Former Brevard standout Baer finds new college home in Sewanee

Liam Baer, who was a 2-A doubles state champion at Brevard High School in 2017, has found a new college home.

And now he feels right at home at The University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, and is already in the starting lineup on the men's tennis team.

"When I met the players for the first time, it felt like I've known them for so long," Baer, a 2018 Brevard High graduate, said.

In his high school days, he was one of the best players in Western North Carolina. He finished a perfect 15-0 in his senior season in 2018 and finished his prep career with a 66-3 singles record.

He and his doubles partner at Sewanee, Hugh Graham, have already formed a formidable duo on the court. They played in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Regional Tournament on Sept. 20-22 in Rome, Ga., and ended up falling in the semifinals.

Along the way, they upset Andrew Esses and Sahil Raina of Emory University, which won the NCAA Division III national title in the spring.

His father, who made the trip to Rome, Ga., for the match, was ecstatic.

"That was a big accomplishment for Liam. It showed me how far he has come. He was pumped up and showing emotions like he used to do on the court," Mike Baer said.

That was a big difference from when he first graduated high school and was unsure of his college future. He ended up going to UNC Asheville and was a member of the men's tennis team there.

But it just didn't feel right to him, he said.

When the 19-year-old made the visit to Sewanee, he was convinced he'd found his home.

"He's happy. You can see the difference on the court and in the classroom," his father said.

The short fall tennis season has come to a close, but Liam Baer is already looking forward to the spring.

"Everything's going great. I'm really glad I switched schools," he said. "We're out practicing now, even though our fall season is over. We just love to play."

And come springtime, they'll definitely be playing, including a trip overseas to Barcelona, Spain.

"I'm really looking forward to that. I've never been out of the country before," he said.