Colorado University Athletics
Men's Tennis Opens Spring Season No. 57 Nationally
BOULDER ? For the second consecutive spring season the University of Colorado men’s tennis team will enter the spring campaign as one of the top-75 ranked schools in the country. Ranked as high as No. 45 last year, the Buffaloes will enter the 2006 spring as the No. 57 team nationally.
Led by fourth-year head coach Sam Winterbotham, the Buffaloes officially begin the spring season January 21 at Boise State as one of four schools competing at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Regional Playoff.
The Buffaloes will also enter singles and doubles play with a national presence in the individual rankings. In addition to the team being ranked, the Buffs are also ranked in both the singles and doubles polls. Junior Eric Molnar enters the spring as the No. 60th player (out of 100) and in doubles, Molnar and senior Chad Tsuda (Boulder, Colo.) are No. 46 (out of 75).
Molnar will build on a strong fall season that saw the junior-transfer (from the University of Alabama) win a team best 12 matches in 16 attempts. The Guelph, Ontario, Canada native won his first six matches en route to the Crimson Tide Invitational singles championship. Molnar also defeated three ranked opponents last fall.
In doubles, Molnar and Tsuda were equally impressive, winning a team-high eight matches. Ranked the entire fall season at No. 45, Molnar/Tsuda will build on the experience that saw the duo compete in seven matches at the Polo Ralph Lauren All-American Championships and a consolation round finals appearance there.
“I believe this is a good starting point for the team,” said Winterbotham. “It shows we had a strong fall on the court and I am ecstatic about our fall team G.P.A. of 3.2. I am extremely proud of our student-athletes.
“The players felt others on the team also deserved to be ranked but that will work itself out as the season unfolds. Again, we have a great schedule where the team will have lots of opportunities to prove how good it is. I can’t wait to see these guys compete ...they are ready to meet the challenge.”
The CU men open the home spring season Feb. 4 against Utah and Feb. 5 against Montana State. First serve begins at 1 p.m. at the Harvest House, Millennium Hotel.