Juan Carlos Perez '11 of Grinnell College advanced to the round of 16 before being eliminated at the ITA Midwest Regional Tennis Tournament over the weekend.

Perez posted victories over Tom Koenen of Wartburg and Peter Wright of Gustavus Adolphus before falling to Will Vandenberg of Kenyon. Two other Pioneers, Daniel Nellis '13 and Dmitriy Glumov '12, each won one singles match.

In doubles play, two Grinnell teams collected a win - the tandems of Ishan Bhadkamkar '13- Martin Dluhos '12 and Ben Flebbe '11-Glumov.
Results

Dan LaFountaine '09 (left) and Nate Fox '09 (right) concluded stellar men's tennis careers at Grinnell College by losing a hard-fought match in doubles quarterfinal round play at the NCAA Division III National Tournament Saturday, May 23, in Claremont, Calif.

Jamie Neely and Oscar Pena of Bowdoin slipped past the Pioneer duo by a score of 7-5, 7-6 (4) to move into Saturday night's semifinals. LaFountaine and Fox finished the 2009 campaign with a record of 30-4.

"I was really pleased with the way our guys competed today," said Grinnell coach Andy Hamilton. "Twice in today's match they had to fight back after being down in each set. In the second set they were down 4-5 and tied it up to really put pressure on a very good team. In the end, the match could have gone either way. There were very close games throughout, but the Bowdoin players just scored a few extra points in important times."

Hamilton not only praised his players, but the outpouring of support they received. "For these guys to know Grinnell tennis fans and Grinnell alumni have watched from a distance their performance at nationals is great," said Hamilton. "The outpouring they've received from all types of people connected to Grinnell after the guys' first victory on Friday was heartening. It's also good to know that people recognize what quality young men these guys are and what they've done for our program."

After making history by becoming Grinnell College's first doubles entry in the NCAA Division III National Tennis Tournament, Dan LaFountaine '09 and Nate Fox '09 established another milestone while competing in the national event on Friday, May 22, at Claremont, Calif.

LaFountaine (left) and Fox (right) earned the Pioneers' first-ever win at the Division III Tourney by rallying to knock off David Ashlock and Dustin Phillips of Tyler-Texas 4-6, 6-0 and 6-1. The Pioneers have had three national singles entries in the past, and each has failed to make it past the opening round.

The win not only assured LaFountaine and Fox of All-America status, but sends them into Saturday afternoon's quarterfinals where they'll meet either third-seeded Michael Goodwin and Chris Goodwin of Emory or Jamie Neely and Oscar Pena of Bowdoin.

"After a long wait watching singles all day, our guys finally took the court at 3 p.m.," said Grinnell coach Andy Hamilton. "They were a little excited in the first set and got broke late to lose. Between sets we talked about calming down and getting our quality of play up, and that was the difference in the match.

"Even though the scores in the second and third sets looked decisive, we really had to fight hard at different times in those sets. But our guys were up for the challenge, just as they have been all year. I'm incredibly pleased for Dan and Nate to get Grinnell's first individual victory at the NCAA D-III Tourney level, because they've given so much to our program over the years."

Grinnell College's Juan Carlos Perez '11 lost in the opening round of singles play at the NCAA Division III National Tennis Tournament Friday, May 22, in Claremont, Calif.

Middlebury's Conrad Olson, seeded seventh in the field, defeated Perez by scores of 6-1 and 6-0 to advance to the second round. Perez finishes his 2009 campaign with a 26-6 record.

"There could have been better matchups for Juan, but that's the luck of the draw," said Grinnell coach Andy Hamilton. "The player from Middlebury certainly has tournament experience and that proved to help him at times during the match. Although the score looked decisive, Juan played some really good points and they were long points. We're excited for his future. Making the tournament is a great honor and now he understands the level of play at the top of the NCAA and it's something to which he can aspire."

Grinnell's Dan LaFountaine '09 and Nate Fox '09 will face David Ashlock and Dustin Phillips of Tyler-Texas in the opening round of doubles play later Friday.

Grinnell College tennis player Dan LaFountaine '09 has been named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District 7 At-Large First Team.

By being named to the First Team, LaFountaine is in the running to be an NCAA Academic All-American. That team will be named next month.

LaFountaine, from St. Cloud, Minn., is playing in the NCAA Division III National Tennis Tournament this weekend. He also qualified for the national event in singles play as a sophomore. LaFountaine owns 164 career wins between singles and doubles play, going 80-13 in singles and 84-15 in doubles. He's a multiple Academic All-Conference selection and helped Grinnell claim Midwest Conference team titles all four years he's played for the Pioneers.

He's been on three MWC doubles championship teams and won one singles crown. In 2009, he is 20-4 in singles play and 25-2 in doubles.

The ESPN The Magazine Academic Teams are co-sponsored by CoSIDA.
Academic All-District Teams

Dan LaFountaine '09 and Nate Fox '09 of Grinnell College will face David Ashlock and Dustin Phillips of Tyler-Texas in the opening round of doubles play at the NCAA Division III National Tennis Tournament Friday, May 22, in Claremont, Calif.

Grinnell's singles entry of Juan Carlos Perez '11 meets seventh-seeded Conrad Olson of Middlebury in his first-round match. The tourney begins at 9 a.m. Pacific time on Friday and concludes Sunday.
Tournament Web Site

Already enjoying successful tennis campaigns, Grinnell College's Dan LaFountaine '09, Nate Fox '09 and Juan Carlos Perez '11 will look to finish on a solid note as they compete in the NCAA Division III National Tournament Friday, May 22 through Sunday, May 24 in Claremont, Calif.

LaFountaine (left) and Fox (center) are Grinnell's first-ever doubles team to make it to nationals, while Perez (right) is the third in singles play. LaFountaine and Fox are 29-3 on the season and ranked second among Central Region doubles teams, while Perez is 26-5 and rated seventh in singles.

"We are incredibly pleased that Grinnell is sending three players to nationals," said Grinnell coach Andy Hamilton. "It is difficult enough to have one player qualify for this prestigious tournament, let alone three. Our guys competed against the most difficult schedule I have ever put together in my 14 seasons as coach. This opportunity would not have come unless our guys went out and performed well against the tough teams in our region, which is exactly what they did. We are hopeful that the stiff competition during the year will prove to be great preparation for Dan, Nate and Juan as they play the nation's best this weekend."

DePauw University grabbed a 3-0 lead through doubles play and then hung on to defeat the Grinnell College men's tennis team 5-2 in the NCAA Division III Tournament regional semifinals on Saturday, May 9, in St. Louis, Mo.

DePauw, ranked 12th in the nation, got a 9-8 (7-4) win at No. 1 doubles against Dan LaFountaine '09-Nate Fox '09 in a battle of regionally-ranked teams. Juan Carlos Perez '11 and Sam Raife '10 lost an 8-4 decision at the No. 2 spot and Dmitriy Glumov '12 and Michael Cole '12 fell 8-1 at No. 3.

