Tying their program-best finish in historic fashion against Colorado College in Colorado Springs at the end of 2018, the West #18 Kangaroo Men's Tennis Team put Austin College reinforced that the oldest institution of higher learning in Texas under its original charter is a force to be reckoned with between the doubles alleys.
Their 11-11 (4-1 SCAC record) in 2018 was deceptively impressive when you consider the Kangaroos played 7 Nationally-Ranked opponents, including Colby College from the NESCAC and four teams in Portland, Oregon over Spring Break. The 2019 schedule is no easy task, as the 'Roos will host Trinity University in Sherman for the first time in recent program history, and travel to Orlando to face opponents from the Central and Atlantic South regions. Asked to take on the task of improving on last year's "high water mark" is a core group of five familiar student-athletes from last year's lineup, several key returners that found meaningful playing time last year, and a Sophomore Transfer that earned "Newcomer of the Year" honors in the Midwest Conference.
Senior co-Captains Kenneth Hardy (Lubbock, TX), Josh Granberry (Plano, TX), and Will Crouch (Denton, TX) are the last remaining members from the days of a Kangaroo squad that finished 5th place in the SCAC. They have been mainstays in the lineup over their three seasons together, with Hardy & Granberry primarily playing in the Top 3 Lines of Singles, and Top 2 Lines of Doubles all of their careers. Their leadership and experience will be invaluable to a team that hopes to replace graduate Erik Meendsen; a four-year starter that added over 70 victories to the Kangaroo Men's Tennis Program in his time on the court.
Hardy has twice been named "First-Team All-SCAC" and with partner Siddharth Kortikere, holds the #6 Regional Doubles Ranking; the highest ranking any Kangaroo has earned in ITA Division III History.
Granberry had his best Fall ITA Regional Tournament of his career, becoming the first Kangaroo Men's Singles Player to advance to the Round of 16. He too has been named to the All-SCAC Teams, three times earning Honorable Mention for his singles and doubles prowess. Granberry will hope to put forth his best year for the Kangaroos before he graduates in May.
Juniors Travis Fortune (El Paso, TX) & Safe Rahman (League City, TX) had their best and most active years in the lineup for the Kangaroos, with Fortune earning Line 1 Doubles SCAC All-Tournament Team honors for his win with Siddharth Kortikere over TLU in the first round. Rahman primarily saw time in the singles lineup, adding 6 wins predominantly at Line 6 Singles for the 'Roos, but also contributing a 4-1 record on the Doubles courts. The upperclassmen will be asked to step up and continue their success as the 20 matches the 'Roos are scheduled to play will take place over only 2 months prior to the Conference Tournament.
Kortikere looks to lay down another huge year for the program, as last year he and Kenneth Hardy earned the first-ever individual Regional Ranking for Men's Tennis by being listed as the year-end #15 Doubles Team in the West. Kortikere earned All-Tournament Team honors at Line 4 Singles, Line 5 Singles, and Line 1 Doubles with Fortune. His run with Kenneth Hardy to the Semi-Finals of the ITA Regional Tournament was the furthest run by any Men's Tennis Player in program history and was bested this fall when he and Hardy advanced to the Finals with wins over the #7 and #2 seeds.
Sophomores Andres Padilla (League City, TX) and Calum Robe (Grapevine, TX) were every-match starters for the Kangaroos a season ago, and will hope to find similar opportunities to contribute throughout the year. Padilla recorded the single winningest season in Men's Tennis Division III program history for Austin College, combining 17 wins on the singles court with 19 wins on the doubles court. He and Robe ended the season as the Line 3 doubles team for the 'Roos and took Austin College's first doubles point against the Trinity Tigers in the semis of the SCAC Tournament in over a decade.
But this team is loaded with young talent in the Sophomore Class. Sophomore Preston Spivey (Weatherford, TX) recorded the first clinch for Austin College in Portland, OR, winning a 4-4 match over Linfield in McMinnville. And when Spivey teamed with Robe against CalTech in Sherman, TX, the duo was flawless, defeating the Line 3 Beaver duo 8-3 with little trouble.
The key addition to the lineup from the end of 2018 to now has proven to be Sophomore Brett O'Brien (Plano, TX - Lake Forest College), as the sophomore recorded a big victory in singles at the UT-Dallas Invitational in September, 2018, and was one of 4 Men's Tennis Players to advance to the ITA Regional Singles Round of 32 in Abilene. O'Brien figures to play high in the lineup, as he will face some familiar foes when the Kangaroos travel to Spring Break in Orlando, FL.
With Sophomore Bryan Walmsley (Pasadena, TX) playing the best tennis of his young career for the 'Roos, Sophomore Transfer Matthew Cochran (Paris, TX - Trinity University), Freshman Will Dixon (Denton, TX), and Gabriel Caldwell-Nepveux (Denver, CO) complementing the roster's competitiveness in practice, Head Coach Ryan Dodd (5th Season), and first-year Assistant Grace Ortiz '18 have the program firing on all cylinders.
Austin College travels to Shreveport, LA for the first installment of the SCAC/SAA/ASC Crossover. The Men's Tennis Team faces LeTourneau University at the Cockrell Tennis Center in Shreveport at 3:00PM on Saturday, February 23rd.