June 15, 2021
In a program with storied history like MPA boys tennis, tremendous players and big names have come and gone. Parker Law ’19 might just be biggest of all of them.
The 2019 class A boys state tennis champion, Law ranks amongst the best players MPA tennis coach Bryan Biever has ever coached. He was also the 2018 class A boys state tennis runner up, four time team MVP, four time IMAC all-conference honoree, team sportsmanship award winner and rookie of year winner. “In all the years that I’ve been coaching him, that is his best match that I’ve ever seen,” Biever told the Star Tribune following Law’s state championship win over Redwood Valley junior Rikard Wilkens . “He was able to stay in the moment [and] focus one point at a time. … There was just no drop in his level.”
More impressive perhaps even than his individual state championship, Law captained MPA’s 2019 team state tennis championship, playing at number one singles position. Law remembers the team’s 4-3 victory well. “Without a doubt my favorite memory from MPA tennis was the 2019 team state final. The match against prevailing tennis rival Saint Paul Academy all came down to an almost four hour match at number four singles,” he says. “It was the perfect example of creating a positive team atmosphere, digging deep, and battling it out for what ultimately resulted in the first team state title in over a decade.”
Law chose to compete collegiately at Babson College in Wellesley, MA. “I chose Babson for its stellar reputation in business and entrepreneurship, as well as its nationally ranked tennis program,” he said. “There, I will be able to push myself athletically as well as continue my business passion.”
Studying finance at and competing for Babson has been a dream come true for Law. He loves the opportunity to immerse himself in a new environment studying on the East Coast. As a member of the tennis team, he was immediately a part an incredibly tight-knit family, making the transition of moving across the country comfortable and exciting. “Participating at a nationally ranked Division III program is a great balance between academic involvement and athletic intensity, allowing me to experience all of the great aspects of collegiate athletics (travel, competition, strength training, mental training) while still placing the primary focus on academic success,” he says.
In the 2020-21 season, Law had the opportunity as a captain to help lead the Babson team to the NCAA tournament round of 16, the deepest the team has gone in the tournament in program history.
“My experience on the tennis team at MPA built the foundations of sportsmanship, work ethic, and teamwork that have allowed me to contribute to the tennis program at Babson,” says Law. “Coaches and faculty at Mounds Park consistently focused on growth and development over outcome, which directly resulted in my success as an athlete and student. I am grateful for the values I learned at MPA each time I step on the court.”
