St. Scholastica tabbed unanimous favorite for 2020 men's tennis title
ST. PAUL, Minn.---After dominating Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) regular season play for the entire history of the conference in men's tennis, the College of St. Scholastica finally made its first-ever NCAA postseason appearance last spring after missing out in 2018 in the first year of the tennis automatic qualifier for the UMAC. This year, the Saints are tabbed to continue rolling to a 24th-consecutive conference championship after taking the top spot in the 2020 UMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll announced Tuesday.
The Saints unanimously topped the field with 49 points and seven first place votes, while the University of Northwestern was second with 43 points and one first place vote. St. Scholastica will look to remain the only team in UMAC history to ever win a men's tennis regular season title this year.
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Poll |
Team Previews |
2020 Schedule |
A year ago the Saints finished 14-8 overall and cruised to a perfect 7-0 UMAC record dropping just three total points all season. They defeated Northwestern 8-1 twice including in the conference tournament championship to avenge the loss from the previous season.
This year, the Saints reload with talent with three-time UMAC Player of the Year Serhii Tykhonenko atop the list. The senior will look for a clean sweep of the top title this season after dominating the conference last spring with a 13-4 singles record including six-straight wins to end 2019. Two-time All-UMAC selection Elliot Schneider along with sophomore All-UMAC honoree Rafa Gonzalez to add additional strength to the top of the Saints' lineup.
Northwestern was 6-1 last season and is the favorite to finish as the runner-up in 2020. The Eagles will be led by junior All-UMAC player Davis Pfaff who was 6-1 at No. 2 singles in UMAC matches last year. Sophomores Tyrus Studer and Matthew Wedin bring back additional experience to help lead a young Northwestern squad.
The University of Wisconsin-Superior came in third in the conference voting (37 points) following back-to-back postseason appearances for the Yellowjackets in the first two seasons of the program. New head coach CeeJay Schaffner will look to keep the momentum going with the return of veteran players Harry Simpson and Will Sherman who have seen significant time in the lineup in the last two years.
Martin Luther College looks to return to the UMAC postseaosn for the second-straight season and was picked fourth with 29 points. The Knights welcome back three players with at least three UMAC singles wins last spring in Jonah Schulz, Joshua Schroeder and Caleb Koelpin.
The University of Minnesota Morris and Bethany Lutheran College were separated by one point for fifth and sixth in the poll with 23 and 22 points, respectively. The Cougars will rely on junior Jack Flicker who played at No. 1 singles last year, while the Vikings will have new leadership under Nick Perrin and a completely new lineup from top to bottom.
Crown College was selected seventh with 12 points and North Central University rounds out the poll with nine. Romeo Mork is the top veteran returner for the Storm, while Judah Smith is back for the Rams after playing at the top of the lineup in 2019.
Several teams open up with non-conference action in the next two weeks before getting into conference competition mid-February. The UMAC tournament is set to begin Wednesday, April 29 with semifinal action before the championship match on Saturday, May 2.
2020 UMAC Men's Tennis Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. St. Scholastica - 49 points (7 First Place Votes)
2. Northwestern - 43 points (1 First Place Vote)
3. Wisconsin-Superior - 37 points
4. Martin Luther - 29 points
5. Minnesota Morris - 23 points
6. Bethany Lutheran - 22 points
7. Crown -12 points
8. North Central - 9 points
Team Previews
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BLC |
CC |
CSS |
MLC |
NCU |
UMM |
UNW |
UWS |
Bethany Lutheran College
Nick Perrin | 1st Season |
2019 Season
3-4 UMAC, 5-8 | 5th |
Top Returners
None
Need to Know
Coach Perrin previously served as the women’s tennis head coach at Minnesota-Morris in 2015-16.
