It is a season of changes for the Cal Poly men’s tennis team.
With a new freshman player, a new coach and only two remaining seniors on the team, the Mustangs have a new outlook.
Saturday marks the resumption of Cal Poly men’s tennis for the 2006-07 season.
After a series of tournaments in October and November, the team is ready to recommence play. Cal Poly will face USC, one of its toughest opponents, on Saturday, followed by Fresno State on Sunday.
Captain Matt Baca isn’t scared of the stiff competition.
With the entrance of a new head coach, Justin McGrath, Baca as well as the rest of the team is looking forward to playing USC and Fresno State early.
McGrath, hired in August, comes from four years of successful coaching at Louisiana-Lafayette, and brings to Cal Poly a winning record and the award for the 2006 Sun Belt Conference Men’s Tennis Coach of the Year.
“He expects a lot out of us and expects a lot out of himself as a coach,” Baca said. “He is better on the court and recruits better as well.”
McGrath has a very positive outlook for the season and is looking forward to getting started.
“We are going to approach each match with the same type of philosophy – to win the match,” McGrath said. “As a whole, this program is heading in the right direction.”
Of the players, Robert Foy, the new freshman, looks very promising for the Mustangs, as well as the only two seniors on the team, co-captains Baca and Kyle Roybal.
At the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Regionals at Stanford in October, Baca and Roybal produced impressive results in doubles. The pair won three consecutive matches, two of which over higher-ranked opponents.
Fred DeWitte is another player to look out for. Teammate Russell Meyerowitz said DeWitte is showing one of the strongest forehands of the group.
As for the matches this weekend, all Baca had to say was that the team needs to “keep composure throughout the match and not let any negative emotion get in the way.”