In singles, Grinnell got wins from its top two players in Perez (left) and LaFountaine (right). Perez posted a 6-1, 6-1 win and LaFountaine won 6-0, 6-3. DePauw posted wins at No. 4 over Raife and No.6 over Dluhos to complete the win and move on to a matchup with defending national champ Washington University.

Grinnell finished its campaign with an 18-10 record, but Perez has advanced to NCAA Tournament singles play, while LaFountaine and Fox will play in the NCAA doubles tournament.

"After getting swept in doubles for the first time all year, we could have been dead to rights stepping onto the singles court," said Grinnell coach Andy Hamilton. "But I'm pleased how everyone competed in singles. Hats off to Dan and Juan for gaining victories, and our other senior on the court, Nate Fox, was in his match and it could have gone either way. For the program's sake, our focus is now preparing Juan, Dan and Nate for the national individual tournament."
DePauw 5, Grinnell 2

The Grinnell College men's tennis team will be represented on all fronts at the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Having already earned a spot in the team portion of the event, where the Pioneers travel to St. Louis, Mo., this weekend for the Central Regional, it was announced Wednesday, May 6, that Dan LaFountaine '09 (left) and Nate Fox '09 (center) have been chosen for the 16-team NCAA D-III doubles field and Juan Carlos Perez '11 (right) has earned a spot in the 32-person singles field.

LaFountaine and Fox represent the first Grinnell doubles team to advance to nationals since the advent of the NCAA D-III Tournament, while Perez is the third Pioneer to qualify in singles play. LaFountaine and Fox own a 29-2 record in doubles this season, while Perez is 25-5 in singles matches.

The selection of teams and individuals for the championships is based on won-lost record, strength of schedule and eligibility and availability of student-athletes.

The singles and doubles championships will be held May 22-24 at Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd and Scripps Colleges in Claremont, Calif.

Times have been announced for Central Regional competition of the 2009 NCAA Division III Men's Tennis Championships hosted by Washington University in St. Louis this weekend.

Grinnell College, 18-9 on the season, is the tournament's third seed and has a first-round bye. The Pioneers will face second-seeded DePauw University in the semifinals at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Tao Tennis Center. DePauw is ranked 12th in the nation.

The tourney kicks off on Friday with a match between fourth-seeded Carthage College and fifth-seeded Westminster College at noon. That winner takes on top-seeded Washington University, the defending national champion and No. 1 team in the nation this season, at 10 a.m. Saturday.

The winners play at noon Sunday for the regional title.

"Certainly by drawing the No. 12 team in the country, it is evident that our matchup is a difficult one," said Grinnell coach Andy Hamilton, who noted DePauw will have added motivation as this head coach Tom Cath's final season guiding the Tigers. "For us to be the No. 3 seed at the regional where the host is the defending national champion is a great honor. Fortunately, we've played the most difficult schedule in school history so we've seen teams as strong as DePauw. Now we just have to perform well."

Grinnell's top singles player, Juan Carlos Perez '11, is 25-5 on the season while Dan LaFountaine '09 and Nate Fox '09 - the next two players - are 25-4 and 20-10, respectively. Sam Raife '10, Eric Ritter '12 and Martin Dluhos '12 own marks of 15-13, 14-13 and 10-5, respectively. In doubles, the top team of LaFountaine and Fox are 29-2.

DePauw is 21-3 and the team's top two players have been Scott Swanson (18-7 mark) and Scott Sandager (14-8). Bryan Heck and Sandager, the top doubles team, are 15-7.
Tournament Web Page

The Grinnell College men's tennis team established a pair of milestones on its way to winning the Midwest Conference Tournament crown on Friday, May 1, in Madison, Wis.

The Pioneers became just the second team in league history to win six titles in a row with a 5-1 win over Monmouth College, and also tied a league record by winning its seventh title this decade. That ties Ripon College's mark established in the 1990s.

Grinnell got doubles wins from its top two teams, with wins coming from the squads of Dan LaFountaine '09-Nate Fox '09 (8-1) and Juan Carlos Perez '11-Martin Dluhos '12 (8-2). The Pioneers secured the victory in singles with victories by LaFountaine (6-1, 6-0), Fox (6-1, 6-0) and Dluhos (6-2, 6-1).

Grinnell improved to 18-9 overall, while Monmouth fell to 13-10.

"I'm extremely pleased for our seniors, Dan LaFountaine, Nate Fox and Tom Johnson, as they were able to guide our team to the fourth Midwest Conference championship in their careers and the team's sixth straight league title," said Grinnell coach Andy Hamilton. "Dan and Nate were extremely strong in doubles play in both the semifinal and final matches, and produced clean singles play to put points on the board. I also credit Martin Dluhos, who stepped into play at the second doubles spot in both matches. His performance got stronger and stronger as the day progressed."

Grinnell players will compete in MWC singles play on Saturday and doubles competition on Sunday.
Grinnell 5, Monmouth 1

Grinnell College's Dan LaFountaine '09 and Nate Fox '09 combined to win their third Midwest Conference men's tennis doubles title on Sunday, May 3, while Juan Carlos Perez '11 and Sam Raife '10 each enjoyed league doubles titles for the second time.

LaFountaine (upper left) and Fox (upper right), who had won crowns together in 2006 and 2008, rolled past Ryan Dunn and Dan Hertel of Lawrence University 6-1, 6-1, in the No. 1 division title match.

Perez (lower left) and Raife (lower right) were both on No. 2 doubles champs previously, Perez last year and Raife in 2007. This season, they combined to win the No. 2 title match over John Krewer and Seth Pamperin of Carroll University 6-1, 1-6 and 6-1.

Grinnell was the runner-up at No. 3 doubles, as Dmitriy Glumov '12 and Michael Cole '12 lost a hard-fought 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 decision to Joe Campagna and Chris Paterakos of Lake Forest College.

"I'm pleased with the doubles play today," said Grinnell coach Andy Hamilton. "Our goal as a team was to make an effort to win every flight, and given the fact that we made it to all three finals means we came very close to accomplishing our goal. I'm incredibly happy for Dan and Nate to finish off a fantastic senior season of play with a third title, and am looking forward to them leading us in the team regional next week and seeing them play in the NCAA National Meet."
Results

After proving its dominance in the Midwest Conference Championships dual competition, the Grinnell College men's tennis team continued its ways in the league's singles competition on Saturday, May 2.

For the first time in school history, the Pioneers won all six levels of MWC singles play at Madison, Wis., to break out to a big point lead entering doubles competition on Sunday. Winners for the Pioneers in order of one through six were Juan Carlos Perez '11 (top left), Dan LaFountaine '09 (top center), Nate Fox '09 (top right), Sam Raife '10 (bottom left), Eric Ritter '12 (bottom center) and Martin Dluhos '12 (bottom right). Fox has won four MWC singles titles in his career, Raife has claimed three, Perez two and LaFountaine one.

