The combination of strong returnees and a talented group of newcomers has the Grinnell College men’s tennis team expecting another successful campaign in 2012.
The Pioneers are coming off a solid season in which they posted a 23-8 dual meet record and won their eighth consecutive Midwest Conference title.
Grinnell kicks off its season today with a match against St. Ambrose University. Action in the Charles Benson Bear ’39 Recreation and Athletic Center begins at 11 a.m.
The team has two seniors, captain Michael Cole ’12 and Eric Ritter ’12. Cole was a combined 22-11 last season in doubles and won a MWC crown at the No. 3 spot in 2010 along with Colin Johnson ’13.
Ritter rejoins the team after missing last season, but has a pair of MWC singles titles to his credit, having won at the No. 5 spot in both 2009 and 2010.
Among the juniors joining Johnson are Ishan Bhadkamkar ’13 and Daniel Nellis ’13. Bhadkamkar went 22-10 in singles last season and a combined 18-10 in doubles, Nellis was 27-9 in singles play and Johnson was a combined 22-13 in doubles to go along with 17 singles wins.
Bhadkamkar has won four MWC crowns, taking titles last year at No. 5 singles and No. 3 doubles and in 2010 at No. 6 singles and No. 2 doubles. Nellis was the No. 6 singles champ in the MWC last season.
“These five guys represent numerous Midwest Conference singles and doubles titles, and have been a part of three championship teams,” said Grinnell coach Andy Hamilton. “These upperclassmen give us a lot of lineup experience and I expect them to lead our large group of young players.”
Hamilton lists a number of first-year players who are expected to make an impact, including Benjamin Charney ’15, Conor Cunningham ’15, Elliott Czarnecki ’15, Aaron Lapkin ’15, Rob Storrick ’15 and Charlie Wilhelm ’15.
“This is the most deep and talented group of recruits Grinnell has ever had in men’s tennis,” said Hamilton. “Within this group there are a couple of players who were on high school championship teams (Cunningham and Czarnecki), a few high school individual state champions (Czarnecki in singles and doubles and Lapkin in singles) and a couple of players who finished in top five in state singles or doubles play (Storrick and Wilhelm).
“These six players will definitely be part of our lineup structure,” Hamilton added. “What I hope we will experience this season is a lot of intra-team skill sharpening, which will only make us better against our opponents.”
Also contributing will be the likes of John Gernon ’15, Jimmy Yang ’15, Ethan Ratliff-Crain ’15, Emilio Gomez ’15, Ryan Hautzinger ’15 and Dylan Fisher ’14.
“They’re going to help us play a couple of split-squad matches as we try to develop our players,” said Hamilton. “At least a couple of these guys could be lineup players at a lot of schools.”
The team will have a different look without the services of players such as Juan Carlos Perez ’11, who rewrote the Pioneer record book on his way to qualifying for the NCAA Division III National Championships numerous times, and Dmitriy Glumov ’11.
“This is a new era, because we’ll step on the court for the first time in six years without a dominant No. 1 player,” said Hamilton. “And when you have a dominant No. 1, you’re also going to have a good No. 1 doubles team. If success is going to come our way, points will have to come from different places than they have in the past.”
Hamilton is looking forward to the team’s pursuit of another MWC crown.
“I’m excited for the challenge of taking these young guys and molding them into a team that can still have a chance to defend our title,” he said. “Our matches early in the season are more about getting experience.”
The league race will be tough, the coach admitted.
“I anticipate fierce competition in the South Division from both Lake Forest and Monmouth, and Knox has also brought in a couple of players that will make them stronger,” he said. “From the North, I think Lawrence will be the front-runner and Carroll will fight with St. Norbert for the second spot.”
