Wildcats Have High Expectations for 2010
1/28/2010 10:51:45 AM | Men's Tennis
Gavin McFarlin -- Assistant SID
DAVIDSON, N.C. — The Davidson men's tennis team, off to a strong start for the 2010 season, feel this could be the year they capture the program's 10th Southern Conference Title. With the return of six letterwinners and a freshman class that ranked in the nations top-25, the Wildcats have high expectations for this year and beyond.
Off to a 2-1 start, Davidson will play host to South Carolina State this weekend on Sunday, before finishing out their four-match homestand with a 4 p.m. contest against Gardner-Webb, Feb. 3.
In anticipation of a strong year, below is a look at the Davidson Men's Tennis 2010 Season Preview...
Now in their fourth season under the direction of head coach Drew Barrett, the Wildcats will enter the 2010 campaign seeking the program's 10th SoCon Tournament title as Davidson returns a solid core of players from a season ago.
The Wildcats will look to turn around its record from a season ago when they went 7-17 overall and 2-8 in league play.
This year's club will feature six letterwinners from last year, including three of its top four singles players. In addition, the Wildcats welcome a highly talented incoming freshman class that was ranked in the top-25 nationally. Part of that class is Joe Schafer, a top-nationally ranked player out of Buffalo who reached the round of 16 in singles action this past Fall at the ITA Southeast Regionals.
Singles
Davidson was 50-88 in singles action as a team last year, including just an 18-42 record against SoCon opponents.
• Senior Eric Noble: Top returning singles player ... saw action at both No. 1 and 2 a year ago, going a combined 9-13 (2-8 SoCon) ... was an even 4-4 at the No. 2 spot ... has been a fixture in the starting lineup since freshman year ... helped 'Cats reach quarterfinals of SoCon Tournament with a three-set win over Samford's No. 1 player.
• Senior Sam Burns: Returns to the team after taking a year off studying aboard ... sophomore season, rattled off a career-best record of 12-9 in singles (4-5 SoCon) ... seven of the wins came at the No. 5 position, while also going 5-1 at No. 4.
• Senior Tareq Alani: Played in a personal-best five singles matches a year ago ... went 1-4 with first collegiate win coming against Gardner-Webb, a 6-3, 6-2 straight-set decision ... will look to fill a roster spot in final season.
• Junior Walker Lyons: One of the Wildcats' main singles players last year, sporting a 9-14 record at No. 1 and 2 ... had an even 6-6 record at No. 2 ... had a 4-6 mark in SoCon play.
• Junior Arie Hefter: The Wildcats main No. 5 player, finished season with career-best seven wins in singles play ... also played three matches at No. 4 ... netted three of seven wins in league matches (3-7) vs. Chattanooga, UNC Greensboro and The Citadel.
• Junior Carter Braxton: Saw action in 12 matches last year ... scored first collegiate win to open the season, a straight set win vs. Boston ... participated in three Fall singles matches at Davidson's two own invitationals, going 2-1.
• Sophomore Calum Gee: Had a solid first year with Davidson, stepping into the starting lineup and going 10-13 ... mainly was the Wildcats' No. 4 player, going 9-12 in those matches ... one of just two 'Cats to hit the double-digit mark in wins a year ago ... went 4-6 in SoCon matches ... had a season-best four-match wins streak (3/1-12) with victories over Samford, Chattanooga, St. Louis and Indiana St.
Newcomers
• Freshman Class of Chris Mark, Kevin Moore and Joe Schafer: These three make up a class that was ranked in the top-25 nationally according to tennisrecruiting.net. Two year's ago, the 'Cats had a class that was ranked in the top-25 mid-major.
• Chris Mark: A five-star recruit according to tennisrecruiting.com and ranked as high as 41st in the nation ... Fall season saw him start off with three wins at the Virginia Fall Classic ... was a prefect 4-0 at Davidson's two home invitationals.
• Kevin Moore: A No. 1 singles player and four-year letterwinner for Shawnee Mission North in Kansas ... closed out senior prep career with a 21-3 singles record for a four-year total of 81 wins ... was a three-time all-state honoree and twice a state runner-up at 6A singles ... saw action in three of the 'Cats four 2009 Fall events.
• Joe Schafer: One of the top singles players for Orchard Park in New York in his four-year prep career ... was second in USTA Eastern High Points during the 2008 season in both the 16- and 18-year old division ... honored as Western New York's top ranked men's tennis player this past year ... had an outstanding Fall season, highlighted by reaching the round of 16 at the Carolina Regionals ... defeated two ranked players in reaching the round of 16.
Doubles
Davidson's doubles play saw the Wildcats combine to go 19-48 overall (10-20 SoCon). They used 11 different lineups a season ago.
• No. 1 position: The Wildcats tried four different lineups at the No. 1 position, with the duo of Lyons and Noble playing the most at 10 matches ... the duo were just 2-8 (1-6 SoCon), but both return and are expected to fill the top spot again.
• No. 2 position: The Wildcats No. 2 team of Gee and Scott Myers had the most success at 5-7, including a 4-3 league mark ... Lyons also teamed up wth Myers at No. 2 and went 3-1 ... Davidson had its best success at No. 2 with a 10-13 overall team mark.
• No. 3 position: With eight different lineups, Davidson was never able to find the right combo, going just 4-19 at the No. 3 position ... Braxton and Brandon Byrd saw the most action, playing in eight matches and sporting a 2-6 mark ... four players return who suited up at the No. 3 spot, giving Davidson plenty of depth again.
Schedule
Davidson will open its 2010 spring schedule with a trip to Clemson, Jan. 16. The Tigers went 11-13 a year ago.
The Wildcats' non-conference schedule will also include nationally ranked Radford (56) and Clemson (66), along with Gardner-Webb, South Carolina State, Richmond, Brown, East Carolina and UNC Asheville. The 'Cats will also battle cross-county rival Charlotte.
The Wildcats will open SoCon play on the road with a Feb. 13 match against Furman, which knocked them out of the league tournament. The Paladins won the tournament title for the second straight time a season ago, defeating Elon, 4-0, in the finals. They finished 22-8 overall, falling to Alabama in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Paladins have captured 13 titles overall.
This year has the 'Cats hosting five SoCon foes, including four straight in mid-March.
The SoCon Tournament takes place April 24-25 at the highest seed based on the final regular season standings, and only the top-four teams advance.
Davidson, 2-8 in the league a year ago, reached the quarterfinals with a thrilling 4-3 win over Samford in the tournament last season.
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