Positive reinforcement, fun and fundamentals are the foundations on which first-year coach David Straub began building the Pennsylvania College of Technology tennis program last fall and which he looks to continue this spring.
The Wildcats open their season at 1 p.m. on Saturday, hosting King’s College at the Central Pennsylvania Tennis Center in South Williamsport.
During the fall, the women’s team went 2-1, including first-ever wins over Susquehanna University and Lycoming College, and the men went 0-2. Straub is counting on progress made over the winter to pay dividends this spring.
“I expect all our returners to be a bit stronger. I’ve noticed some of this on the practice courts already,” the coach said, adding about the future, “I expect most results for that will show up in the fall with the (new) high school recruits bolstering both of our squads.”
Starting on Saturday for the men in singles will be senior Jesse Kight of Williamsport at No. 1, sophomore Kyle Shuler of Williamsport at No. 2, freshman Hunter Knosky of Camp Hill at No. 3, sophomore Logan Ogden of South Williamsport at No. 4, freshman Matt Williams of Pompton Lakes, New Jersey, at No. 5, and freshman Will Long of Virginia Beach, Virginia, at No. 6.
Kight-Shuler will play at No. 1 doubles, Knosky-Ogden at No. 2 doubles and Williams-Long at No. 3 doubles.
“On the lady’s side, we have a pretty strong core of players returning ,” Straub said.
In singles on opening day, it will be sophomore Ellen Buckley of Binghamton, New York, at No. 1, sophomore Lauren Peck of South Williamsport at No. 2, freshman Faith Murray of Dillsburg at No. 3, senior Georgia Macensky of Wellsboro at No. 4, sophomore Emma Fox of Myerstown at No. 5 and sophomore CiCi Miller of Dover at No. 6.
Women’s doubles teams will have Buckley-Peck at No. 1, Murray-Macensky at No. 2 and Fox-Miller at No. 3.
“This lineup will be flexible as we have had recent additions. I’m looking forward to the spring season,” Straub added.
When United East Conference play begins in early April, eight men’s teams will compete in a seven-match conference season.
The top four teams will earn a bid to the postseason on April 30. The top two seeds will host semifinal matches on campus. The winners will advance to the weekend’s final, which will be hosted at Hershey Racquet Club on May 4.
The winner of the final will be crowned United East Champion and earn the conference’s automatic qualifier into the NCAA Division III tournament.
St. Mary’s is the defending UE men’s champion.
The conference’s Volt Division for the women consists of six teams, with each program competing in a five-match conference season.
The top four teams will earn a bid to the postseason, which begins on April 23. The 1-seed will host the 4-seed, while the 2-seed will host the 3-seed, with all matches hosted on campus. Winners of those semifinal matches will advance to the Volt Division Final, to be hosted by the highest remaining seed on April 27.
The Volt Division Champion will then advance to a championship match against the Skye Division champion on May 4, to be hosted at Hershey Racquet Club. The winner of that match will be crowned United East Champion and earn the conference’s automatic qualifier into the NCAA Division III tournament.
St. Mary’s is the defending UE champ and Cairn University won last year’s Colonial States Athletic Conference Championship, the teams of which now comprise the UE’s Skye Division.
MEN’S TENNIS
Schedule/Series History
Saturday, March 16 — host King’s College, 1 p.m. (King’s leads 7-0)
Wednesday, April 3 — at Penn State Harrisburg (UE), 3 p.m. (Harrisburg leads 3-0)
WOMEN’S TENNIS
Schedule/Series History
Saturday, March 16 — host King’s College, 1 p.m. (King’s leads 7-0)
Saturday, March 24 — host Lock Haven University, 9 a.m. (Lock Haven leads 2-1)
For more about the United East, visit the conference website.
For additional information, visit the Wildcats Athletics website.