The College of St. Scholastica
Wells Patten | 24th Season |
2019 Season
7-0 UMAC, 14-8 | 1st |
Postseason: UMAC Tournament Champions; Lost to Grinnell 5-0 in First Round of NCAA Tournament
Top Returners
- Serhii Tykhonenko, Sr. | 2017, 2018, 2019 UMAC Player of the Year; 2017, 2018, 2019 All-UMAC | 2019: 13-4 Singles Record, 12-4 Doubles Record |Won final six singles matches of the 2019 season |
- Elliot Schneider, Jr. | 2018, 2019 All-UMAC | 2019: 15-2 Singles Record, 9-5 Doubles Record |Won final 14 singles matches of the 2019 season |
- Rafa Gonzalez, So. | 2019 All-UMAC | 2019: 15-5 Singles Record, 14-6 Doubles Record |Led the team in doubles wins as a freshman |
Need to Know
The Saints made their first NCAA Division III Tournament appearance last season.
Crown College
Eric Shourds | 3rd Season |
2019 Season
0-7 UMAC, 0-15 | 8th |
Top Returners
- Romeo Mork, Jr. | 2019: Singles Record: 5-7, Doubles Record: 2-10 |
- Andrew Moorse, So. | 2019: Singles Record 2-13, Doubles Record: 1-14
- Joe Duffy, Jr. | 2019: Singles Record: 0-15, Doubles Record: 2-13
Martin Luther College
Arlen Koestler | 25th season |
2019 Season
4-3 UMAC, 8-9 | 4th place |
Postseason: Lost 9-0 at St. Scholastica in semifinal round of UMAC Postseason Tournament
Top Returners
- Jonah Schulz, So. | 2019: 8-9 Singles (3-4 UMAC), 7-10 Doubles (4-3 UMAC) |
- Joshua Schroeder, Sr. | 2019: 7-9 Singles (3-4 UMAC), 7-9 Doubles (3-4) |
- Caleb Koelpin, Sr. | 2019: 8-7 Singles (4-3 UMAC), 7-8 Doubles (4-3 UMAC) |
North Central University
David Stabley | 1st Season |
2019 Season
1–6 UMAC, 2–14 |7th |
Top Returners
- Judah Smith, Jr. | 2019: Singles (0-14 at No. 1, 2, and 3) |
- Micah Peterson, Jr. | 2019: Singles (0-14 at No. 1, 2, and 3) |
- Ken Schrock, Sr. | 2019: Singles (1–8), Doubles (3–6)
Need to Know
The men’s team is bringing in five new first-years this season to deepen the lineup.
University of Minnesota Morris
Jalen Voss | 2nd Season |
2019 Season
2-5 UMAC, 5-8 | 6th |
Top Returners
- Jack Flicker, Jr. | 2019: 3-9, 5-8
- Kenny Knudson, So. | Academic All-Conference | 2019: 4-5, 3-6
- Cole Peters, So. | 2019: 1-11, 5-8
University of Northwestern
Matt Swigart | 8th Season|
2019 Season
6-1 UMAC, 15-9 | 2nd |
Top Returners
- Davis Pfaff, Jr. | 2019 First Team All-Conference | 2019: Singles – 11-12, Doubles – 16-8 |Went 6-1 at no. 2 singles and 6-1 at no. 1 doubles in UMAC play last season
- Tyrus Studer, So. | 2019: Singles – 9-13, Doubles – 16-7
- Matthew Wedin, So. | 2019: Singles – 13-9, Doubles – 12-10 | Went 6-0 at no. 5 singles in UMAC play in 2019
Need to Know
The 2020 team marks UNW’s “tallest” team in program history as all players stand over 6 feet. Coach Matt Swigart has taken his team to the UMAC Championship match in 7 of the last 7 seasons.
University of Wisconsin-Superior
CeeJay Schaffner | 1st season |
2019 Season
5-2 UMAC, 7-11 | 3rd |
Postseason: Lost in UMAC Semifinals to No. 2-seed Northwestern, 7-2
Top Returners
- Harry Simpson, Sr. | 2019: 6-7 Singles Record, 3-11 Doubles Record
- Will Sherman, Jr. | UMAC Player of the Week April 8, 2019 | 2019: 5-9 Singles Record, 5-9 Doubles Record
- Carter LaMont, So. | 2019: 8-3 Singles Record
Need to Know
CeeJay Schaffner enters his first season as head coach, hoping to lead the Yellowjackets back to the UMAC tournament for a third consecutive season.