Championship match scores for each of the six were - Perez (6-1, 7-6), LaFountaine (6-1, 6-1), Fox (6-3, 7-2), Raife (6-3, 6-1), Ritter (6-0, 6-3) and Dluhos (6-0, 4-6, 6-4). That left Grinnell with 72 team points, well ahead of runner-up Monmouth College's score of 42.

"I'm incredibly pleased with all our guys," said Grinnell coach Andy Hamilton. "We played smart tennis in the early rounds, which allowed us to have good energy for the final matches. As a coach, when you have a player like Dan LaFountaine give so much to your program, it's gratifying seeing him come away with a conference singles title. And Nate Fox's feat of four singles title certainly makes him one of the best in conference history."
Results

The Grinnell College men's tennis team rolled into the Midwest Conference Tournament title match with a 5-0 victory over Lawrence University on Friday, May 1, in Madison, Wis.

Grinnell started the day with a sweep in doubles by the teams of Dan LaFountaine '09-Nate Fox '09, Juan Carlos Perez '11-Martin Dluhos '12 and Dmitriy Glumov '12-Michael Cole '12 The first and third teams won by 8-2 scores, while Perez and Dluhos won 8-4.

Grinnell finished off the win as LaFountaine won 6-0, 6-1 in singles and Fox posted a 6-4, 6-1 win. With the win, the Pioneers improved to 17-9 on the season and were slated to play Monmouth College in a quest for a sixth straight MWC crown.
Grinnell 5, Lawrence 0

Grinnell College will attempt to become just the second team in Midwest Conference history to win six consecutive men's tennis team titles in a row when it competes at the MWC Dual Championships on Friday, May 1.

The Pioneers, 16-9 overall, earned the league's South Division first seed after going 4-0 in divisional play. They'll take on Lawrence University, seeded second in the North, at 8 a.m. in Madison, Wis. The other semifinal pits North champion St. Norbert College against Monmouth College, the second seed in the South.

The winners meet for the championship at 1 p.m., with the losers playing at the same time for third. The MWC Singles Championships are slated for Saturday and the Doubles Championships on Sunday.
Championships Preview

In a battle of regionally-ranked teams, the Grinnell College men's tennis squad lost a narrow 5-4 decision to Luther College on Saturday, April 25, in Rochester, Minn.

Grinnell, ranked eighth in the region, split with ninth-ranked Luther in singles play by winning at the top three spots. Wins came from seventh-ranked Juan Carlos Perez '11 - who beat the region's No. 15 player - 13th-ranked Dan LaFountaine '09 and Nate Fox '09.

LaFountaine and Fox, ranked second in the region in doubles, also won at the No. 1 spot. Grinnell is now 16-9 overall, while Luther moved to 34-5.

"I was pleased with the top of our lineup, that being the two seniors and Juan Carlos," said Grinnell coach Andy Hamilton. "In order for us to challenge a very talented Luther team, they had to come ready to play today and produce. The end result shows Luther is very strong through the middle and bottom of the lineup, and our compliments to them.

"We have now gone through the regular-season schedule and we're excited to head to Madison, Wis., to defend our Midwest Conference title next weekend," he added. "I look forward to seeing our guys focused as they go for another conference crown."
Luther 5, Grinnell 4

Grinnell College's Sam Raife '10 has been named the Midwest Conference Men's Tennis Performer of the Week.

Raife, from Des Moines, Iowa (Roosevelt HS), was a perfect 6-of-6 during the week, winning all three singles matches and all three doubles matches as the Pioneers defeated Central College, Monmouth College and Knox College. Raife's victories helped Grinnell secure its ninth Midwest Conference South Division title in a row.

Raife is the fourth Grinnell men's player to be named Performer of the Week in 2009.

The Grinnell College men's tennis team wrapped up its ninth Midwest Conference South Division title in a row on Saturday, April 18, with easy wins at Monmouth College and Knox College.

The Pioneers, in finishing 4-0 in the MWC South, ran their win streak against divisional foes to 35 matches dating back to the 2000 season and earned a spot in the four-team conference postseason tournament.

Grinnell blanked Knox by a 9-0 score and worked past Monmouth 8-1. Two Pioneers, Juan Carlos Perez '11 (left) and Sam Raife '10 (right), each had a hand in four victories during the action. Perez won twice at No. 1 singles and Raife at the No. 3 spot, while both combined to win twice in doubles play.

Other singles winners against Knox were Nate Fox '09, Eric Ritter '12, Martin Dluhos '12 and Tom Johnson '09, while the doubles teams of Dan LaFountaine '09-Fox and Dmitriy Glumov '12-Michael Cole '12 also won.

Other singles winners against Monmouth were LaFountaine, Ritter and Dluhos, while the same doubles teams that won against Knox were also victorious.
Grinnell 9, Knox 0
Grinnell 8, Monmouth 1

The Grinnell College men's tennis team finished off the 2009 home portion of its schedule in strong fashion Wednesday, April 15, with a 9-0 win over non-conference foe Central College.

Singles winners for Grinnell were Dan LaFountaine '09, Nate Fox '09, Sam Raife '10, Eric Ritter '12, Martin Dluhos '12 and Tom Johnson '09. Raife and Johnson didn't lose a game while Dluhos gave up just one.

In doubles play, LaFountaine and Fox blanked their foe 8-0 at the No. 1 spot while other winners were the teams of Michael Cole '12-Dmitry Glumov '12 and Raife-Derek Gumm '11. With the win, Grinnell is now 14-8 while Central dipped to 6-9.

Grinnell plays a pair of Midwest Conference South Division foes on Saturday, facing Knox College at 11 a.m. in Galesburg, Ill., and Monmouth College at 2:30 p.m. in Monmouth.

Dan LaFountaine '09 (pictured) was a double winner for the Grinnell College tennis team in the Pioneers' 6-3 tennis setback to Coe College in a battle of regionally-ranked teams Saturday, April 11, in Cedar Rapids.

Grinnell, which is now 13-8, is rated eighth in the Central Region and Coe is ranked 13th.

LaFountaine, ranked 13th in the region in singles play, gave up just one game in winning at the No. 2 spot and also teamed with Nate Fox '09 to win at No. 1 doubles. The third-ranked Pioneer duo beat the region's seventh-ranked team.

Also winning was fifth-ranked Juan Carlos Perez '11 at No. 1 singles. Grinnell plays its final regular-season home match this Wednesday when Central College visits for a 4 p.m. contest.
Coe 6, Grinnell 3

Grinnell College's Nate Fox '09 has been named the Midwest Conference Men's Tennis Performer of the Week.

