Tulane University
University of Miami
No. 22 Men’s Tennis Hosts Miami in 2018 Spring Opener
Jan 18, 2018 | Men's Tennis
NEW ORLEANS - After reaching the second round of last year's NCAA Tournament, ninth-year head coach Mark Booras and the 22nd-ranked Tulane men's tennis team begins the 2018 spring season at home against Miami (Fla.) on Friday, January 19. First serve is scheduled for 1 p.m. (CT) at the City Park Pepsi Tennis Center.
GREEN WAVE IN SEASON OPENERS
Tulane has won five straight season openers and have been victorious in its first home match of the year in each of its eight years under Booras. Last season, the Green Wave swept Alcorn State, 6-0 and 7-0, in a doubleheader.
IN THE RANKINGS
In the latest Oracle/ITA team rankings, Tulane ranks No. 22 nationally, a jump of eight spots from the final poll of the 2017 spring season that had the Green Wave tabbed No. 30. The only American Athletic Conference team currently listed in the top 25, the Green Wave's highest ranking last season was 20th - their highest under Booras' leadership.
The Wave has four players listed in the singles poll and two doubles teams ranked. Senior and 2017 All-America choice Constantin Schmitz holds the Wave's highest singles ranking at No. 21, followed by sophomore Luis Erlenbusch at No. 46, junior Tyler Schick at No. 107 and sophomore Ewan Moore at No. 112.
Schick and Erlenbusch, who teamed up for an 8-3 mark during the fall and defeated a top-30 opponent, rank 16th nationally. Freshman Hamish Stewart and sophomore Tim Ruetzel received the No. 47 ranking after compiling a 5-1 record, which included a perfect 3-0 ledger and a championship at the CCB Invitational in Birmingham, Ala., in November.
AN ELITE EIGHT
Tulane is one of just eight programs nationally with at least four singles players listed in the ITA's individual rankings, joining Georgia (5), Ohio State (5), Wake Forest (5), Mississippi State (4), North Carolina (4), South Carolina (4) and Texas (4).
HOME SWEET HOME
Tulane finished the 2017 campaign with a perfect 11-0 record at home, joining the 2015 squad (10-0) as the only teams to complete a season with an unblemished record at the City Park Pepsi Tennis Center in the post-Katrina era. The Green Wave has won 13-straight non-conference home matches dating back to last season.
RAISING THE BAR
The Green Wave won 19 dual matches during the 2017 season, the most for the program in the post-Katrina era. The previous best was 16, set in 2016.
NEW FACE, SAME PLACE
Following two seasons as assistant coach for Tulane's women's tennis program, Chris Simpson was hired into the same role for the Green Wave's men's team during the offseason. In the spring of 2017, he played a large role in a 14-win turnaround from the 2016 season, helping the Wave to 22 victories and eclipsing 20 wins for the first time in the post-Katrina era.
A former standout at LSU from 2012-15, Simpson was a three-time Second Team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) selection in each of his final three years after being named to the SEC All-Freshman Team during his rookie season in 2012. In 2013, he was named Player of the Year by the Louisiana Sports Writers' Association (LSWA).
SCOUTING MIAMI
The Hurricanes will also be playing their first match of the season Friday, following a 2017 season that ended with a 9-13 overall record and 2-9 mark in Atlantic Coast Conference play. Currently, their roster possess a pair of top-100 singles players in freshman and No. 71 Bojan Jankulovski, as well as senior and No. 78 Christian Langmo.
Players Mentioned
