Sewickley Academy grad Luke Ross to begin next chapter after tennis career comes to an end

Tennis has always been a main focus for former PIAA and WPIAL singles champion Luke Ross.

During his time at Sewickley Academy, between 2014-17, Ross won three WPIAL singles titles, two PIAA singles titles, and was a PIAA runner-up his freshman year. He could’ve won an additional title but took the 2015 season off to train in Florida.

It was a storied high school tennis career that Ross continued at Georgetown where he won 26 matches between his freshman and sophomore seasons. His junior year was canceled by the pandemic, and the Hoyas played a limited schedule this spring.

“This has definitely been a unique experience that not many people get to do,” Ross said. “It was very challenging obviously, but also very rewarding as well.”

In March of last year, Ross and his teammates were in Florida playing Marquette in a Big East conference matchup, and the team’s sports information director told them their season was finished. But that’s not where Ross’s tennis career ended, and he was thankful for that.

After their 2019-20 season was canceled, the Hoyas went a whole year without official practices and just started to practice again in March of this year.

“We definitely didn’t think there was going to be a season and then all of a sudden D.C. started to allow Georgetown to bring back more sports than they had already,” Ross said.

The Hoyas got in three matches, wins over Howard and Loyola Maryland, and suffered a close 3-4 loss to Villanova. They earned the final spot in the Big East Conference tournament before falling to eventual champion Depaul.

“It was bittersweet, and it was nice to have a season after all,” Ross said. “Even if it was a shortened one, especially for us seniors. I wasn’t expecting anything at all, so it was more sweet than bitter.”

During his time at Georgetown, Ross said he created a lot of memories with teammates and friends while adjusting to life at the collegiate level, while also balancing schoolwork. He was named a Big East All-Academic selection during his freshman year.

Ross said although it was a whirlwind experience at Georgetown, he said a particular moment during his sophomore year stuck out to him. The Hoyas were down 3-2 against Villanova with Ross and teammate Mark Militzer still remaining on the court and both down a set.

Both players came back in their matches, with Ross winning his final two sets, 7-5, 6-3, and Militzer winning his final two sets 6-4, 6-0.

“It was super exciting and we ended up winning 4-3; it was a great match,” Ross said. “But winning at Big East my sophomore year was pretty exciting as well. There have just been a lot of memories that’s for sure.”

Although Ross said he’ll continue to play whenever he can, his senior season at Georgetown brought an end to his competitive career as he jumps into the next chapter of his live, which is something that he’s been dreaming about since he was young.

Upon graduation from Georgetown, Ross said he’ll be attending Temple University’s School of Medicine in Philadelphia.

“For as long as I remember I’ve always wanted to be a doctor,” Ross said. “My parents are doctors and my sisters are doctors as well.”

One of Luke’s sisters, Carolina Ross, was the 2012 WPIAL and PIAA doubles champion with teammate Logan Antill.