Fox was a perfect 5-of-5 during the weekend, winning all three doubles matches with teammate Dan LaFountaine '09 and both singles matches he played. His efforts helped Grinnell to 9-0 wins over both Ripon College and Lawrence University, and provided the Pioneers with the all-important fifth and decisive point in a 5-4 win over regionally-ranked Carleton College.

He and LaFountaine now own a 19-2 doubles record, while Fox improved to 12-9 in singles.

Grinnell College's men's tennis team finished off a perfect weekend with a pair of home wins on Saturday, April 4.

The Pioneers, ranked eighth in the Central Region, started things off with a 9-0 blanking of Lawrence University and then beat Carleton, ranked 10th regionally, by a 5-4 margin.

In the win over Carleton, Grinnell won at the top three flights with two-game sweeps by Juan Carlos Perez '11, Dan LaFountaine '09 and Nate Fox '09. LaFountaine lost just one game in his match, Perez only two and Fox three. LaFountaine and Fox won 8-1 at the top doubles flight and Perez and Sam Raife '10 were winners at the No. 2 position.

Against Lawrence, singles winners were Perez, Fox, Eric Ritter '12, Martin Dluhos '12, Michael Cole '12 and Tom Johnson '09. Johnson gave up just one game, while Fox and Dluhos lost just three. In doubles play, winners were the teams of LaFountaine-Fox, Dluhos-Raife and Cole, Dmitriy Glumov '12. Dluhos and Raife won 8-0, Cole and Glumov 8-1 and LaFountaine and Fox 8-2.

"We had a great weekend of tennis, beating two Midwest Conference teams (Grinnell beat Ripon College on Friday) and an in-region rival in Carleton," said Grinnell coach Andy Hamilton. "This is the first time all season that we've hit on all cylinders at the top of the lineup and played inspired tennis throughout. I'm very pleased with the play of senior captains Nate Fox and Dan LaFountaine. They provided great leadership and urged the team to victory."

Grinnell, 13-7 on the season, has a week off before playing at Coe College next Saturday.
Grinnell 9, Lawrence 0
Grinnell 5, Carleton 4

The Grinnell College men's tennis team raced to a 9-0 blanking of Ripon College on Friday, April 3, in Grinnell.

Of the Pioneers' singles winners, four won without losing a single game. They were Juan Carlos Perez '11, Martin Dluhos '12, Tom Johnson '09 and Ben Flebbe '11. Dmitriy Glumov '12 lost just one game, while Sam Raife '10 completed the singles sweep.

In doubles play, Derek Gumm '11 and Alec Moore '11 won 8-0 at the No. 3 spot. Also winning were the teams of Dan LaFountaine '09 and Nate Fox '09 as well as Glumov and Michael Cole '12.

"It was nice to spread the lineup out and play 11 players in an effort to show our depth and develop the younger players," said Grinnell coach Andy Hamilton. "The win is a good start to what should prove to be a rigorous weekend."

Grinnell, ranked eighth regionally, is now 11-6 on the season while Ripon fell to 3-8. The Pioneers host two foes on Saturday, taking on Lawrence University on Saturday morning and then regional 10th-ranked Carleton College in the afternoon.
Grinnell 9, Ripon 0

Dan LaFountaine '09 (left) and Nate Fox '09 (right) knocked off the nation's eighth-ranked doubles team with an 8-6 victory over Washington University's Isaac Stein and Max Woods in a tennis dual at St. Louis on Sunday, March 29.

Washington, the defending national champs and the nation's second-ranked team this season, won the other matches for an 8-1 team victory. Washington, ranked first in the Central Region, is now 9-2 on the season. Grinnell, the No. 8 team in the Central, dipped to 10-7.

Grinnell was close in the other two doubles matches it lost, as Juan Carlos Perez '11 and Sam Raife '10 fell 8-5 and Michael Cole '12 and Dmitriy Glumov '12 lost 8-6. Perez gave the nation's 12th-ranked singles player a good match in the No. 1 singles division, falling by consecutive 6-4 scores.

The Pioneers have three straight home matches coming up, as they entertain Ripon College at 3:30 p.m. Friday and host Lawrence University and Carleton College at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., respectively, on Saturday.

The Grinnell College men's tennis team opened Midwest Conference South Division action on a strong note Saturday, March 28, by beating both Lake Forest College and Illinois College by 9-0 scores in Jacksonville, Ill.

Winning twice in singles play for Grinnell were Nate Fox '09, Eric Ritter '12, Sam Raife '10 and Dmitriy Glumov '12. Adding wins against Lake Forest were Juan Carlos Perez '11 and Dan LaFountaine '09, while Michael Cole '12 and Derek Gumm '11 were victorious against Illinois College.

LaFountaine-Fox, Perez-Raife and Glumov-Cole won doubles matches against Lake Forest, while the teams of Cole-Glumov, Ritter-Gumm and Perez-Raife had wins against Illinois College.

Grinntll, 10-6 overall and 2-0 in the MWC South, steps out of league action Sunday by heading to St. Louis to take on defending national champion Washington University. The Bears defeated Grinnell in the NCAA Tournament last season in their way to the title.

Grinnell College's Juan Carlos Perez '11 and Ryan Harris '10 have been named the Midwest Conference Men's Tennis Performer and Baseball Pitcher of the Week, respectively.

Perez, ranked fifth in the NCAA Division III Central Region, was perfect during Grinnell's trip to Orlando, Fla., going 5-0 in singles play and 4-0 in doubles. Among the singles wins, he beat the region's 11th- and 18th-ranked players. He is now 10-3 in singles play during the 2009 spring campaign.

Harris sported a perfect 0.00 ERA in two appearances during the team's spring break trip to Fort Pierce, Fla. He pitched 13 innings while striking out seven batters, scattering seven hits and walking just one batter. He was the winning pitcher in both games - beating Lawrence University and Mount St. Vincent - to improve to 3-0 with a 0.47 earned run average on the season. The Baseball Performer of the Week was Jimmy Marlin of Carroll University.

The Grinnell College men's tennis team finished up its spring break trip on Friday, March 20, by splitting matches.

The Pioneers, 8-6 overall, blanked North Central (Ill.) by a 9-0 score and lost a close 5-4 decision to Georgetown (Ky.). Georgetown is 27th in the NAIA national rankings.

Dan LaFountaine '09 (pictured) was a perfect 4-for-4 on the day, winning both singles matches and teaming with Nate Fox '09 and Juan Carlos Perez '11 to win separate doubles matches. Other singles winners against North Central were Perez, Fox, Sam Raife '10, Tom Johnson '09 and Ben Flebbe '11. Perez-LaFountaine, Johnson-Michael Cole '12 and Alec Moore '11-Derek Gumm '11 were doubles winners.

Joining LaFountaine as a singles winner against Georgetown was Johnson. The doubles teams of LaFountaine-Fox and Perez-Raife also won.

