PROVO – Sophomore Zach Fuchs is looking forward to another season with his teammates, especially after last year was cut short by an injury. Learn more about the California native:
Two-Sport Athlete
Fuchs played both baseball and tennis growing up, earning accolades in both. He was first team all-league in baseball and won a section championship on the diamond. Fuchs decided to focus on tennis his senior year, with his best finish third place in doubles at NorCal Sectionals.
The pivot to tennis resulted in more collegiate opportunities, including a variety of offers. Fuchs ultimately chose Gonzaga, where he enrolled upon his graduation in 2020.
Journey to BYU
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Fuchs did not end up playing for Gonzaga his first collegiate year. Instead, he stayed home in Los Altos, California, where he spent most of his time training. One of his training partners was future BYU teammate Wally Thayne.
Fuchs’ time training further developed his game and he continued to explore opportunities for his collegiate career. He had wanted to attend BYU since he was a kid, and that dream became a reality in the summer of 2021. Thayne transferred to BYU and encouraged Fuchs to join him, with Fuchs also excited about his potential with the team.
“I knew a lot of people at BYU and knew I would be more comfortable there,” Fuchs explained. “Coach (Porter) and (assistant coach) Rong (Ma) have a good track record. Coach seemed like he had a good plan on what to work on and I bought into it. He wanted to build a good team.”
Band of Brothers
As Fuchs’ friendship with Thayne was a big part of his move to BYU, it is fitting that team chemistry remains one of his highlights about the program.
“My favorite thing is having a culture where we’re all friends. Everyone is close. Training together every day, competing, traveling, going through tough times together, being on a team with your friends is so much more fun,” Fuchs said.
Season Goals
Fuchs is looking forward to the many strong opponents the Cougars will face this season. One of the matches he has circled is the team’s home match with Stanford. Fuchs grew up a fan of Cal, Stanford’s rival. He also expects to be in contention for a conference championship and trip to the NCAA Tournament.