All-American Monday - John Eagleton

John Eagleton (1976-77)

Coach Dale Lewis described him as a “player with the potential to become another Pat Cramer.” South African native John Eagleton came to the University of Miami as a decorated tennis player. In 1973, Eagleton was the South African Junior Champion, represented South Africa in the Forest Hills juniors, was a member of the South African Sunshine Cup team which lost in the finals to the United States, and reached the round of 16 in the Orange Bowl Junior tournament. The following year, Eagleton was a finalist in the Key Biscayne junior international meet. As a winner of the major junior title in his native country, Eagleton shined as a Hurricane.

In the 1973-74 season, his freshman year, Eagleton, on the way to an 18-2 singles record, opened the season with 14 consecutive wins. Playing primarily out of the No. position, Eagleton had Miami’s best dual singles season record (16-1). Eagleton advanced to the fourth round of singles play in the NCAA tournament. Showing his versatility, Eagleton posted a 16-2 mark in doubles. After dropping his first match, Eagleton reeled off 13 consecutive victories. Eagleton’s appearance on the doubles side of the NCAA tournament ended in the quarterfinals after losing a bitter three-set match of final service tie-breaker point at the hands of eventual champions John Whitlinger and Jim Delany of Stanford.

Building off his freshman success, Eagleton posted a 20-4 (S) and 25-2 (D) mark in competition. Eagleton opened his sophomore season in doubles the way he closed out the regular season – 15 straight victories. Dating back to that season, Eagleton won 28 consecutive regular season matches. For the second consecutive season, Eagleton advanced to the fourth round of singles play in the NCAA tournament. In doubles, Eagleton one-upped himself and advanced to the semifinals of the 1975 NCAA tournament.    

After starting his Hurricane career in the No. 3 position, Eagleton was moved up to the No. 1 position and didn’t disappoint. From the top spot, Eagleton posted a 15-4 singles mark, On his way to a 21-3 doubles mark, Eagleton opened the season with a nine-match win streak. Despite winning his first round match-up, Eagleton was forced to withdraw from the NCAA tournament due to his torn ankle cartilage – an injury he suffered the week before the tournament was to begin.

Eagleton kept up his impressive play until the day he left the Coral Gables campus. As a senior, he posted a 19-7 singles mark which included a 12 match win streak. In doubles play, Eagleton went 23-3 with both a seven-match win streak, which he opened the season with, and a 10-match win streak.

Eagleton finished his Hurricane career with 157 (72 in singles and 85 in doubles) combined victories. In 1975, Eagleton defeated former Hurricane and All-American Joaqium Rasgado in a straight set final to capture the Citrus Bowl Championship at Vero Beach. That same year, he reached the semi-finals of the Forest Hill, N.Y., All-Star Tournament. In 1976, in defense of his crown, Eagleton fell in the semi-finals of the Citrus Bowl Championship.