The transition from high school into a first-year college student can be a challenging time, but Luis Kleinschnitz’s experience was especially fraught with emotion.
Just a few weeks before Luis was scheduled to move from Eichenau, Germany to start his freshman year as a tennis player at The University of Toledo, his mother, Kerstin, lost her battle with cancer. Kleinschnitz, an only child, had to make the difficult choice of staying in Germany with his father or going to school in a country where he knew no one.
CELEBRATING SUCCESS: UToledo recognizes the Class of 2023 with a series of stories featuring students receiving their degrees at spring commencement.
Kleinschnitz was conflicted but he felt he knew what his mother would have wanted him to do.
“My mom would have said that I was stupid if I didn’t go because she knew it was my dream,” Kleinschnitz said. “We talked about it before as well, and she said, ‘Whatever happens, I want you to go.’ ”
Fast forward four years and Kleinschnitz is concluding his collegiate tennis career on a high note, to say the least. He is graduating with a degree in university studies with a concentration in education on Saturday, the same day the Rockets played the University of Michigan in first-round action of the NCAA Men’s Tennis Tournament in Ann Arbor, the school’s first-ever appearance in the national championships.
Kleinschnitz has been a key player on a Toledo team that won its first Mid-American Conference Championship in 50 years. The Rockets won the title and a berth into the NCAAs with a dramatic 4-3 victory over Western Michigan on April 23. Kleinschnitz came through in the clutch, winning his match at No. 6 singles. Best of all, his father, Stephen, and his girlfriend, Luise, who had flown in from Germany to attend his graduation ceremony, were able to watch the match.
Kleinschnitz’s journey from Germany to Toledo began at a tournament in Cologne, where Toledo head coach Al Wermer happened to be the audience recruiting. Wermer came away impressed, and not just by Kleinschnitz’s forehand.
“Luis was sturdy,” Wermer recalled. “My biggest impression when I sat down and chatted with Luis and his dad is that they were very sincere and grounded. I really liked them a lot.”
Following conversations and continued communication with Wermer, Kleinschnitz took the leap and committed to Toledo. “I heard from other (international) players that took the opportunity to play in the U.S. that it focused on the sport a lot and they felt supported,” Kleinschnitz said.
Senior men’s tennis player Luis Kleinschnitz poses with the MAC 2023 Tournament Champion trophy, along with his girlfriend, Luise, and his father, Stephen, both of whom flew in from Germany for his graduation.
Kleinschnitz faced some initial challenges when he first enrolled at UToledo. For example, though he began learning English in school around the age of 11, he still struggled with the language. But being part of a supportive team helped smooth the transition. In that first year, Kleinschnitz and teammates Max Skaer and Krzysztof Wetoszka lived together, trained together, traveled together and coached each other, on and off the court. After that, Kleinschnitz knew he had made the right choice.
“The team helped me a lot with the language barrier and with my situation,” Kleinschnitz said. “All of the people who already graduated, our assistant coach, and Coach Al of course, every person was just amazing. There were moments when it was hard, but they made it easier for me and made it better.
“I told my dad what an amazing time I had after my freshman year, how great the people were. He knew I was going to be OK. I would have told him if I had any issues.”
Kleinschnitz’s father has made two trips to the U.S. to visit Luis, including his current visit in which he originally intended to attend his son’s graduation. With the Rockets playing in the NCAA Tournament last Saturday, Kleinschnitz and his family missed the commencement ceremony, but the trade-off was clearly worth it.
“I was sad at first, obviously, because my dad and girlfriend came across another continent to see me walk across the stage,” Kleinschnitz said. “I think my other (graduating) teammates probably felt the same way. It was tough to know that we were going to play on Saturday, but nevertheless, we’re here to play tennis with the best 64 teams in the NCAA. It’s an honor for all of us and everyone who was involved with getting us to this point.”
However, Kleinschnitz and fellow men’s tennis graduates Skaer, Wetoszka and Luka Jankovic did not completely miss out on a graduation experience. UToledo President Dr. Gregory Postel presided over a private ceremony after practice on Thursday in which he personally presented them with their diplomas.
Just a few weeks before Luis Kleinschnitz was scheduled to move from Eichenau, Germany to start his freshman year as a tennis player at UToledo, his mother, Kerstin, lost her battle with cancer. Kleinschnitz would honor his mother in each match he played by wearing one pink sock or wristband.
For Kleinschnitz, this weekend brought him full circle back to those difficult days four years ago when he lost his mother on the eve of beginning his college journey. He is happy, though, that he has been able to honor his mother’s memory as part of his experience as a Rocket. One event that the men’s tennis program holds annually is the “Toledo vs. Cancer Invitational” to promote awareness and raise money for breast cancer research. It is a tradition that the team holds close to their hearts, because like Kleinschnitz, most or all of the players on the team have or had someone in their family affected by cancer.
“It’s good to create awareness of cancer because there are so many families affected by it,” Kleinschnitz said. “It’s important to know about it and hopefully raise some money for the cause. My freshman year Coach Al told asked me if it was OK that we did the fundraiser, and that was a really good move. That year, we did some volunteer work with ‘Relay for Life’ and did as many activities as we could to bring awareness for cancer.”
Kleinschnitz also honors his mother in each match he plays by wearing one pink sock or wristband. He wore those mementos one last time as a collegiate tennis player last weekend before he returns to Germany to continue his education to reach his goal of becoming a teacher. In the meantime, he reveled in his final days as a Rocket.
“Everyone who plays college tennis wants to achieve something big and winning the MAC after 50 years is something very special,” Kleinschnitz said. “Winning the tournament and the regular season title – the feelings I experienced were insane. And playing against a Big Ten team in the NCAAs is the best outcome because I just wanted to make it to the tournament so badly.
“Doing that with my teammates, with my friends, is such an amazing feeling. I dreamed about it but I couldn’t have imagined it.”
