Tennis

Author: James Kerrigan and Simon Keyes

Head Coaches: Dave Schwarz (m), Mike Morgan (w)
Captains: Filip Marinkovic '08, Conrad Olson '09, Claire Smyser '08, Amy Berkman '08
Save the Date: Sept. 21-23 is the men's Middlebury Invitational and Sept. 29-30 is the women's
Get it Stat: 4 - Consecutive NESCAC titles for the men's team.

There are big, white tennis shoes to fill on both men's and women's tennis teams this year. Departed are both of last years All-American number one players, Alex Scott '07 for the men and Amy Roche '07 for the women.

Despite these departures at the top of each team, there is no shortage of talent remaining on both squads. Two young All-Americans return to action for the men, Andrew Thomson '10 and Olson, while All-American co-captain Smyser will lead the women.

Because the spring is the more important team season which holds both NESCAC and NCAA tournaments, there is an emphasis on individual matches and scrimmages during the fall season. Both the men's and women's teams will look for players to step up to the baseline and validate their positions on the ladder. Inter-squad challenges and experimentation with different doubles combinations will be an important part of the autumn training plan.

Perhaps Middlebury tennis' biggest change is not coming from any personnel changes, but rather from the summer makeover of the nine tennis courts outside of Proctor Dining Hall. The blue on green color scheme, akin to Arthur Ashe stadium in Flushing Meadows, N.Y., will provide the Panther squads a professional environment to match their already upper echelon caliber of play.

The men will host the Middlebury Invitational on Sept. 21-23 while the women will host their own version of the tournament on Sept. 29-30.