Grinnell opens Midwest Conference South Division play next Saturday against Lake Forest and Illinois College, both at Jacksonville, Ill.
Georgetown 5, Grinnell 4
Grinnell 9, North Central 0

Grinnell College came away with a pair of men's tennis victories in recent days, beating Le Tourneau 5-3 on Tuesday and Carthage by a 9-0 score on Thursday.

Juan Carlos Perez '11 (left), Dan LaFountaine '09 (center) and Sam Raife '10 (right) were all perfect in the matches by winning twice in both singles and doubles play. Perez and Raife were doubles partners in both their matches, while LaFountaine teamed up with Nate Fox '09.

Fox also won a singles match against Carthage, as did Michael Cole '12 and Dmitry Glumov '12. Those two also had a doubles win against Carthage.

Grinnell, 7-5 overall, is slated to play Georgetown on Friday.
Grinnell 5, Le Tourneau 3
Grinnell 9, Carthage 0

The Grinnell College men's tennis team split matches in Orlando, Fla., on Monday, March 16, beating Roger Williams 8-1 and falling to nationally-ranked Tufts 6-3.

Grinnell swept doubles play against Roger Williams with victories by the teams of Nate Fox '09-Dan LaFountaine '09, Alec Moore '11-Ben Flebbe '11 and Michael Cole '12-Dmitriy Glumov '12. Singles winners were Juan Carlos Perez '11, LaFountaine, Sam Raife '10, Glumov and Derek Gumm '11.

In the loss to 30th-ranked Tufts, Grinnell did win the top two doubles matches with the teams of Fox-LaFountaine and Perez-Raife. Perez also won in singles play.

The split evened Grinnell's record at 5-5.
Tufts 6, Grinnell 3
Grinnell 8, Roger Williams 1

Dan LaFountaine '09 (pictured) scored a huge victory in singles play against Gustavus Adolphus College on Saturday, March 7, by beating the fifth-ranked player in the Central Region.

LaFountaine, who is rated 18th in the region, defeated Charlie Paukert in three sets, winning the super tie-breaker 17-15 after trailing 7-2. LaFountaine's win was the only one for Grinnell as the Pioneers fell 8-1 to the nation's eighth-ranked team.

"We just finished a three-weekend period of very challenging competition," said Grinnell coach Andy Hamilton. "Gustavus is certainly up to its No. 8 ranking in the nation. In the long run, our guys will benefit from playing tough teams like this. I'm pleased with Dan's singles play and his combined play with Nate Fox '09 in doubles."

Fox and LaFountaine lost a narrow 8-5 decision to the region's top-ranked team, while Fox played the eighth-rated singles player to 6-4, 6-2. Juan Carlos Perez '11 lost at the No. 1 spot to the top-rated singles player in the region.

Grinnell, 4-4 on the season, is off until its spring break matches in Florida. Gustavus Adolphus improved to 12-3.
Gustavus Adolphus 8, Grinnell 1

The Grinnell College men's tennis team came away with a big win Saturday, Feb. 28, by beating the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater by a 5-4 score in Grinnell.

Grinnell entered the match ranked 12th in the Central Region, while Wisconsin-Whitewater is rated ninth.

Grinnell trailed 2-1 after doubles play, but secured the win by taking four of six singles decisions. In a match featuring two regionally-ranked players, seventh-ranked Grinnell's Juan Carlos Perez '11 won a 6-3, 6-2 decision at No. 1 singles against 11th-rated Alex Lowe.

Dan LaFountaine '09, rated 18th regionally, posted a 7-6, 6-2 win at No. 2 singles, Nate Fox '09 won 7-5, 6-2 at the No. 3 spot and Martin Dluhos '12 emerged a winner at No. 6 in a 7-6, 2-6, 14-12 marathon. In doubles, LaFountaine and Fox (left and right), rated 10th in the region, won 8-5 at the No. 1 spot.

In Grinnell's other match, NAIA 10th-ranked Graceland University recorded a 7-2 win over the Pioneers. LaFountaine and Fox posted an 8-6 victory over highly-ranked Remy Caffardo and Thomas Brodbeck in doubles play. LaFountaine (pictured) won for the fourth time of the day when he won his singles match 6-0, 7-5

The 4-3 Pioneers have a week off before traveling to Gustavus Adolphus for a 7 p.m. match on Saturday, M.arch 7.
Grinnell 5, Wisconsin-Whitewater 4
Graceland 7, Grinnell 2

Grinnell College's Dan LaFountaine '09 has been named the Midwest Conference Men's Tennis Performer of the Week.

LaFountaine (St. Cloud, Minn./Apollo HS) teamed up with fellow senior Nate Fox to post doubles wins in the Pioneers' matches against nationally-ranked Kalamazoo College and the University of Chicago. They beat their foe from Kalamazoo, ranked 28th nationally, by an 8-4 score and posted an identical 8-4 win over the opponent from Chicago, which entered the match ranked 25th.

The wins boosted their doubles record in 2009 to 5-0. LaFountaine also won his singles match against Chicago.

Dan LaFountaine '09 was a double winner to lead the Grinnell College men's tennis team during a 7-2 setback at nationally-ranked University of Chicago on Sunday, Feb. 22.

LaFountaine, ranked 18th in the Central Region in singles play, posted a 6-4, 7-6 victory and teamed with Nate Fox '09 to win 8-4 at No. 1 doubles. The Pioneer duo is ranked 10th in the region.

Chicago, rated 25th nationally and fifth in the region, improved to 5-4 while Grinnell, the No. 12 team in the Central Region, dipped to 3-2.

"We knew heading into this weekend we were facing a couple of tough opponents (the Pioneers played Kalamazoo on Saturday)," said Grinnell coach Andy Hamilton. "While it looks like the losses were decisive, those matches could have been wins. I'm pretty pleased with our overall competitiveness versus the Nos. 28 and 25 teams in the nation. There are two reasons we wanted to play teams like these. First, we wanted Dan, Nate and Juan (Carlos Perez) to go against some of the region's top players and second, playing good competition like this will only help us against Midwest Conference opposition."

The Pioneers return to the home court this coming weekend to take on the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and Graceland University on Saturday, Feb. 28. The match against Wisconsin-Whitewater, which is ranked ninth in the Central Region, begins at 8:30 a.m. while the contest with Graceland, one of the top NAIA teams, is set for 4:30 p.m. Box Score

The Grinnell College men's tennis team put up a good fight, but lost a 7-2 decision to 28th-ranked Kalamazoo College on Saturday, Feb. 21, in Griffith, Ind.

Grinnell's winners were Juan Carlos Perez '11 at No. 1 doubles and the top doubles team of Dan LaFountaine '09 and Nate Fox '09.

"I'm pleased with our doubles play," said Grinnell coach Andy Hamilton. "We hit the ball well in our singles matches, too. I'm very impressed with the bottom of Kalamazoo's lineup. They have one of the better four, five and six players we'll see this season."

