Fresno State Athletics
Bulldogs Look For Bright 2002-03 Picture
1/28/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Jan. 28, 2003
Despite a season that did not meet up to his expectations, Fresno State head coach Brad Dancer's goals heading into the 2002-03 year is as bright as the Valley sun in July.
"My goal for this team is to win a WAC championship," Dancer said. "We are still raw enough that I expect some early season growing pains, but we also have enough depth that I feel by the end of the season we'll be putting six or seven guys out there who are battle-tested, confident and ready to claim a WAC title."
The Bulldogs mix six returnees and several strong newcomers to comprise a team that should be much improved from last year's 7-16 squad that fell in the first round of the WAC Tournament. Headlining the group of returnees is Hector Almada, who at the end of last year established himself as one a legitimate No. 1 singles player. He is expected to provide leadership at the top of the Bulldogs lineup.
The Hermosillo, Mexico, native was the lone Fresno State player to finish last year with a winning dual match record. He went 14-9, including 13-7 in dual matches, and finished last season as the Bulldogs' top singles player.
His big serve and shot-making abilities help him nearly defeat Pepperdine's top-ranked Al Garland when Fresno State and the Waves hooked up late last season. Garland ended up overcoming two match points in defeating Almada in three sets, but the junior had shown his time had come. Almada won seven of his last eight matches, and six of those victories came in straight sets.
"Hector remains one of the fiercest competitors in college tennis," Dancer said. "Physical conditioning plays a huge part of Hector's game, and once he is on track with his fitness, his results will take off. He has the weapons to become one of the better players in the country."
Almada showed no signs of slowing down in the fall, going 7-3, including an appearance in the finals of the Wathen/Hancock Bulldog Classic. He also advanced in the round of 16 in the Omni Hotels Northwest Regionals.
Almada's doubles game also took off in the fall. With partner Stefan Suta, he went 7-1, won the Bulldog Classic and advanced the semifinals of the Northwest Regionals.
While Almada was a bright light during the fall season, Suta's results were simply thunderous. The junior went a remarkable 12-1 and won the Wathen/Hancock Bulldog Classic over Almada. He also claimed the consolation title of the Omni Hotels Northwest Regionals.
The came after a year that saw Suta go 14-13 (8-12 dual), including 5-8 at No. 3 singles, where he played the majority of his matches. The Schwaebisch-Gmue, Germany, native had one of his biggest moments of the year in a dual match against Santa Clara when he defeated Michael Duong in three sets to clinch a Bulldog victory.
Almada and Suta, who went 7-5 in 2001-02, could also team to make a formidable doubles team this season.
"Because he possesses solid technique off both wings and weapons to hurt you, his success will be based on his ability to make good decisions," Dancer said. "I think fans will see more of a comfortable competitor in 2003. We've simplified some of the patterns of his game for this year."
Another returnee who should provide depth to the lineup is Greg Shearer. The sophomore joined the Bulldogs in January 2002 and went 9-9 in dual matches. Although he struggled at the No. 4 singles spot, Shearer settled in at Nos. 5 and 6 and compiled a 9-6 record at those spots.
The Christchurch, New Zealand, native had a 5-4 singles record in the fall, his best result being an appearance in the consolation quarterfinals of the Omni Hotels Northwest Regionals.
Fresno State will also benefit from the return of two-year letterwinner Alex Krohn, a junior who has a career 30-32 singles record. The junior went 13-16 (8-14 dual) a year ago and brings experience from playing for two seasons in the lineup.
Dancer feels the development of both Shearer and Krohn will a key to the success of this year's Bulldogs.
"Greg showed improvements with his physical conditioning this fall," Dancer said. "If he shows discipline with his fitness and aggressiveness his athletic prowess can take him into the upper echelons of collegiate tennis.
"Alex is also someone we've seen improvement in. He is showing a tremendous amount of maturity in his ability to understand his mental preparedness for match play. His greatest challenge right now is with his doubles play. If he can overcome some of those fears, I think you'll see both his singles and doubles dramatically improve."
One other returner, Vince Owens, comes back and provides depth and a hard work ethic to the squad. The senior went 2-9 playing at Nos. 5 and 6 last year.
 Stefan Suta won 13 matches in the fall and should play near the top of the Bulldogs' singles lineup.  | |
The group of newcomers is headlined by freshman Marc Schaerer. The Oberrohdorf, Switzerland, native went 8-4 in singles during the fall season. The beginning of his Bulldog career was highlighted by appearances in the semifinals of the Wathen/Hancock Bulldog Classic and the consolation finals of the San Diego Tournament.
"Mark brought Bulldog intensity with him from Switzerland and that is just what this team needs," Dancer said. "It's not often that a freshman defines a team's character, but Mark's competitiveness is a great model for all our guys to follow."
Danny O'Rourke and Andy Sinn also joined the team in the fall and give the team the depth about which Dancer feels optimistic. A sophomore transfer from College of Marin (Kentfield, Calif.), O'Rourke went 4-5 in the fall. Dancer is hopeful the Novato, Calif., native can provide a spark to the team as the season progresses.
Sinn sat out last year in order to meet NCAA academic requirements. A left-hander who is looking to break into the bottom of the lineup, the Aarau, Switzerland, native went 4-4 in the fall.
Joining the team in January are Nima Roshon and Sergiu Modoc.
As always, Fresno State will tackle some of the nation's best competition this season. The Bulldogs start the season with three consecutive road matches against UC Irvine, UCLA and USC. After two matches at home, the road gets even tougher with matches at perennial top 10 opponents Stanford and California. The schedule also includes Washington, which upset Stanford in the second round of last year's NCAA Tournament, Pepperdine, and the prestigious Blue-Gray Tournament.
The Bulldogs also take on in-state rivals Sacramento State, San Francisco, Santa Clara and UC Santa Barbara.
"We're going to have a stronger schedule this season, and that will give the guys more confidence toward the end of the season," Dancer said. "The early trips to the Pac-10 schools give us multiple opportunities to take on highly ranked schools and the Blue-Gray Tournament is always a highlight of the season. One of the goals of our season is to knock off a top 10 team, and with this schedule we will have that chance.
"The depth is the biggest key to our success this year. Because the competition is so strong for lineup positions, our battles in practice will lead to mentally stronger players in the spring. The coaching staff will play the delicate role of balancing intense competition with team harmony."
Players Mentioned
