Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Men's Tennis readies for spring break
03/08/2010 | 12:00:00 | Men's Tennis
March 8, 2010
www.SIUSalukis.com
MATCH INFORMATION
Date(s): March 9-10
Location: Boca Raton, Fla.
Site(s): South County Tennis Center; Patch Reef Park
Head Coaches: Dann Nelson (74-57 overall; 56-43 at SIU); Lee Nickell (3-3 overall and at Buffalo); Brandon Stokes (23-11 overall and at Florida Atlantic) - Division I records only
Saluki Assistant Coaches: Hugo Vidal (Graduate Assistant)
NET NOTES
The Southern Illinois Men's Tennis team is in its 87th year of existence... Head Coach Dann Nelson is in his fifth season with the team and holds a 56-43 (.566) mark with the Salukis... SIU enters 2010 as the defending Missouri Valley Conference champions after an 18-7 (5-1 MVC) mark in 2009... The Salukis captured their first MVC crown since 1990 by defeating Drake, 4-3, in the MVC Tournament title match... In the NCAA Tournament, the Dawgs fell to #7 UCLA in the first round, 4-0... The Salukis 18 victories were the most since 1977, when they won a program record 21 matches... The 2009 squad's .720 winning percentage is the best since 1972 (.875).
ON THE SCHEDULE THIS WEEK
The Salukis hit the mid-point of the regular season with their spring break trip. This year, Southern heads to Boca Raton, Fla., where they are slated for two matches. Tuesday, SIU will face Buffalo, while Wednesday will see the Owls of Florida Atlantic.
SCOUTING BUFFALO
With a mark of 3-2, the Bulls are looking to rebound from a disastrous 2009 campaign that saw them lose nine straight matches after a 7-2 start. Head coach Lee Nickell leads Buffalo in his first season after assisting at Fresno State and Alabama in the previous four. Tops for the Bulls on the courts are Wojciech Starakiewicz and Marcelo Mazzetto, who have combined for a 7-3 record in the top two singles positions.
SCOUTING FLORIDA ATLANTIC
The Owls hold a 4-3 record thus far, though they have faced nationally-ranked programs from Florida, Miami, and Central Florida already. Led by second year coach Brandon Stokes, Florida Atlantic is one of the top contenders in the Sun Belt, alongside ranked teams like Middle Tennessee State and Troy. Leading the Owls are Marc Abdelnour and Lawrence Harradine.
THE LAST TIME...
The Salukis have not faced either Buffalo or Florida Atlantic during Dann Nelson's tenure at Southern.
SPRING BREAK POINTS
During the Nelson era, the Dawgs have traveled to Charleston, S.C. (2006), Hawaii (2008), and New Orleans, La. (2009), for spring break. In those matches, SIU is 3-5-1. Last season, the team went 1-2, sweeping Southern University and losing close matches to Nicholls State and New Orleans by 4-3 margins.
BACK ON TRACK
With the wins over the weekend against Morehead State and Chicago State, Southern doubled their win total from the previous seven matches. The team accomplished the same feat last season. After a 3-4 start, SIU won the next three the weekend of March 19-22 en route to a six match winning streak.
NELSON NEARS MILESTONE
Head coach Dann Nelson is one match away from reaching the 100-match mark leading the Salukis. Nelson will reach that mark in sunny Florida, when the Salukis face the Buffalo Bulls in Boca Raton, Fla., on March 9. The only other coach to achieve that feat is the legendary Richard LeFevre, who amassed 819 matches in his 36 years at the helm.
