EAST LANSING, Mich. -

At first glance, one would never guess that senior right-hander John Patrick Mullane is coming off an injury if one were to watch him during practice. Coming back hot, Mullane practices beneath the banner that bears his name which reads "All-American." To its left, the banner for Mashiska Washington, MSU's first men's tennis All-American from 1994, hangs in the indoor facilities above the courts.

Rather than superstitious, Mullane believes it was a good omen that he was born in 1994.

"[Washington] received his award in 1994 and that was the year I was born," Mullane said. "Every time I would look up there, for whatever reason, I would think about that [being an All-American] was meant to be. I would think about that every single day that I would come in to hit."

Mullane said Washington had a huge role in his own success as he blazed the trail for the program.

Last season was a memorable one for Mullane. Along with his partner, alum Harry Jadun, they became the first All-Americans in doubles history at Michigan State, advancing to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament.

Coming into his senior year, Mullane will be without his partner but still be looked upon to lead the team. As this season's lone senior, Mullane will head into the spring season without any official fall experience. The reasoning behind that, injury.

Injuries are a common part of Mullane's tennis saga.

"You name it, I've pretty much had it," the senior joked. "I've had a lot. When I was 11, I had the shoulder surgery. I hurt my back, have broken my finger, and had a lot of elbow injuries."

After an injury limited his baseball career, his mother instead opted to put her son into tennis.

"I would play baseball and tennis as those were kind of my two main sports growing up," Mullane said. "After my surgery, that gave my mom a little bit bigger say. My mom would rather take me to tennis practice than baseball so she had a huge role in my tennis career."

Mullane comes from a tennis family with both sisters, Karen and Elizabeth, playing tennis as well as his mother, Karen. Crediting his mother for "seeing the big picture" for the sport, his entire family helped get him to the successful career he has today.

"It takes a small army," Mullane said. "My brother has taken me to tournaments. My mom and dad both have helped support me as well."

Two other individuals who have played a major role in Mullane's career are the father and son duo of Armand and Josh Molino. Armand coached Mullane in his youth while his son Josh has now started to help Mullane prepare should he decide to look to attain a professional tennis career.

"Armand has done a humongous job leading me since I was about 13 even to now," he said. "My parents didn't know enough about tennis to get me to this level. He took the reigns over."

Mullane has been a Spartan fan ever since he can remember, despite having most of his friends being Wolverine fans. The White Lake native didn't hesitate upon getting offered the chance to have a collegiate career with the Green and White.

"For whatever reason, I've always been a State fan since I can ever remember," he said. "When my brother went here, I really liked it, and I just knew I was going to be a Spartan. Right when I got my offer here, it was pretty much a done deal. It was my number one, my dream school, to come to."

Mullane is part of record-making run at MSU. His freshman year in 2012-13 saw the first NCAA berth in program history, and then he made the Final Four run last year.

"It's been a heck of a ride," he said sentimentally. "I felt like my whole life I've had a lot to prove because people always expected a lot of me. I feel like I've never been able to get things to come my way and last year changed all that."

Coming in as a self-described "low recruit" who has achieved an elite status, Mullane still is hungry for more. Desiring to continue to strive for greatness, Mullane has one more NCAA tourney run in his sight.

"An individual only goes so far," Mullane said. "You want to be there and experience it with your brothers. It obviously means more and says more about the program. You rather have everybody moving as one than a few people doing excellent."

The environmental studies and agriscience major believes he was born to compete. He's determined not to let his injuries limit his senior year.

"Competing is what I was born to do," he said. "It's worth it in the end. I can get over the pain eventually. Pain is temporary or that's what they say," he said laughing.

Mullane will look to lead his team in the regular season opener on Jan. 16 at Notre Dame.