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“I’ve asked myself that question a few times,� Clancy Shields said.

Shields is the coach of the UA men’s tennis team. Smith is its star player. He’s also the .

Smith ascended into the top 500 last fall. He kept rising and rising. He played in several professional events and held his own. He could have left last summer or last semester.

Others in his position undoubtedly would have. But they’re not Colton Smith.

“I know the kid's heart,� Shields said of his 22-year-old senior leader. “He really wanted to finish what he started. I know that's old-fashioned to think that in nowadays’ climate. But Colton is a man of his word.�

Instead of pursuing his professional potential this spring, Smith will suit up for the Wildcats one last time. They’re seeded 10th in the NCAA Tournament, which begins Friday. Arizona is hosting a regional for the third straight year. The UA faces Denver in the second match of the day, following Harvard vs. Washington.

Smith already helped Arizona win the Big 12 Tournament title, its second consecutive conference crown. On Wednesday, he was named . He might be the most accomplished men’s tennis player in program history. But he doesn’t want to leave Tucson with any regrets.

“More than anything, for me, it's about finishing this chapter in my life before going on to something else,� Smith said. “There's really nothing like being able to live with the guys, be able to train with them day after day. It's one of the funnest things I get to do in tennis. To give that up early, I’d be regretting that for a long time.�

Despite his success in professional tennis — including winning an ATP Tour Challenger title in February — Smith wasn’t quite ready to leave. Shields said Smith has experienced “unbelievable� growth over the past year — unlike anything Shields has seen in his 15 years as a college coach.

The No. 1 player on last year’s national champion, TCU, turned pro last spring. He was ranked in the low 500s. He’s currently No. 68.

Smith has soared to No. 161 without having fully committed to professional tennis.

“I don't think Colton's time here was done,� Shields said. “He's been able to have his cake and eat it, too. He's gonna get a degree, he's gonna have all these memories with the team — and he also got to go play professionally.�

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Why is Colton Smith still at Arizona?

The NCAA seldom, if ever, gets its flowers. It’s the organization every loves to hate.

But the NCAA has been surprisingly progressive when it comes to tennis. It allows players to earn up to $10,000 in prize money in a given year, write off the rest as expenses and retain their eligibility.

The system isn’t perfect — — but it has allowed Smith to play in professional events while also playing for Arizona. He has participated in tournaments in San Diego, Indian Wells, Phoenix and Houston. He’s earned $81,855 this year.

“Tennis is an expensive sport,� Shields said. “You're flying, you're getting a hotel, a coach, whatever.�

Unlike team sports, professional tennis players pay most of their own expenses. Most bring along a companion, whether that’s a coach, a partner or a parent. With tournaments all over the world, the costs can add up fast.

Smith has to keep track of what he’s earned while in school. It won’t be an issue after he graduates in two weeks with a degree in interdisciplinary studies.

If he does well enough as a pro, Smith can hire someone to do his expenses. He has exceeded his own expectations so far. After winning the Challenger event in Cleveland, Smith won three matches at Indian Wells, defeating players who were ranked 95th, 102nd and 40th. He knocked off two top-100 players to reach the quarterfinals of the Challenger event in Phoenix. He also reached the quarterfinals in Houston, where he lost to 13th-ranked Tommy Paul.

“I've played more tournaments than I definitely thought I was going to,� Smith said. “But it's put me in an even better spot than I would have imagined.�

With a ranking inside the top 220, Smith is eligible to participate in the qualifiers for the Grand Slams, including the French Open in May. The scheduling could get tricky if Arizona goes deep in the NCAA Tournament. The NCAA championship will be decided on May 18 in Waco, Texas. French Open qualifying starts May 19 in Paris.

“If we make it to the Final Four, then it might start getting a little dicey as far as making the first round out there,� Smith said. “But that's a good problem to have. If we're in that spot, I don't have any problem turning down the French Open.�

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Why is Colton Smith still at Arizona?

None of this would be possible if Smith didn’t have Shields’ unwavering support.

