WILLIAMSTOWN, MA – The Williams men’s tennis program has advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals for the past 13 years, and the Ephs seemed poised to continue that streak and achieve even more in the upcoming 2010 spring season.
Last season, the Ephs posted a 14-6 record (6-2 NESCAC), and
finished the year tied for fifth in the nation. Ranked 7th in
the current Division III Campbell/ITA College Tennis pre-season
rankings, Williams brings a mix of veteran seniors at the top of
the lineup and a talented arsenal of rookie players to make their
goals a reality.
Dan Greenberg, Class of 2008, takes the helm of the Williams
men’s tennis program for his first season. Two-time
All-American, 2008 NESCAC Player of the Year, and previous winner
of the ITA New England singles title, Greenberg understands better
than anyone else the ins and outs of playing as an Eph. He played
as a teammate with five players on the current roster.
“More than anything it’s been a privilege,” said
Greenberg, in regards to his unique player-coach relationship.
“They have been very supportive, and they’ve been
willing to do the work necessary to improve as a team. It’s
motivating.”
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Greenberg has had a fall season to work with his team. The Ephs did not play any duel matches, but faced tough competition at the ITA New England Championships and the Dartmouth Invitational.
“In the fall, the biggest goal was to improve technically,
“ said Greenberg. “But when you’re working on
technique, it’s tougher to focus on the competition aspect,
so we kept the matches to a minimal. We were focused more on the
fundamentals. We also focused a lot on our team’s energy, on
getting inspired for where this program could go.”
The men begin play on Saturday, March 20 against Division I
Georgetown. Although the Ephs typically make a West Coast swing
over spring break, this year the Ephs will head down the East Coast
for four matches. After Georgetown, Williams will face 14th-ranked
UNC-Wesleyan and 3rd-ranked Emory. The trip concludes with a match
against Swarthmore on April 3.
Although Greenberg is still feeling out the order of his lineup,
it is likely that senior captains Nick Lebedoff and Jeremy
Weinberger will head singles play at courts one and two.
Lebedoff brings a year of experience at the top of the singles
ladder, compiling a record of 12-9 last season. He was named First
Team All-NESCAC, and advanced to the round of 16 at the NCAA
singles Tournament in 2009.
Weinberger will follow Lebedoff at court two, where he posted a
16-11 record last season. He was named Second Team
All-NESCAC. Both Lebedoff and Weinberger will also contribute in
doubles play. Seniors Ben Kelley and Ben Davidson round out
the senior class on the men’s roster.
“The captains have been amazing,” commented
Greenberg. “It’s always been a captain-run
program, but Nick [Lebedoff] and Jeremy [Weinberger] have
especially embraced the role and brought this team a long way.
They’ve made a huge impact on our team culture. Ben [Kelley]
and Ben [Davidson] have also been amazing leaders.”
Junior Ari Binder will look to contribute in the Ephs lineup this
season, while sophomores Will Petrie, Kevin Shallcross, and Dicken
Chaplin return with one experienced season of collegiate
play. Petrie and Shallcross were strongholds at the number
four and five positions in the singles lineup, respectively.
Both players lost only four matches all season long. Petrie
went 17-4, while Shallcross posted a 16-4 mark.
Last season, Petrie paired with Lebedoff at number two doubles,
and tallied a record of 16-4. Shallcross played with
Weinberger at three doubles, where the two players delivered an
18-6 mark. Chaplin played at number one doubles last year,
but lost his partner to graduation. Battling with injury last
season, Chaplin was limited to just doubles play, but he will
battle for a spot in the singles ladder this spring.
Greenberg has a strong freshman class to work into this
lineup. Freshmen Trey Meyer, Felix Sun, Zachary Weiss, Bryan
Chow, and Dylan Page will look to make in an immediate impact in
their first year in the program. Having more than your fair
share of players to choose from to place in the lineup provides a
lot of options for Greenberg, who calls it “a good problem to
have.”
“These freshman have more than backed up their junior
credentials,” said Greenberg. “They have
contributed in ways that matter much more than talent. They
are one of the hardest working and most positive classes that has
been at Williams, which is saying a lot.”
Williams will compete in the always-challenging NESCAC
conference. Five NESCAC squads, including the Ephs, are
ranked in the top-15 teams in the nation. Middlebury heads
the bunch at fourth, with Williams following at seventh.
Amherst is ranked tenth, while Bowdoin and Trinity sit at the
twelve and thirteen spots. The Ephs will compete against all
four teams this regular season.
“We’re lucky to be able to play some of the best teams
in the country in our own conference,” stated
Greenberg. “If our goal is to improve every day, then
it’s important to play the best competition.
We’ll have to earn every point, but that’s what we
want.”
Williams faces off against Georgetown in their opening match this
Saturday, March 20 at 1:30 p.m. on the Hoyas campus.