Grinnell, ranked 12th in the Central Region, fell to 3-1 on the season while Kalamazoo, the seventh-ranked regional team, is also 3-1. Grinnell takes on the University of Chicago on Sunday.
Box Score

The Grinnell College men's tennis team will put its unbeaten 3-0 record on the line when it faces a pair of nationally-ranked foes this weekend.

The Pioneers take on Kalamazoo College, ranked 28th in NCAA Division III and seventh in the Central Region, at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 21, in Griffith, Ind. At 8:30 a.m. the following day, Grinnell meets the University of Chicago in Homewood, Ill. Chicago is ranked 25th in the nation and fifth in the Central Region, while Grinnell owns the region's No. 12 ranking.

Grinnell is off to a solid start to the season, with wins over Augustana College, St. Norbert College and Nebraska Wesleyan University. Juan Carlos Perez '11, Dan LaFountaine '09 and Nate Fox '09 all are 3-0 in their singles matches in those contests. Doubles teams at 3-0 are Fox-LaFountaine and Perez-Martin Dluhos '12.

Grinnell returns to the home court the following weekend to entertain a pair of teams on Saturday, Feb. 28. The Pioneers face the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater at 8:30 a.m. that day and Graceland University at 4:30 p.m.

The Grinnell College men's tennis team moved to 3-0 on the young season with an 8-1 home victory over Nebraska Wesleyan University on Sunday, Feb. 15.

The Pioneers swept doubles play with the teams of Dan LaFountaine '09-Nate Fox '09, Juan Carlos Perez '11-Martin Dluhos '12 and Sam Raife '10-Dmitriy Glumov '12. LaFountaine and Fox lost just one game in their victory.

Singles winners were Perez, LaFountaine, Fox, Raife and Michael Cole '12. Perez lost just two games in his sweep, while LaFountaine and Cole gave up just four each.

Grinnell, ranked 12th regionally, hits the road next weekend to face Kalamazoo in Griffith, Ind., on Feb. 21 and the University of Chicago in Homewood, Ill., on Feb. 22.
Grinnell 8, Nebraska Wesleyan 1

Grinnell College's men's tennis team got its 2009 campaign off to a strong start with victories over Augustana College and St. Norbert College on Saturday, Feb. 14, in Moline, Ill.

The Pioneers, ranked 12th regionally, blanked St. Norbert by a 9-0 score and topped Augustana 6-3. Grinnell's top four singles players and top two doubles teams each posted two wins on the day. Singles winners, in order 1 through 4, were Juan Carlos Perez '11, Dan LaFountaine '09, Nate Fox '09 and Eric Ritter '12. LaFountaine posted a 6-0, 6-0 shutout in his St. Norbert win.

Doubles teams winning were the top squad of LaFountaine and Fox and the No. 2 duo of Perez and Martin Dluhos '12. Other winners against St. Norbert were Sam Raife '10 and Michael Cole '12 in singles play and the doubles team of Raife and Dmitriy Glumov '12.

"Our veteran guys were steady as we expected," said Grinnell coach Andy Hamilton '85. "Dan and Nate were solid at No. 1 doubles, and Juan, Dan and Nate were equally good at singles. I'm very pleased how our young guys played, particularly Martin with Juan at No. 2 doubles and Eric at No. 4 singles. It's going to take time for our young guys to develop, but they have great potential."

While Grinnell is 2-0 on the season, Augustana dipped to 4-3 and St. Norbert 2-1. The Pioneers jump right back into action on Sunday, Feb. 15, when Nebraska Wesleyan University visits for a 10:30 a.m. match.
Grinnell 6, Augustana 3
Grinnell 9, St. Norbert 0

With several top players returning, the Grinnell College men's tennis team is taking aim at yet another banner season in 2009.

Last season's Pioneer team established several milestones, including winning its first-ever NCAA Tournament match with a shutout victory over Westminster College. Grinnell then gave eventual NCAA Division III champ Washington University all it could handle before falling.

Not long before that, Grinnell won its fifth Midwest Conference title in a row with a 5-1 victory over Lake Forest College. Grinnell also crowned eight of the nine champs in the MWC individual tournament, including a sweep in doubles play.

Dan LaFountaine '09 and Nate Fox '09 were the MWC champs at No. 1 doubles and narrowly missed qualifying for the NCAA Tournament, while Juan Carlos Perez '11 was a member of the No. 2 doubles team that took first in the league. Returning singles champs include Perez at No. 2, Fox at No. 3 and Sam Raife at No. 5.

The four players listed above combined for a staggering 76 singles victories last season and 78 percent winning percentage. LaFountaine was 20-4, Perez went 25-1, Fox posted a 15-8 mark and Raife went 16-9. LaFountaine and Fox also combined to go 25-3 in doubles play.

"With four main returnees in Dan, Nate, Juan and Sam, we should be able to construct a good lineup," said Grinnell coach Andy Hamilton. "All four of those players will play both singles and doubles."

There are plenty of others to help fill the gaps after that, said Hamilton. He said a group of eight players, including Alec Moore '11, Derek Gumm '11, Ben Flebbe '11, Michael Cole '12, Martin Dluhos '12, Dmitriy Glumov '12, Eric Ritter '12 and Tom Johnson '09 will vie for those other spots.

As a team last season, Grinnell posted a 20-7 mark en route to its successful season. "Our focus every year is winning the Midwest Conference title so we can obtain the automatic NCAA qualifying berth," said Hamilton. "For us this season, it will be a matter of getting these younger players valuable experience so that we are poised to challenge for our sixth straight conference title at the end of April."

Hamilton said the team will benefit from a difficult schedule. "With some national-caliber players on this team, I put together by far the toughest schedule we've ever had," he explained. "We'll be playing 11 ranked opponents, two of which are in the top eight including the defending champion, Washington University."

Grinnell begins its season on Saturday, Feb. 14, with duals against St. Norbert College and Augustana College in Moline, Ill. The St. Norbert match is at 2 p.m. and the Augustana match at 5. Grinnell then hosts Nebraska Wesleyan University at 10:30 a.m. the next day.

Grinnell College's Juan Carlos Perez '11, the No. 5 singles seed in the ITA Midwest Regional Tennis Tournament, lost a 6-1, 6-1 decision to top-seeded John Kauss of Gustavus Adolphus in the semifinal round of the event Sunday morning.

The match was part of an amazing run by Perez, who advanced through four preliminary rounds as well as the quarterfinals before losing.

Grinnell College's Juan Carlos Perez '11 advanced to the singles semifinals of the ITA/Midwest Regional Tennis Tournament on Saturday.

Perez, the fifth seed, opened the day with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over 17th-seeded Kevin Stickney of Gustavus Adolphus and then knocked off fourth-seeded Alex Lowe of Wisconsin-Whitewater 6-2, 6-4 in the quarterfinals. He will take on John Kauss of Gustavus Adolphus, the top seed, in Sunday's semifinal round.

