2008 season preview

March 3, 2008

NORTON, MA- After seeing her team advance to the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Tournament championship match each of the last three years, losing in league play during that time only to perennial conference power Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), 19th-year Wheaton College men's tennis head coach Lynn Miller expects the 2008 season to be the beginning of a rebuilding phase.

Among the seniors who graduated from the 2007 team were an All-American who earned NEWMAC Player-of-the-Year laurels last spring, as well as his four all-conference classmates. Six Lyons return, only two of whom had considerable college experience prior to last fall, and just one had played in multiple singles matches. Despite nine freshmen comprising a large portion of the 15-man roster, Wheaton was ranked 18th in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's (ITA) Northeast Region poll in November, placing second among NEWMAC schools.

"The season will be a success if we get to .500 because we have so much youth and inexperience," said Miller, who plans to have 10 players active for matches and the other five compete solely during practices. Joining Miller are second-year assistant coaches Bill Sadlowski, Chuck Straley and Ian Watson. "I've made it clear to the players that there is a split squad, there's an A and a B team, but camaraderie has been really good. If we can keep the team cohesive and the morale good, then that would be success. They're good kids, and that makes them fun to coach."

Wheaton competed in four fall tournaments, which afforded five Lyons to play their first college matches. That early experience will be critical to a team that returns so little from a squad that went 11-5 overall in 2007, including 4-1 in the NEWMAC.

"As players, they can't get preoccupied with the win-loss record because it's a totally different team than last year," said Miller. "We're going to have to work to defeat the teams we've had success against before, including some teams in the conference that are going to present challenges."

Two upperclassmen return, as each has battled through injuries during the preseason while preparing for his third spring in the program. Senior captain Thomas Fearon (Cambridge, United Kingdom/Cushing Academy) will be on the practice team and has continued playing despite being injured, while junior Nii Manfoi Davies (Town & Country, MO/The Principia) looks to appear at fifth or sixth singles should he be healthy, as Davies would have his first opportunity as a starter.

Kyle Hudgins (Uxbridge, MA/Uxbridge) and James Little (Mount Desert, ME/Mount Desert Island), a pair of sophomores that earned all-conference honors a year ago, are back as the most seasoned veterans.

Hudgins went 9-4 out of the sixth singles position as a freshman, drawing league accolades, but appeared in only seven doubles matches. He will be relied upon to not only play second doubles but also move into the third singles slot. Little went 10-6 in earning all-conference laurels at third doubles but saw action in just one singles match. This spring, Little is in the mix to be one of the top two singles players and be half of Wheaton's first doubles team.

Miller noted that the moves to higher in the order for Hudgins and Little should help them improve and aid their progression. "Toward the top, they get to play better players, and that usually raises your game a level," said Miller. "They came back looking better than last year, and they're doing the best they can right now."

Chapman Beekman (South Kingstown, RI/South Kingstown) and Eric Pelletier (Bangor, ME/Bangor) round out the Class of 2010, as each will be ready to occupy a lower singles spot should injuries occur. Pelletier will also be Wheaton's first doubles player off the bench.

With a handful of possible combinations in the singles lineup, Miller said many of her returning players will have opportunities to capitalize upon this spring. "This is a chance for the guys who were on the team last year to step up and show what they can do," said Miller.

Of the nine freshmen, four are expected to make immediate contributions. Greg Poulin (Boxboro, MA/Home Schooled), who earned three singles victories in the fall, joins Little in the mix for the top two singles spots, while Brian Krantz (Milford, CT/Joseph A. Foran) should hold down the fourth position. Poulin will pair with Little at first doubles, and Krantz will likely play alongside Hudgins in the second position.

First-years Harry Altman (Riverdale, NY/The Dwight School) and Cullen Garrity (Middletown, MD/Saint James School) could both see action at the fifth and sixth singles positions and have gelled as the team's third doubles tandem. Classmate Trent Faltin (Durham, NH/Oyster River) is slated to compete in exhibition matches, according to Miller.

Four freshmen will be members of the practice squad, as James Fineman (Bar Harbor, ME/Mount Desert Island), Paul Fineman (Bar Harbor, ME/Mount Desert Island), Josh Fisher (Ridgefield, CT/Wooster School) and Jan Hertzke (Geneva, Switzerland/International School of Geneva) complete the roster.

Wheaton kicks off its 14-match regular season slate by facing four out-of-region foes in as many days in Hilton Head, South Carolina, beginning against Shenandoah University of Virginia on March 9. The Lyons return to the region to face Bridgewater State College on March 18 and begin their five-match NEWMAC schedule by hosting Clark University on March 29. A trio of foes ranked in the ITA Northeast poll dots the blotter, as the Blue and White will face number-10 MIT, 13th-ranked Skidmore College and number-17 Salve Regina University. The NEWMAC Tournament begins on April 24.

Miller alluded to the fact that the younger players in the program could lay the foundation for future success, along with the addition of upcoming recruiting classes, as the team begins to once again compete for the NEWMAC title.

The rebuilding process begins this year, as Miller thinks the team could battle for the fourth seed in the NEWMAC Tournament. But before looking toward the end of the campaign, early-spring success will be important. "We're looking to come back from Hilton Head with a win or two," said Miller. "Going .500 down there would be a good way to start the season."

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