Men's Tennis Preview
The 2011 Ohio Dominican men's tennis spring season will kick-off on Feb. 11, embarking on a new challenge for the ODU men. ODU competes as a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) for the first time and as a member of the NCAA and Division II. The Panthers will look to build on their strong finish to their NAIA career in the upcoming DII season. "My outlook remains the same," said fifth year head coach Ryan Beigle. "We have an enormous amount of talent and the team needs to produce on that ability this spring."
ODU finished 12-8 in 2008, which qualified them for the NAIA Regional Qualifying Tournament where they lost to top-seeded Lindsey Wilson College in the finals. ODU also earned the program's fourth consecutive NAIA Scholar Team Award. "Last year we saw a shaky start turn into a nine-match winning streak heading into the post season tournament," Beigle said. "We have 5-of-6 single courts returning this year and I am confident the experience and leadership we have will pay off in GLIAC play."
This year, the Panthers will look to compete with the top teams in the GLIAC and prove the team belongs among the conference elite. "This new challenge, competing in the GLIAC will be a great opportunity for our program. I have lofty goals and high expectations that we are capable of having a great spring," said Beigle
The Team
Familiar faces return for the 2011 conference season as the team returns five seniors and two juniors. Two talented transfers and one freshman addition also join the team for their first season with the Black and Gold.
The seniors will have a great opportunity to finish their collegiate careers on a positive note. Greg Dillon (Fort Wayne, IN) and Conrad Klank (Dayton, OH), along with Robert McMahan (Dunwoody, GA), Ernest Martinovic (Akron, OH) and Alfonso-Camacho Martinez (Bogota, Colombia) bring a great understanding of what it takes to compete at a high level on a daily basis and the necessary commitment it takes to be successful. "These five guys have been through a lot in their three-plus seasons," said Beigle. "They were instrumental in turning our program around and I'm excited to see them perform this spring."
Bernardo Feitosa (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) returns as a two-time NAIA All-American selection. Feitosa will be joined by fellow juniors Claude Badowski (Oundle, England) and Carlos Perez (Miami, FL). Badowski has seen consistent growth in his first two seasons and will be a strong presence on the singles and doubles court this spring. Perez comes to ODU from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural Junior College and will be an immediate impact player for the Panthers. "Each brings a quality to the program that will help the success this spring. They all have a strong work ethic and a commitment to see the program find immediate success in DII," Beigle said.
Tyler Johnston (Wilmington, OH) is another transfer from ABAC who is a welcome addition to the ODU line-up. Johnston brings a strong court presence and will be an impact player for the Panthers over the next three years.
One freshman joins the Panther squad with the ability to impact the team immediately. Igor Carvalho (Belem, Brazil) brings a big game and a lot of strong junior results who can help provide depth to the singles and doubles line-up.
Schedule
A daunting challenge awaits the Panthers this spring as they will embark on the most difficult schedule to date. The challenges begin immediately as they play host to a strong Division II program in Lewis University on Feb. 11. ODU will also play host to the first ever ODU Doubles Invitational on Feb. 12 before traveling to Dayton, Ohio for non-conference match-ups with NCAA Division I opponents Robert Morris and Wright State University. The Panthers will play their third consecutive Division I opponent in late February as they head to Morehead State University. Other notable non-conference opponents include Indiana Wesleyan University (NAIA), West Virginia Wesleyan (DII), Cedarville University (NAIA) and Indiana Southeast (NAIA). The GLIAC schedule will be highlighted by perennial powers Northwood University, Grand Valley State University, Ferris State University and Wayne State.
"I'm looking for our guys to accept the daily challenge of competing at the highest level," added Beigle. "I think when conference season begins in mid-March the guys will be ready for any challenge in GLIAC play."