Dan LaFountaine '09, the third seed, lost 1-6, 6-2, 7-5 to 15thseeded Harry Whiteley of Luther in the fourth round Sautrday and Nate Fox '09, the 14th seed, fell 6-7, 6-2, 6-2 to 18th-seeded Scott Sundstrom of Luther in the same round.

LaFountaine and Fox, the top-seeded doubles team, won 8-1 over Eric Ice and Kyle Olson of Gustavus Adolphus in the third round Saturday before losing 8-6 to eighth-seeded Nick Hansen and Stickney of Gustavus Adolphus in the quarterfinals. Perez and Sam Raife '10 fell 8-2 to second-seeded Mike Burdakin and Kauss of Gustavus Adolphus in the third round.

"I'm very pleased with Juan Carlos' tournament so far," said Grinnell coach Andy Hamilton. "His victories today showed great mental toughness, and he's hitting the ball very well. In doubles play, Dan and Nate had a very high level match with the Gustavus pair. A few shots here or there might have been the difference. Team-wise this has been our best ITA tournament. Nate and Dan, our senior captains, did an excellent job of preparing our team."

The Grinnell College men's tennis team enjoyed a successful opening day Friday at the 2008 Wislon/ITA Midwest Regional event in St. Peter, Minn.

The top-seeded doubles team of Dan LaFountaine '09 and Nate Fox '09 advanced to the third round, as did the duo of Juan Carlos Perez '11 and Sam Raife '10. Both had byes in the first round before LaFountaine and Fox rolled past Luke Odegaard and Mark Steelman of Saint John's 8-3 and Perez and Raife defeated Travis Fondow and Caleb Ray of Lawrence 8-1. Grinnell's other doubles entry of Michael Cole '12 and Derek Gumm '11 lost an 8-2 decision of Nick Crnkovich and David Narvaez of St. Olaf in the opening round.

In singles play, all three of Grinnell's seeded players- LaFountaine, Perez and Fox - remained alive by winning through the first three rounds. In the third round, the third-seeded LaFountaine topped Dan Vollman of Carleton 6-2, 4-6, 1-0 (10-7), No. 5 Perez beat Thomas Orser of Luther 7-5, 6-3 and 14th-seeded Fox beat Paul Vickers of Wisconsin-La Crosse 1-6, 6-3, 1-0 (12-10). All three had byes in the first round before LaFountaine stopped Nate Jung of Luther 6-1, 6-1, Perez defeated Matt Edin of Concordia-Morehead 6-1, 6-3 and Fox defeated Timmy Moller of Wisconsin-Whitewater 6-4, 7-5.

Two other Pioneers won in the first round before falling in the second round. Sam Raife '10 opened with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Brian Lindberg of St. Scholastica before losing 6-1, 6-2 to fourth-seeded Alex Lowe of Wisconsin-Whitewater, while Dylan Gumm '11 beat Kyle Nodarse of Lawrence 6-1, 6-2 before losing 6-2, 6-2 to Krisha Jethwa of Gustavus Adolphus. Also in the first round, Nick Piotrowski of Wisconsin-La Crosse defeated Eric Ritter '12 by scores of 6-7 (3), 6-2, 1-0 (11-9).

Members of the Grinnell College men's tennis team will head to St. Peter, Minn., to compete in the 2008 Wilson/ITA Midwest Regional event.

Highlighting the group are Dan LaFountaine '09 and Nate Fox '09, the top-seeded team in the doubles portion of the event. LaFountaine is also seeded third in singles, Juan Carlos Perez '11 is seeded fifth and Fox is 17th. Rounding out the Pioneers' singles entries are Eric Ritter '12, Sam Raife '10 and Dylan Gumm '11. Other doubles teams are Perez-Raife and Derek Gumm '11-Michael Cole '12.

Grinnell College’s Dan LaFountaine ’09 and Nate Fox ’09 have been placed as an off-site doubles alternate for the tournament, which is slated for next week at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine.

LaFountaine and Fox own a 25-3 doubles mark this season and won the Midwest Conference title in the top flight. They also guided the Pioneers to the NCAA Division III Team Tournament, where Grinnell won its first-ever match in tourney history with a victory over Westminster (Mo.) last Friday.

Washington entered the match ranked second in the nation and first in the Central Region, while Grinnell came in as the 13th team in the region. Washington improved to 17-4 with the victory while the Pioneers, who Friday won their first-ever NCAA Tourney match, finished their fine campaign with a 20-7 record.

Washington grabbed a 2-1 lead after doubles play, with Grinnell's victory coming from the No. 2 squad of Juan Carlos Perez '11 (left) and D.J. Warden '08 (right). They teamed up to beat Trevis Bowman and John Watts by an 8-5 score. In a doubles battle of regionally-ranked teams, Washington's Charlie Cutler and Chris Hoeland - who are rated first in the region - edged eighth-ranked Nate Fox '09 and Dan LaFountaine '09 by an 8-6 score in the No. 1 match. At No. 3 doubles, Isaac Stein and Max Woods worked past Daniel Malarkey '08 and Jordan Lee '08 by an 8-4 score.

Perez and Warden improved their doubles mark to 19-3 on the season, while Fox and LaFountaine are 25-3 and Lee and Malarkey are 15-6.

Washington then posted three singles wins to clinch the victory. Danny Levy defeated Fox 6-1, 6-2 at the No. 3 spot, Woods defeated Warden by consecutive 6-1 scores at No. 4 and Stein defeated Sam Raife '10 6-4, 6-1 at No. 6. Fox is 15-8 in singles, Warden is 5-7 and Raife 16-9.

"We played very well at No. 2 doubles, and Juan and D.J. executed a great volley and return game in order to win," said Grinnell coach Andy Hamilton. "It was exciting for us to be on the court with a national contender team as we continue to grow our program. It's evident by watching that we've gained ground and are moving forward in order to make Grinnell College a national-caliber program. I can't say enough about senior lineup players D.J. Warden, Daniel Malarkey and Jordan Lee. Their effort and team play really helped us to a great season.

Washington will meet the DePauw/Wheaton winner for the regional title Sunday at noon.
Washington University 5, Grinnell 1

The regional quarterfinal victory sends the Pioneers - ranked 13th in the Central Region - to a semifinal date against host Washington University at 10 a.m. Saturday. Washington is ranked first in the Central Region and second nationally. The other semifinal will pit DePauw, ranked fourth in the region and 19th nationally, and Wheaton, Ill., ranked 11th in the region. That match is at 2 p.m. Saturday. The semifinal winners meet in the title match at noon Sunday.

