2010 Walsh University Men's Tennis Outlook
The 2010 Cavs return to the court with one goal in mind, returning to the NAIA Men’s Championships. In each of the last two years, the Cavs have been bounced in the championship match. This year they plan on making a return trip to the national championships. Veteran Coach Sherry Bossart is optimistic, and she should be. Last season, the Cavs finished 11-7 overall, and tied Ohio Dominican University for the American Mideast Conference title with a 5-1 mark. Bossart brings back her five top singles player’s two top-flight doubles teams.
Mark Innes (So., Randburg, South Africa/Kings School) will be pushed by Jon Esber (So., Canton, OH/Central Catholic) for the number one singles spot. Innes has the edge, but not by much. Each was selected to the All-AMC team last year. Innes started last year at third and fourth singles, but played the last nine matches at the top spot. He finished 9-0 at third and fourth singles and 14-3 on the season. Esber fashioned a 12-6 record, playing number two singles for all but four matches. Not many schools have sophomores in the top two slots. This bodes well for the Cavs for next two years.
Diego Yung (Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires/Institute Peralta Ramos) should get the nod at third singles. He played mostly third last season and finished with a record of 13-4. He did however; see action at second and fourth singles and one match at first singles. Gary Innes (Jr., Randburg, South Africa/Kings School) will push Yung, but will most likely play number four singles. Innes was 7-10 last year, playing anywhere from first to fourth singles. Most of his action did come at fourth singles.
Curtis (CJ) Kugler (Jr., Dover, OH/HS) and newcomers Jarred Gable (Jr., Seville, OH/Cloverleaf) and Pierre Le Grange (Jr., Durban, KwaZulu-Natal/Abbott’s College) will make-up the remaining singles slots. Kugler was 10-6 at number five last year.
Gary and Mark Innes will make-up the number one doubles team. The two reached the ITA Doubles Championships this past fall, and are the elite doubles team in the AMC. They earned All-AMC honors last year, finishing with a 10-5 record.
Look for Esber and Le Grange to play second doubles. Esber played with three partners last year and finished 10-7. Third doubles could see quite a few combinations. Kugler and Yung, Gable and Chase Pucci (Fr., North Canton, OH/Hoover), Pucci and Yung and Kugler and Pucci are possible mixes. Also look for returnee Miroslav Mihijlovic (So., Akron, OH/Coventry) to be in the mix.
