Men's tennis opens at home against Hope International

ORANGE, Calif. – A youthful Chapman University men's tennis team takes to the hardcourt on Friday for its first team match of the season. The Panthers welcome in Hope International University to the Chapman Tennis Courts, a team they have not faced since beating them 5-4 in 2009.

The Panthers are in search of their first winning season since 2005, competing in the SCIAC conference for the first time ever this year. In doing so, Chapman will rely heavily on an inexperienced roster with just two upperclassman (both juniors) and four returning players, only two of which played at least 10 singles matches in 2012.

One of those returners is sophomore Kyle Coates, who tied for the team lead with seven singles wins last year as a rookie. Coates was 7-8 overall, including a 7-6 mark in dual team matches.

Newcomers freshman Brett Buford and junior Troy Akin are slated to be Chapman's top 1-2 singles players heading into the season, while Coates will fill the No. 3 position. Both Buford and Coates earned consolation victories at the Division III West Regionals tournament last fall.

Junior Chris Williams was one of the Panthers' most successful doubles players with partner Justin Thompson (no longer with the team), with whom he posted a 9-4 mark.

Chapman is currently ranked No. 14 in the West Region according to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association preseason poll. The Panthers will open SCIAC play with a match at Cal Lutheran University on Saturday at 10 a.m.

by Doug Aiken
Sports Information Director

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