University of Tennessee Athletics
2002-03 Tennessee Tennis Outlook
February 03, 2003 | Men's Tennis
Feb. 3, 2003
The University of Tennessee men's tennis team has been eagerly anticipating the 2002-03 season. Having lost four senior team leaders to expired eligibility following the 2001-02 campaign, both the players and the coaching staff have been anxious to see how the younger, less-experienced players will handle their new roles. They will also find out who will emerge to lead a program that has reached the last three consecutive NCAA Final Fours--the only program in the nation to accomplish such an impressive task.
After finishing last season as the nation's sixth-ranked team, the Vols enter the fall looking to fill the large void left by departing All-America seniors Peter Handoyo and Mario Toledo, 2002 SEC Tournament MVP Adam Carey, as well as solid senior doubles specialist Andy Crews. A strong nucleus of four returning players will be joined this season by two new faces in freshmen Vincent Perna, from New York, and yet another Memphis product in Rawl Martin.
Perna and Martin will have inspiring tennis role models in returners Simon Rea, Mark Dietrich, Wade Orr and Mark Henderson. Ready and willing to emerge from the shadows of last year's seniors, this season's returning Vols comprise a formidable core to a team with a rich history.
Returning junior Wade Orr made some history of his own over the summer, capturing his second consecutive ITA National Summer Championship title, becoming the first men's repeat singles champion in the event's history. The Clarksville, Tenn., native capped off an impressive August weekend in Bloomington, Ind., by teaming with Lee-Taylor Walker from the University of Memphis to take home the doubles championship as well. The Vol coaches hope the experience Orr gained from his diligent summer schedule reaps rewards for the team in the fall, as he couples a more composed on-court presence with some added bulk gained through dedication in the weightroom in the off-season.
Another Vol netter who has made the most out of his time in Big Orange country is sophomore Mark Dietrich. Standing an imposing 6-feet-5-inches, the Memphis native racked up three semifinal singles appearances last fall to go along with an SEC doubles title in the spring. Dietrich will undoubtedly use his big serve along with his fiery personality to add a spark to this year's lineup, as it has become his trademark to wear his emotions on his sleeve and give 100 percent each time he steps onto the court.
Junior Simon Rea, a native of New Zealand, has shown remarkable improvement over each of the past two seasons, lettering in each and gaining valuable match experience. His highlights last season included winning the Division II flight at the Southern Intercollegiate Championships and a runner-up finish in the Region III doubles championships in Knoxville. The Tennessee coaches Fancutt and Mahony are optimistic that the stoic Rea will play a key role in the team's success in 2002-03. Mark Henderson rounds out a strong group of returners. Henderson gained experience as a squad member last season, and will be looked upon to be a contributor in the immediate future.
Joining the Tennessee roster, though not eleigible to play for one full academic year, is University of Southern California transfer Damien Spizzo. The Australian native was a member of the Trojans' 2002 NCAA championship team, and will hone his skills in practice this season before looking to contribute in 2003-04.
Freshman Krzysztof Kwinta will also sit out the 2002-03 campaign while gaining a year in residency. The young Poland native looks to be capable of contributing as soon as he becomes eligible for competition.
The Vols stare down a challenging schedule for the 2002-03 campaign.
"As with every year, our schedule here at UT is one of the toughest, most challenging in the country," associate head coach Chris Mahony said. "As if playing in the SEC, where all 12 teams are ranked in the top 25 or 30 in the country each year, is not enough, we always try to challenge our players by placing a couple of the best non-conference teams on our schedule."
Along with the usual SEC opponents, each of which are perennial threats, Tennessee will also face off against Duke University in Durham, N.C., and the University of Miami (Fla.) in Coral Gables, Fla.
"Historically, [Duke and Miami] are two of the better teams in men's college tennis," Mahony said. Tennessee's spring break trip to Miami marks the continuation of what has become something of a tradition for the program. Coach Fancutt relishes the opportunity to embark on an annual team trip with his players. Last year's visit to Hawaii's Kohala coast was the team's most recent midseason bonding experience. The Vol coaches hope that this season's spring break trip to South Florida will provide more positive results from both a team chemistry and on-court success standpoint.
Shortly after they return to Rocky Top, the Vols will defend their SEC Tournament title in Oxford, Miss., with Ole Miss playing host to the event in April. Memories of Tennessee's tournament title from a season ago in Knoxville are fresh in the minds of the Vols' SEC foes. However, Fancutt's troops are eager to prove that they can leave the friendly confines of Knoxville and still compete at a championship caiber. The dilemma facing the coaching staff as the Vols embark on their season is the fact that there is no definitive lineup order in place. With only four returning players, the incoming freshmen will be relied upon immediately with the hopes they will add much-needed depth to a small team. The loss of last season's seniors will surely impact the doubles lineup immensely, as at least one senior from each of last year's doubles pairings was lost.
Along with the short roster, comes the concern that injuries could be costly. The athletic department's sports medicine stafff will be working hard to ensure that the Vol netters remain healthy and that they are ready to take to the courts during their grueling schedule. Ultimately, the team aspires to add another year to an already unbelievable streak of three consecutive NCAA Final Four appearances since 2000. This season's NCAA Championships will be held at the University of Georgia campus in Athens, Ga.
Entering his sixth season as head coach, Michael Fancutt is proud of how far his program has come, but, along with his players and staff, will not be satisfied until his Volunteers are crowned NCAA Champions.
In an attempt to move closer to that lofty goal, the Vols' have made a valuable addition to the coaching staff, naming one of Tennessee's most decorated tennis lettermen, Chris Woodruff, to the position of volunteer assistant coach.
With the addition of Woodruff to an already highly-reputable staff, Tennessee gains the insight and guidance of a former world top 10 player who notched victories over some of the top players of his generation, including Andre Agassi.
Woodruff's 81 singles victories as a Tennessee Volunteer give the Vols' coaching staff more collegiate singles victories as players, 229, than any other program in the nation. That stat serves as proof that Fancutt, Mahony and Woodruff know how to win.
