The stage appeared to be set for Matt Hulme's college career to have a grand sendoff.

Thanks to the eligibility extensions due to the worldwide pandemic, Omaha's team captain's final season coincided with the year the Mavericks were slated to be the host of the Summit League Championships.

Ideally, Hulme would be playing in that event next week. But that's not how things worked out.

In a spring season in which Omaha swept local rivals Creighton and Nebraska, it also fell short in its bid to finish in the top four of the final standings in the Summit to qualify for the postseason tournament.

Hulme's final collegiate match, therefore, will take place Friday in Tulsa, Okla., against Oral Roberts.

"That one stings – that we didn't make it because that was the goal," the fifth-year senior said. "Our goal was to win it. And look, now we're at the opposite end. It's tough. But it happens. It's not the greatest."

Hulme said he's treating the disappointment as a make-lemonade-out-of-lemons kind of thing. That approach came as no surprise to Maverick head coach Matthew Barlow, who inherited Hulme when he took over the program. Barlow said Hulme has a "very bold personality" and is a lot of fun to be around.

"When I came in, I didn't know his personality or his talent ability," he said. "Once I recognized how special he was, I wanted him to take on the role of a leader. He was named captain. To communicate our expectations of the program to those younger guys was pretty much my expectation for him."

Hulme said he treated the appointment like he had a job to do and hoped he "can get the boys to come along with it." The camaraderie of his teammates, especially during road trips, made an impact on him.

"As long as they are, and as annoying as it is, I'm going to miss those rides," he said.

Hulme, from Brisbane, Australia, said he chose tennis early on because it's played worldwide. He relishes the competition, but he's quick to point out that the relationships he's made mean a lot too.

"I want to travel the world. I've met some awesome people playing tennis," he said. "It's one of the most popular sports in the world. It's very handy that I'm pretty good at it. That does help a lot."

Hulme has been better than pretty good with the Mavericks. He set a new school record for doubles wins in a season a year ago. On Friday, he attempts to tie the all-time Omaha mark for singles wins.

"He made a huge imprint on the record books, for sure," Barlow said.  "I think he's a more talented doubles player than singles player. That record for doubles wins in a season is going to be very, very hard to beat by anyone in the future. And he's got a chance to tie the singles record this weekend."

Hulme, who began his collegiate career at Coastal Georgia, said he had no expectations before arriving in Omaha. In fact, he wasn't really sure what he was getting himself into by coming to the United States.

"I didn't have any idea I wanted to come to America until a couple of months before," he said. "I graduated high school. We graduate in November. From November to August, I had the time to think. And I had a couple of friends who came over here. And they said, 'Dude, it's awesome. You've got to go.'

"That flight over here was like a 24-hour journey. It was a 14-hour flight from Brisbane to [Los Angeles], and I couldn't sleep. I was trying to sleep, but I was too excited. I'd only seen America in the movies."

Hulme began attracting attention at Coastal Georgia for his play during his freshman year. His second, however, wasn't as strong, he admitted. But then-Omaha coach Tyson Thomas still had an interest.

The way Hulme tells the story, Thomas drove 19 hours to watch him play one match. But Hulme was so upset about how poorly his team performed that day that he didn't even speak with Thomas afterward.

He quickly remedied that, and he was in Omaha by the fall of 2019. Thomas wasn't there for long after that, but Hulme ended up finding a permanent spot at the top of the lineup for the new head coach.

Barlow said Hulme has a lot of great moments as the top player for the Mavericks, but none that stood out as much as his singles performance against Nebraska this season. With the match on the line, Hulme pulled out a thrilling three-set victory that clinched Omaha's 4-3 victory over the Huskers in Lincoln.

"That one was up there. It's up there," Hulme said. "It was unreal. I was nervous. But that was an awesome experience. I'll never forget that one. I couldn't contain it. I'm glad I had two points to get it. If I'd have had one, I don't know if I would've taken it. I'm glad I had that second chance. That was unreal."

The video of the final point of the match quickly made the rounds on social media. His teammates rushed the court to celebrate the victory over their local rival in a scene that won't soon be forgotten.

Hulme said he'll carry that memory with him as he leaves the college game. His tennis career, however, is far from over. He plans to stay in the U.S. after the season ends to start carving a path for his future.

"I'm going to try to be a pro – give it a red-hot crack," he said. "Tennis, yeah, it's been my life."

Barlow said he sees a bright future for Hulme at the next level as a doubles player.

"He's going to link up with somebody with some talent, and they're going to do some damage," he said.

Hulme will have plenty of time to think about the future after the weekend. He'd prefer to be playing in the conference championship event next week, but he's not letting his disappointment be a distraction.

"This is the last match," he said. "Let's try to go out with a bang."