. They are all great. I just felt like Navy was the best place for me."

Birger, one of the top players on the Missouri Valley Tennis circuit for the past several years, has been one of the state's top prep players for the past two years.

Teaming with Maroons senior Brian Zaron, the doubles tandem has placed fifth and third in the IHSA State Tournament the past two seasons and will head into the 2007 season considered one of the top doubles team in the state.

Birger has already had a small taste of what the Naval Academy will be like. He attended a summer seminar -- a mini boot camp -- last year, then took his official visit in September.

A member of the Patriot League, Navy is an NCAA Division I program and is coached by John Officer.

"I got to meet the guys on the tennis team when I went out in the fall and Coach (Officer) calls me about once a week to let me know how the team is doing," Birger said. "Navy is usually among the top teams in the conference, and I know they play a top schedule against teams like North Carolina and Georgetown."

Birger will leave for Annapolis on June 27.

"They call that I-day. It's when they shave my head and yell at me a lot," Birger said, laughing. "But that starts six weeks of pretty rigorous physical and mental testing. I've done a lot of research."

After graduating from the Naval Academy, students are then ensigns in the Navy or second lieutenants in the Marines.

The minimum service requirement after graduation is five years.

"Right now, I'm thinking that I'll probably do more than five years," Birger said. "I just really like a lot of things about being a member of a service academy."

Birger plans on majoring in political science at Navy.

Contact reporter Dean Criddle at 239-2665 or dcriddle@bnd.com.

Ellie