When you can barely claim to be six-feet tall and 150 pounds soaking wet, you might look the same as any other student doing work in the Fish Bowl.

And yet, you just might be the captain of the Michigan men’s tennis team — senior Jason Jung.

Twice a member of the Academic All-Big Ten, Jung spends plenty of time concentrating on his academics in the heart of Angell Hall. But it’s his ability to truly embody what it means to be a student-athlete that separates Jung from his peers.

Jung — a native of West Torrance, California — has helped turn the Wolverines from an afterthought in the Big Ten to one of the conference’s top teams in his first three seasons. Now, as the squad’s captain and unquestioned leader, he’ll look to take Michigan to the next level.

The beginning

Jung was born to Shane and Shu Jung, both of whom came to America from Taiwan. Shane came over for college, and immediately became a tennis enthusiast.

In a phone interview with the Daily, Shane Jung, Jason's father, was able to recall a four-year old Jung hitting a tennis ball with a racket against a wall. Shane continued on how Jung played in tournaments for kids eight and under when he was only six.

“My dad really got me into tennis,” Jason said. “He was always my coach growing up.”

But Jung didn't really immerse himself in the sport until he was almost a teenager.

“Tennis kind of took off for me when I was 12, which is when I started traveling to play a lot more,” Jung said.

From then on, the sport became an everyday thing for Jung. And as tennis became a more integral part of Jung’s life, so did sportsmanship. Shane and Shu, Jason's mother, made a concerted effort to make sure that their son presented himself in the proper manner both on and off the courts. Sometimes that was second nature to Jung, who never really had much to say.

“Growing up, he was really quiet and always wanted to help people, but he also always wanted to have fun,” Shane said.

Shu added, “He loves tennis and really wants to do well, but since he was little, he’s been kind of quiet.”

Leaving his family behind and coming to Michigan wasn’t the easiest move for Jung and his family. His father said the adjustment was difficult at first, mainly because of how much he loves seeing his son play.

But Jason never forgot his roots and makes a point to talk to Shane on the phone after every match — even with the three-hour time difference.

“My dad developed my game, and he still plays a big part in my life,” Jung said.

California dreamin’

As a high school tennis star, where you can stay close to home and play in the Pac-10, one of the nation's top tennis conferences, many questioned why jung would leave the West coast.

But Jung — whose older brother attended UC-San Diego — knew Michigan was the right fit for him.

Jung’s parents lived in Michigan when they first came to America, making it an attractive destination if he were to leave the state. And even though he felt no pressure to stay in his home state, for Shu, it was tough to let go of her youngest child.

“They always said it was my decision to go wherever I wanted to go (to college),” Jung said. “Of course my mom wanted me to stay close to home.”

But ultimately Shu felt that Michigan’s coach Bruce Berque was too good to turn down.

“A lot of the reason he ended up at Michigan is the coach,” Shu said. “He really liked (Berque).”

Jung added that the University’s academic standard along with its athletic prowess was an irresistible combination.

And with a program on the rise and three quarters of a diploma in hand, these parents are just happy to see their son succeed.

“(Michigan) is a really good school,” Shu said. “I think he’s learned and grown a lot in his first thee years.”

Fresh on the scene

When Jung came to Michigan as a freshman in 2007, he was considered one of the program’s top recruits of all time. In fact, tennisrecruiting.com had him ranked as high as No. 1 among the nation's high school seniors.

But before he could take his spot on the court, Jung would have to learn how to balance being both an athlete and a student. After struggling at the beginning of his first semester, a determined Jung turned to older teammates for advice — Mike Sroczynski, in particular, became Jung’s main mentor.