Marquette University Athletics
Conference USA Men's Tennis Powerhouses
4/14/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
April 14, 2003
by David Marrese
MILWAUKEE - Conference USA, despite being a young, unheralded conference in NCAA Men's Tennis, will display plenty of strength and skill in Milwaukee on April 16-19, when Marquette University hosts the 2003 Conference USA Men's Tennis Championship. Nationally recognized players will take to the courts playing for a conference title and a chance to dance in the NCAA tournament next month.
Of the 12 competing institutions in this year's tournament, four schools separate themselves from the rest. Four teams have come together and earned the name, "The Powerhouses of Conference USA Men's Tennis." Those schools, which should be closely watched this week, are TCU, Louisville, Tulane, and South Florida.
The Horned Frogs from TCU have made competitive tennis players a tradition in Fort Worth. Head Coach Joey Rive hopes that senior Toni Gordon and sophomore Fabrizio Sestini continue that tradition. Gordon, a senior from Barcelona, has consistently been ranked highly amongst the nation's top college tennis players. Named to the 2002 all-Conference USA first team, Gordon, will lead his team into Milwaukee with high hopes in mind. Sestini, last year's Conference USA Freshman of the Year, will be looking to fill Gordon's shoes. The left-handed Italian has an impressive first serve and an even more impressive list of acolades in only two years at TCU.
The Louisville Cardinals will also bring a team of heavy-hitters. Packing three seniors in Paulo Carvalho, Cody Conley, and Harry Walsh, Head Coach Rex Ecarma has his sights set on the NCAA Tournament. This vision is more than reachable with a doubles pairing like Cody Conley and sophomore Octavian Nicodim. The pair reached the semifinals of the Omni Midwest Region IV Championship in the fall, and look to repeat their success in Milwaukee. Says Ecarma, "Cody is, without a doubt, one of the best combination players in the nation. If he can channel his emotions on the court in a positive way, his potential is unlimited" (courtesy of University of Louisville 2003 Media Guide).
Milwaukee and the Big Easy clash once again this spring as the Tulane Green Wave attempts to make a splash of its own in the tournament. Under the reigns of Head Coach Robert Klein, Tulane has quickly become a force to reckon with in NCAA Men's Tennis. In his nine year run, Klein has only posted one losing season and has never finished lower than fifth. The Green Wave has moved on to the NCAA tournament for the past six straight years, and they are more than likely to reappear this May. Junior Michael Kogan, and senior Victor Romero will lead the way. Kogan, a 6'2" righty from Kfar-Saba, Israel, was ranked 32nd in the nation at the start of the 2003 spring season. In his 3 year career at Tulane, Kogan has been ranked as high as 3, and has posted winning records, in every season. Romero, a 6'1" righty from Atizapan, Mexico is right behind Kogan at number 39. Last spring, Romero posted an unprecedented record of 23-3 in doubles play.
Finally, one must never count out the ever-powerful, ever-victorious squad from South Florida. While the Bulls have only four returning players from last year's team, Head Coach Don Barr believes his young players can carry their own weight. Senior Nadim Naser and sophomore Paco Antelo will be the cornerstones. Naser, originally from Germany, has posted solid numbers at second and third doubles and is the Bulls team captain. Antelo, a left-hander from Bolivia, has matured quickly, and become a key element to the Bulls' success.
While these four schools take on the role as the "Powerhouses in Conference USA Tennis," anything is possible during tournament play. Only when the first service has been made can we clearly see who will advance and who will go home. Only one thing is for certain; court is in session in Milwaukee!
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David Marrese will graduate from Marquette University in May, 2003. He is an avid tennis and sports enthusiast. This article reflects his perceptions of C-USA Men's Tennis.
This article was prepared under the auspices of the Milwaukee Tennis & Education Foundation, Inc. The 29th Annual Milwaukee Tennis Classic will be held on January 6-10, 2004. MTC is the largest and longest running national intercollegiate men's and women's tennis tournament in the U.S. Marquette has been the host of the tournament since its inception.