Shields urged Smith to push himself and play in as many professional events as he could, even if it meant he’d be away from the team from time to time. Smith earned the Big 12 Player of the Year award despite missing 10 dual matches.

In a testament to the program Shields has built, the Wildcats went 9-1 without their No. 1 player and the fifth-ranked player in men’s college tennis — a ranking that would be higher if Smith had played more college matches.

As he fought back after losing the first set of his first match in Cleveland, 6-1, Smith thought about his teammates.

“I just felt like if I was going to take time off away from the team,� he said, “I wanted it to really matter and count.�

Smith’s schedule hasn’t left much time for fishing, his favorite hobby away from the court.

“It's been pretty hectic,� the native of Tenino, Washington, said. He provided an example of just how hectic.

“I found out when I was in San Diego that I had gotten into Indian Wells,� Smith said. “We drove over to Indian Wells, and I was there for a little over a week. Then went to Phoenix. I got a wild card into the main draw there, had a few good matches. Then drove back to Tucson the night after I'd lost. Then flew out the next day to Orlando. Then played UCF the next day. Flew back for a day or two in Tucson. Then we flew to Texas for TCU and Baylor. Then back for a day or two. And then I flew to Houston. Was there for eight days or so.

“It's just been kind of nonstop.�

Smith has managed to find the time to rest, practice and complete his schoolwork; none of this would be possible, either, if the UA didn’t offer online courses.

If Smith felt any twinge of guilt about being away, that feeling was misplaced. If anything, Shields said, Smith has further buoyed the program.

“I promise you, he did more for the University of Arizona (by) going out and playing those events and representing us and not playing our team matches,� Shields said. “Our recruiting is up, our notoriety, our fan base. People are literally coming to our matches to watch him play.

“Everything about this year and what he's done ... has helped our team, the university and our athletic department. It's been a headache for me to manage it all ... but I've loved every minute of it.

“I don't know if this will ever happen again in my career. It probably only happens a few times in any coach's career. But I’m just counting my blessings and thankful that it did.�

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Why is Colton Smith still at Arizona?

It’s all about the team.

Smith didn’t stay in school to achieve individual success in college tennis. The NCAA singles championship was moved to November as part of a two-year pilot program.

Smith wanted to be part of a team one last time. Professional tennis is an individual sport, and it can be a lonely one.

“You're gonna be sitting there in a hotel room. You’ve been on the road. You're homesick,� Shields said. “And you know what? Everyone on the team, everyone you met here, your whole team here, is gonna be with you. They're going to be texting you, calling you. They're going to be following your journey.

“Not every pro can say that. He has this built-in team around him that's going to follow him forever. We're not going to let him not be successful.�

Smith refers to his UA teammates as his “brothers.� He lives with fellow senior Iñaki Cabrera-Bello and junior Jay Friend.

Smith came back to experience moments like the Big 12 Tournament in Waco. Arizona defeated UCF 4-1. Sophomore Alexander Rozin clinched the match. Smith and his teammates swarmed him. They hugged, danced and sang.

“Even if we didn't win,� Smith said, “it's still just at least knowing that I gave everything I had to this program and I did everything I could to try to help the team out — trying to leave a legacy for all the guys on the team. And giving back to Clancy, as well, (for) everything he's sacrificed for me and this team — just trying to repay that a little bit.�

Arizona advanced to the Sweet 16 last spring for the second year in a row. Smith reached the semifinals of the singles tournament. If he had won it, he would have received a wild card into the U.S. Open. That might have changed his timeline to turn pro. “It's just what you do,� Shields said.

Shields has theorized that, somewhere deep in Smith’s subconscious, he lost that semifinal match on purpose so he could put off pro tennis for another year. Smith said that thought never crossed his mind.

“But I think it worked out as well as it could have,� Smith said. “If that would have happened and I would have turned pro, maybe it would have been too soon; maybe it would have worked out well.

“But I'm on the path I'm on right now, and I wouldn't go back and change anything. ...

“I feel like the luckiest man alive.