Bucknell University Athletics
Bison Men's Tennis Brings in Talented Freshmen to Add to Experienced Returners
2/15/2002 7:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Feb. 15, 2002
LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bucknell University men's tennis team will feature plenty of new faces in the 2002 season.
Of the 10 athletes on Bucknell's roster, seven are freshmen. However, 10th-year head coach Bob Hammerlee has high hopes for his younger Bison, and believes his team has what it takes to compete with some of the top teams in the Patriot League this season.
"We have seven freshmen that want to fill three spots," said Hammerlee, who has coached the Bison to a 98-78 record over the past nine seasons. "The good thing about that is that they will all work hard to prove themselves. They all show potential, and with the talent and leadership of our three upperclassmen, I think we should be competitive."
Last season, Bucknell put together a 9-7 record, and advanced to the semi-finals of the Patriot League tournament before falling to eventual league champion Army. But due to a change in the league's tournament format, the Bison will need to step up their game in order to find post-season success this year.
In the 2001 season, all seven teams in the Patriot League were admitted into the league tournament, with the top seed receiving a first-round bye. With the entrance of American University into the Patriot League this year, the league has changed to a format in which only four teams with the best Patriot League record qualify for the tournament.
Providing Patriot League tournament experience, as well as valuable leadership this season, will be the team's three upperclassmen - Alex Davydov (Middlebury, Vt./Middlebury), Todd Jacobs (Wayne, Pa./Conestoga) and Scott Allen (Berwyn, Pa./Conestoga).
Davydov, a senior co-captain, will give Bucknell a solid performer at No. 1 singles. He filled in for an injured Aaron Webster at No. 1 singles last season and finished the year with a 6-12 record, including a 4-11 mark at first singles. He also picked up a singles victory in the opening round of the Patriot League tournament in the team's 5-1 win over Lehigh. With a 52-55 combined singles and doubles career record, Davydov ranks 21st on the school's all-time wins list. He is also ranks 18th at Bucknell with 26 career doubles victories, and needs just two more singles wins to move into the school's career-top 25 list.
"He just has unbelievable stamina," says Hammerlee. "You'll find very few players who are more fit than Alex. He also has great speed, and just never gives up on a ball. I expect him to lead our team as a senior captain and show our younger players what it takes to succeed."
The team's other co-captain, Jacobs gives Bucknell an additional threat at the top of the lineup. Jacobs put together a 9-8 singles record, including a 7-1 mark at the No. 4 position as a sophomore last year. He also played a part in the Bison's Patriot League tournament victory over Lehigh, as he picked up a win at third singles.
"Todd just finds a way to win," says Hammerlee. "If somebody's beating him, he'll change his game. He also likes the challenge of playing somebody better than he is."
Senior Scott Allen rounds out Bucknell's trio of upperclassmen. Allen enjoyed a winning record of 9-8 in singles competition last year, including a 6-3 mark at the No. 3 position. He also excelled in doubles play, going 10-6 while splitting his time between the second and third positions.
"I've always been impressed with the way Scott keeps the ball deep and runs everything down," said Hammerlee. "Those are the type of things he does to allow him to pull out a lot of close matches."
Although the bulk of Bucknell's lineup will consist of first-year players, several of the Bison's rookies received valuable playing experience during the 2001 fall season. Freshman Nick Denefrio (Schenectady, N.Y./Niskayuna), a New York State Public High School finalist, played at both No. 2 singles and No. 1 doubles during the fall, and put together an impressive 7-2 doubles record.
Other newcomers who made their mark during the fall season were Leland Tien (State College, Pa./State College), Gerald DiChiara (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City), and Joe Menezes (Staten Island, N.Y./Polytech Prep Country Day School). A two-time PIAA District VI champion, Tien won three out of five matches at No. 5 singles. DiChiara, who was ranked 30th in the USTA-East as a high school senior, picked up four victories in five tries at No. 6 singles during the fall. A team MVP in secondary school, Menezes competed in a pair of matches at third doubles.
Freshmen Paul Bohlander (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Cranbrook Kingswood School), Dave Eckelberger (Littleton, Colo./Littleton) and Tom Steckroth (Little Silver, N.J./Red Bank Regional) will also vie for playing time this spring. Bohlander was a four-year standout at the Cranbrook Kingswood School in Michigan, while Eckelberger earned second-team all-league honors at Greenwood Village. Steckroth picked up all-conference accolades at Red Bank Regional in high school.
The Bison kick off the 2002 season with the College of New Jersey Invitational on Feb. 16-17. Bucknell visits St. Francis (Pa.) in its first dual match on Feb. 28 before traveling to Hilton Head Island, S.C. on March 12 for the team's Spring Break Trip.
The team hosts the University of Delaware in its home opener on March 20, and the Bison kick off Patriot League play on April 7 with a home match against Navy. Bucknell hosts two additional Patriot League matches, facing Lafayette on April 11 and Colgate on April 13.
Bucknell closes its regular season with a pair of Patriot League dual matches at Army (April 20) and Lehigh (April 23). However, the Bison are hoping their season will still be in session on April 27-28 for the 2002 Patriot League Championship Tournament.
