March 26, 2007

Contact: Josh Rattray

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Cleveland State Men's Tennis

vs. Walsh

Date: March 29, 2007

Time: 1:00 p.m.

Location: Malaga Tennis Center - Cleveland, Ohio

at Duquesne

Date: March 30, 2007

Time: 6:00 p.m.

Location: Pittsburgh, Pa.

FIRST SERVE: The Cleveland State men's tennis team (12-6) hosts NAIA Walsh University on Thursday (March 29) at 1:00 p.m. before traveling to Duquesne on Friday for a 6:00 p.m. contest. The Cleveland State women are idle until April 6.

PREVIEWING THE VIKING MEN: Other than a 1-3 stretch over spring break in Hawaii, the Vikings have won 11 of 14 contests this season. The Vikings are led by freshman Ryan Hamning and sophomore Rob West. Hamning is 22-10 at No. 3 singles while West is 18-7 playing mosting in the fifth spot. Junior Brad Groleski is 14-16 at the top of the lineup, followed by freshman Phil Orno who is now 15-15 after starting the year 11-5.  Senior Dan Singer (13-11) starts in the fourth spot, followed by West and sophomore Steven Wipprecht (11-14). The Vikings have made their mark in doubles play all season, having won the doubles point in all 12 of their victories. Hamning and Orno lead the team with a 20-6 doubles mark.

PREVIEWING THE VIKING WOMEN: The CSU women (10-8) rebounded from a 1-4 start, battling through various injuries that have forced multiple lineup changes. One constant has been senior all-league performer Sarah Galon, who is 21-9 at No. 1 singles. Galon went 8-3 in the top doubles spot with fellow senior Morgan Ungerott but now teams with freshman Denisa Muntean as Ungerott has been out with an injury. Last year's No. 2 & 3 players, juniors Jenn Myers and Lindsay Sellers, have missed a lot of time due to injury but Muntean (10-14) and freshman Charlotte Gibbons (16-10) have stepped up to fill the middle of the lineup. Sellers (4-11) starts at No. 4 singles followed by Myers (10-7) at No. 5 singles with sophomore Kristin Chamberlain (12-10) at No. 6 singles.

THE HEAD COACH

Brian Etzkin (Southern Illinois, `98)

Men's Record: 57-61

Women's Record: 54-62

CSU's all-time coaching wins leader, Etzkin has led both the men's and women's team to three straight seasons with 10 wins or more. Six Vikings have garnered All-Horizon League recognition under Etzkin's tutelage and two players have earned Horizon League Newcomer of the Year honors. Last year, Etzkin guided both the men's and women's teams to new heights, with the men tying for the best league tournament finish in school history (third) and the women winning a school-record 18 dual matches.

...ETZKIN PASSES 100 WINS: Cleveland State's 6-1 men's win over IUPUI on Feb. 10 was Brian Etzkin's 100th victory at the helm of the Viking program. Etzkin, CSU's all-time leader in wins in both men's and women's tennis, now has a combined record of 109-122.

FRESHMEN IMPACT: Newcomers Ryan Hamning (22-10) and Phil Orno (15-15) are a combined 37-25 in singles play with Orno playing in the top two singles spots and Hamning playing at No. 3. Hamning, who has been named Horizon League Athlete of the Week twice this season (Jan. 22 and Feb. 13), owns a 13-5 mark in dual matches.

...FRESHMEN DOUBLE PLAY: Hamning and Orno are 20-6 as a team at No. 1 doubles, with a 13-5 duals mark. The duo went 11-1 in the fall and at one point won 10 straight before losing to a team from Marquette on Oct. 21 at the ITA Regional Tournament.

GOING, GOING, GALON: Three-time first team All-Horizon League selection Sarah Galon is leading CSU for the fourth straight year. Galon is 21-9 at the top of the lineup, improving her career mark to 75-46. Additionally, the Waianae, Hawaii native is 15-9 in doubles play with three different partners.

...LEAGUE HONORS FOR GALON: Sarah Galon has been named Horizon League Athlete of the Week twice this season. Her first league accolade came on Jan. 31 after winning No.1 singles matches against Akron and St. Francis (PA). She then captured the award on March 1 after posting wins against Youngstown State and Robert Morris.

WEST IS THE TEAM'S BEST: Rob West is 18-7 in singles play, and his .720 winning percentage is the highest among all CSU players. West started the year by winning the St. Bonaventure Fall Classic on Sept. 10 and he has continued his strong play in the dual season, winning 13 of his 17 matches at Nos. 5 and 6 singles. The sophomore from Guernsey, U.K. has won at least one match at all six singles spots during his Viking career.

GOOD WINNERS AND GOOD SPORTS: Not only are Sarah Galon and Brad Groleski consistent winners on the court, they do so while showing exemplary sportsmanship. The two Vikings swept the Horizon League's inaugural Herb Foster Sportsmanship Awards last season, with Groleski winning the men's award and Galon claiming the women's trophy. The award, given to a player who exemplifies good sportsmanship on and off the court, is named in honor of the late Wright State coach who was at the helm of the Raiders from 1996-2004.

UP NEXT: The women's team returns to action on April 6 at home against UIC and the next day versus Wright State. The Viking men will also host Wright State, beginning at 10:00 a.m.