Bucknell University Athletics
Men's Tennis Team Set to Open 2001 Season
2/13/2001 7:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Feb. 13, 2001
LEWISBURG, PA. -- In his ninth season, Head Coach Bob Hammerlee and his 11-man men's tennis squad will head to The College of New Jersey on February 17-18 to begin their 2001 season. The Bison have lost two of their top players during the preseason, Aaron Webster and Justin Quandt, due to injuries and personal reasons. Coach Hammerlee acknowledges that it is going to be a great loss, and does not know when or if the two will be back in action this year, but believes that the 2001 men's tennis team is going to surprise a lot of people this season.
Coming off of a fairly impressive fall season, Bucknell is starting its season earlier than usual this year with the seeded tournament at The College of New Jersey. Coach Hammerlee likes the Patriot League preseason ranking of fourth, considering the tough schedule, and having two of his top players out for unknown amounts of time. After the first tournament in February, the Bison will have nearly a month to get ready for their next tournament, which is over spring break (March 10-18), in the warm climate of Hilton Head, S.C where Bucknell will face good competition from all over the eastern United States.
Although the season is young and challenge matches are still in progress the top singles slates look to be filled by junior co-captain Alex Davydov (Middlebury, Vt./ Middlebury), senior Jeff Gould (Coram, N.Y./ Newfield), and sophomore Todd Jacobs (Wayne, Pa./ Conestoga). Davydov, who saw most of his action in the second and third singles flights, ended the 2000 season with a winning record of 10-9. He found himself as a part of the first flight in doubles action striking up an even 10-10 record. This year Davydov will be fighting for the number one single spot, and would have been playing with senior Aaron Webster (Houston, Texas/ Bishop Miege) in the number one doubles position until Webster injured his patella tendon, which could keep him out for the entire season.
Webster, who tried to fill the shoes of an injured T.K. Kelly, 2000 graduate, last year, finds himself as the injured one this season. Disappointingly, Webster may not be seen in action this season at all due to the severity of the injury to his knee.
Gould, who will also be fighting for position in the top three could possibly move into the number one doubles spot with Davydov. Gould was used more as a doubles player in previous years, but with his powerful serve he has moved his way up through the singles ranks.
Jacobs, also fighting for one of the top positions, was one of the primary players on the second flight doubles team last year and will be attempting to move into the number one team. Jacobs also displayed a 9-11 singles record in the 99-00 season.
Senior co-captain Hayes Hopple (Wilton, Conn./ Saint George's School) did not participate in the 99-00 season due to a broken ankle. After a strong fall season, Hopple looks to be among the top six competitors in singles action this year for the Bison.
A returning senior, Edward Koller (Rye, N.Y./ Berkshire School (Mass.)), will also be a valuable asset to the team in the 2001 season. After a year off from the team, Koller will be in the pack to be a part of the top six starting singles positions.
The senior class is rounded out by Justin Quandt (Alamo, Calif./ Intl. School of Brussels), who is not competing at this time due to personal reasons. With most of his experience being in the three and four spots, and having an impressive 38-21 overall singles record, Quandt is in the top ten category for most singles victories all time at Bucknell, and his return will be crucial to the 2001 Bison team.
The team's junior class will add great depth to the 2001 men's tennis team. Members of the class include Scott Allen (Berwyn, Pa./ Conestoga), Ira Brownstein (Lafayette Hill, Pa./ Plymouth-Whitemarsh), and Lee Scarborough (Wilmington, Del./ A.I. Dupont). Allen, a two-year starter in singles and doubles, will be one of the team members competing to be amongst the top six singles players, and will likely be a member of one of the doubles teams. Scarborough looks to move up in the flights from last year, where he saw limited action at the number six position. He is also in contention to play for a starting doubles team. Brownstein, although not as experienced as the others, looks to contribute to this years 2001 men's tennis team.
The 2001 Bucknell men's tennis team is wrapped up by two walk-on freshmen Ashwin Ramakrishna (Pittsburgh, Pa./ Shady Side Academy) and Mike Rinaldi (Leechburg, Pa./ Kiski). Ramakrishna and Rinaldi add more depth and talent to the team, and have made much improvement since the fall season.
This weekend's seeded Lion's Invitational, at The College of New Jersey, will be the first test for the Bison. Competing along with Bucknell will be The College of New Jersey, Millersville, and Villanova. Action is planned to start on Saturday morning, February 17, and conclude the following day.
