As a member of the Gators, Hulewicz would have had a great shot at winning conference and national titles. Instead, Hulewicz is 1,000 miles north playing at MSU, a moribund tennis program coming off its first winless Big Ten season since 1991.

“I could have gone to Florida,” said Hulewicz, whose sister Sara starred for the MSU women’s tennis team in the 1990s. “But I wanted to see different players, a different environment, different cultures, different everything.”

The tropical palm trees that dot the Sunshine State have been replaced by mountains of snow, but Hulewicz’s dominance hasn’t changed.

Despite the struggles his team has endured, Hulewicz has had an incredible freshman season, compiling a 26-12 overall record, including 6-4 in the difficult Big Ten.

Hulewicz will look to put the finishing touches on his season at noon today, when the No. 11-seed Spartans take on No. 6-seed Indiana (13-13, 5-5) in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament.

“My goal was to go at least .500 in Big Ten play, so I’m happy I accomplished that,” Hulewicz said. “I hope to get another one this week.”

Hulewicz did most of his damage at No. 5 singles, where he’s compiled a 14-4 record, but he’s also experienced success in the No. 4 slot, going 4-1.

“A lot of the matches I’ve pulled out this year have been extremely close, they could have gone either way,” Hulewicz said. “Being more relaxed and using some tips from the psychologist, I’ve been able to do that.”

‘Ronnie being Ronnie’

After finishing the fall with a 7-7 record, few saw Hulewicz’s sudden rise to stardom coming.

Despite Hulewicz’s track record in high school, senior John Allare said he’s been impressed by his rapid improvement.

“In the fall, I didn’t think he would be able to win all these matches,” Allare said. “But he’s been beating people that are really good tennis players just by Ronnie being Ronnie.”

He’s listed at 6-feet, but Hulewicz’s slender build often draws mocking from his teammates. Junior Jason Norville added that Hulewicz isn’t the most athletic guy in the world, either.

Although it prompts some playful jeering, head coach Gene Orlando said his modest physical presence works in his favor.

“A lot of people look at him and they think they should beat him,” Orlando said. “When they find out they’re not beating him, it really starts messing with the opponent, and the next thing you know, they’re sitting on the bench thinking, ‘How did I lose that first set?’”

While he’s known for frustrating his opponents, Hulewicz hardly ever gets rattled. Heeding advice from his coaches and team psychologist, his demeanor varies from stoic to very stoic.

Norville said his mental makeup allows him to make up for some of his physical shortcomings.

“One of the biggest things in tennis is the mind,” Norville said. “He doesn’t let the opponent get to him and he deals with the highs and lows in a match well, and that’s led to some of his success.”

With three seniors set to graduate, Hulewicz likely will ascend to one of the top two singles spots next season — a slot that will allow him to play some of the best players in the country.

Hulewicz said he’s excited for the challenge, but acknowledged he’s not quite ready yet.

“I’m playing well now, but I look forward to developing quite a bit over the summer and in the fall,” he said. “When the time comes I’ll be ready.”