Joe Schafer - Men's Tennis Coach - Davidson College Athletics

Joe Schafer

Title:
Assistant Coach
Email:
joschafer@davidson.edu
Phone:
2966

Joe Schafer enters his second season as an assistant with the Davidson men's tennis program for the 2014-15 campaign after starring for the Wildcats during his playing career.

"I'm very excited to have Joe join me on the staff this year," said Barrett, who is entering his eighth season with the program. "He was a great leader on and off the court, and a great representative of Davidson College during his playing career. He will be an invaluable asset for the program, while his experience and knowledge will have a great impact on our players."

Schafer was a four-year starter for the Wildcats from 2009-13, playing both the No. 1 and 2 singles slots during his playing career. He was part of an incoming class in 2009 that was ranked in the top-25 by tennisrecruiting.com and was honored with the prestigious Bryan Scholarship from Davidson. Schafer won at least 10 matches all four years, including a career-best 12 in 2011. As a freshman, Schafer broke onto the scene with a 10-9 record in singles and went a personal-best 13-6 in doubles play. He was one of top freshman in the Southern Conference, earning a spot on the all-freshman team, while teaming with Eric Noble in doubles to be named to the All-SoCon First Team at the No. 1 position. Schafer was also named the team's Rob Palmer MVP in 2009.

The Orchard Park, N.Y., native finished his career by earning the SoCon's Don Bunch/Buddy Hartsell Sportsmanship Award as a senior in 2103. Schafer tied for the team lead with 11 singles wins, going 11-8 overall and 5-5 in the SoCon. He was 9-5 at No. 2 singles, while adding another eight victories in doubles action, going a combined 8-6 with Ethan Kallick at No. 1 and 2.

At the beginning of the 2011-12 campaign, Schafer and Calum Gee became the first doubles team in program history to be ranked in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA). They were ranked 19th to open the year, while ranking fifth in the Carolina Regionals, just behind the top doubles team from Elon. The duo was the highest ranked team in the nation out of the Carolina Regionals, ahead of ACC doubles teams from Duke, North Carolina, Wake Forest and Clemson. Schafer and Gee went onto to finish the year 10-9 as the Wildcats' No. 1 doubles team.

As a sophomore, Schafer earned a spot on the All-SoCon Second Team at No. 1 singles after going 12-12 in singles play and sporting the same record in doubles. He had a 10-9 singles mark at the No. 1 spot, winning five of his first seven matches to start the season.

For his career, Schafer closed out his Davidson playing days with a 43-40 record in singles action, getting 17 of those wins against SoCon opponents. He was just as good in doubles, sporting a 43-33 record at both the No. 1 and 2 spots, while picking up 18 of those wins against league foes.

Schafer, a two-time SoCon Player of the Week, graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in History from Davidson in 2013. Off the court, he was named to the 2013 Spring SoCon All-Academic Team and was a two-time SoCon Academic Honor Roll honoree.