2016 SLIAC Men's Tennis Tournament Preview
The Tournament
Two-time defending SLIAC Champion Principia College will take the court to defend their title this weekend at Dwight Davis Tennis Center in Forest Park in St. Louis, Mo. Greenville College, Fontbonne University, Webster University, and Westminster College join the field in search of a 2016 championship.
There will be two matches on Friday, set to start at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday will feature both the Championship Match and the Third Place Match with a start time of 11 a.m.
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FONTBONNE UNIVERSITY 'GRIFFINS' This weekend caps a busy season for the Griffins, which have seen them play a total of 17 matches from the fall into the spring. Blake Wisniewski has accounted for three of his team's five singles wins this year, all coming in the #1 spot. Brian Nguyen and Moe Aljamaan each added a victory as well. In doubles play Wisniewski has teamed up with two different partners to record four wins; joining with Khoa Trieu and Stephen Lendy for two wins each. |
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GREENVILLE COLLEGE 'PANTHERS' Greenville brings a 13-4 record into the weekend, going undefeated in conference play this year and having won eight of their last nine matches. The Panthers fell in the SLIAC Championship match last year, 5-3, and have their eyes on capturing the program's first ever tournament championship. Nate Wieland, the 2015 SLIAC Newcomer of the Year, has picked up seven wins in the top spot this season for Greenville while Jonathan Urshan has added eight at the two spot. Urshan has teamed with Code Power as the #2 doubles team and rolled off an 8-3 record this year. Junior Blake Gocey has totaled 17 combined wins this year as well. |
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PRINCIPIA COLLEGE 'PANTHERS' Principia begins the tournament with a 7-7 record this year, having won three straight matches; all by way of a sweep. Principia has won a conference record 13 tournament titles including three of the last four. Principia has turned to Joey Sander to replace three-time SLIAC Player of the Year Jason Wissman. Sander has put together a 6-3 record at the top spot, adding seven more wins in doubles play. Dan Wagstaff is tied with Sander for the team lead in singles wins with six while Julian Kitchingman has recorded five wins in both singles and doubles play. Sander and Brody Swan are the top doubles team for the Panthers. |
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WEBSTER UNIVERSITY 'GORLOKS' Webster has gone 8-4 this year and have won three straight matches including blanking their last two opponents. The Gorloks have been led by the return of Juan Granizo, the 2014 SLIAC Newcomer of the Year. Granizo is back after a year away from the courts but showed no rust as he has put together a 9-2 singles record as the Gorloks' #1 player. Ian Powers has been strong at #2 with a 6-4 record while Charles McGee gives the team depth, with a team best 10 wins coming from the #5 and #6 spots. Webster has added 17 wins in doubles play this year with the teams of Granizo and Powers and McGee and Zach Selby each picking up four of the wins. |
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WESTMINSTER COLLEGE 'BLUE JAYS' Westminster is 4-4 on the season and after placing third in last year's tournament. The Blue Jays are just one of two teams in the conference to win a tournament title; with 12 overall and their last championship coming in 2013. Westminster's Kyle Collins has led the team with six wins at the #2 spot this season. Pete Hassenmueller has added five wins, all coming at the #3 position. The Blue Jays hold an impressive 15-6 record in doubles play this year with the #1 team of Collins and Adam Fuchs putting together a 6-1 mark. |