Grinnell, making its second-ever NCAA Tourney appearance, got off to a strong start by sweeping doubles play. Nate Fox '09 (left) and Dan LaFountaine '09 (right) won 8-2 at the No. 1 spot, while the No. 2 and 3 teams of Juan Carlos Perez '11-D.J. Warden '08 and Daniel Malarkey '08-Jordan Lee '08 won by 8-3 and 8-6 scores, respectively. Fox and LaFountaine are now 25-2 on the season, Perez and Warden own an 18-3 record and the tandem of Malarkey and Lee is 15-5.

The 20-6 Pioneers then sealed the win with singles victories by LaFountaine and Perez, who each won by 6-0, 6-1 scores at the No. 1 and 2 spots, respectively. LaFountaine is now 20-4 and Perez owns a 25-1 mark.

"It is gratifying for us to win Grinnell's first NCAA regional match in men's tennis," said Pioneers' coach Andy Hamilton. "All season I felt this was the best team I've coached in 13 years here, and we're seeing it play out with a Midwest Conference title and NCAA regional win. Our guys played well today, but in order for us to compete with a team like Washington University we have to be sharper. All in all, I'm pleased for our student-athletes, especially seniors D.J. Warden, Daniel Malarkey and Jordan Lee."

Westminster finishes its season with a 12-7 record.
Grinnell 5, Westminster 0

The winner of match will face host and top-seeded Washington on Saturday at 10 a.m.. The other half of the regional is made up of No. 2 DePauw and No. 3 Wheaton (Ill.), who will also meet on Saturday at 2 p.m. The title match is at noon Sunday.

Grinnell, 19-6 on the season and ranked 13th in the Central Region, is fresh off winning the Midwest Conference team title, as well as the singles-doubles team crown. The Pioneers have a .780 singles winning percentage, paced by the play of Dan LaFountaine '09 (19-4 record), Juan Carlos Perez '11 (24-1), Nate Fox '09 (15-7), Daniel Malarkey '08 (16-2), Sam Raife '10 (16-8) and Jordan Lee '08 (13-4). In doubles play, Fox and LaFountaine are 24-2, Perez and D.J. Warden '08 own a 17-3 mark and Lee and Malarkey are 14-5. LaFountaine is ranked 11th regionally in singles play, while he and Fox are sixth in doubles.

Grinnell faced three NCAA Tournament qualifiers during the 2008 regular season. The Pioneers were edged by Luther and UW-Whitewater by identical 5-4 scorers, while also falling to Regional host Gustavus Adolphus by an 8-1 tally.

Grinnell was the recipient of the MWC's automatic berth to the NCAA tourney after its win on Friday. The MWC received its annual AQ status last year, making Grinnell the second to earn the AQ and the third team in MWC history to qualify for a chance to compete for a National Championship. Grinnell was edged by Luther 5-3 in the opening round of the 2007 NCAA Tournament.

Westminster (12-6), located in Fulton, Mo., enters the NCAA Tournament via automatic qualifier status after winning the SLIAC conference tournament and is making its second straight NCAA tourney appearance. Blue Jays are not ranked in the region nor do they have any regionally-ranked singles or doubles entries.

Myles Yokeley, the team's top player, is 5-7 no the season while second seed Andrew Darkow is 9-6 and No. 3 Chris Claypool is 13-4. Rounding out the lineup are Josh Brown (8-5), Parker Stanza (14-3) and Josh Ray (11-5). In doubles, Claypool and Darkow are 9-7, Yokeley and Stanza are 8-1 and Brown and Joseph Yoeller are 4-1.

For more information, see: http://bearsports.wustl.edu/releases/2008NCAAMen'sTennis.html

Two days later, the Pioneers also staked claim to the league’s singles-doubles championship. Grinnell, which won five of six singles titles Saturday in Madison, Wis., won all three doubles crowns on Sunday. That gave Grinnell 105 points, well ahead of runner-up Lake Forest College’s total of 63.

Winning titles, at No. 1 through 3, respectively, were the teams of Dan LaFountaine ‘09-Nate Fox ‘09, Juan Carlos Perez ‘11-D.J. Warden ‘08 and Jordan Lee ‘08-Daniel Malarkey ‘08. Warden and Lee won their third conference doubles titles each, LaFountaine and Fox have won two each while Perez and Malarkey were first-time MWC doubles champs.

LaFountaine and Fox beat Monmouth College’s Kevin Kamenjarin and Kyle Korb 6-2, 6-2 in the No. 1 doubles title match, while Perez and Warden defeated Jon Flaksman and Andrew Fretter of Lake Forest 6-1, 6-1 in the No. 2 doubles title match. At No. 3 doubles, Lee and Malarkey sailed past Lake Forest’s Joe Campagna and Chris Paterakos 6-0, 6-1 in the championship match.

Grinnell’s next action will be NCAA Division III regional tournament action against a foe to be determined. The opponent will be determined early in the week.

“Strong doubles play will fuel our potential success in the NCAA regionals,” said Grinnell coach Andy Hamilton. “Coming out of the Midwest Conference flighted tournaments, all of our guys are hitting the ball well. This weekend should be a great conditioner for us. It’s hard for me to single out any individual - I’m proud of all of our players. In Sunday’s doubles matches, the guys were dominant all day but were particularly stellar in their championship matches.”
No. 1 Doubles
No. 2 Doubles
No. 3 Doubles

Singles champs, in the No. 2 through 6 divisions, were Juan Carlos Perez (6-1, 6-0 over Alex Pressman of Lake Forest), Nate Fox '09 (6-7, 6-1, 7-6 over Jon Flaksman of Lake Forest), Daniel Malarkey '08 (3-6, 6-3, 6-0 over Andrew Fretter of Lake Forest), Sam Raife '10 (6-2, 6-3 over Eric Koppman of St. Norbert) and Jordan Lee '08 (2-6, 6-4, 6-0 over Chris Paterakos of Lake Forest). Fox won his third singles title in a row, while Raife won his second straight title.

Dan LaFountaine '09 took second at No. 1 singles behind Lawrence University's Ryan Dunn.
No. 1 Singles
No. 2 Singles
No. 3 Singles
No. 4 Singles
No. 5 Singles
No. 6 Singles

The Pioneers posted two wins in doubles play with victories by the teams of Dan LaFountaine ‘09-Nate Fox ‘09 and Juan Carlos Perez ‘11-D.J. Warden ‘08. LaFountaine and Fox improved to 21-2 and Perez and Warden are 14-3. Both won by 8-2 scores.

In singles play, wins were collected by LaFountaine, Perez and Warden. Perez lost just two games in two sets and LaFountaine four games.

The win was No. 201 for coach Andy Hamilton ‘85, who posted win No. 200 earlier in the day with a semifinal victory.

Grinnell improved to 19-6 with the win and Lake Forest fell to 16-6.

Midwest Conference Tournament action continues with singles and doubles play this weekend.
Grinnell vs. Lake Forest