Preview (with video): Men's Tennis prepping to carry past's success into 2012 spring schedule

Preview (with video): Men's Tennis prepping to carry past's success into 2012 spring schedule
March 2, 2012

By: Andrew Korba

The Ohio Northern men's tennis team is hoping to achieve as much success as it has the past two seasons.

Northern has won the past two OAC regular season championships and OAC tournament championships. They also have advanced to the second round of the Division III NCAA Tournament for two straight years.

"I am looking forward to this upcoming season," said head coach Bob Rohan. "We return practically our whole team from last season. We were very deep and I know that everyone will be able to push each other."

Rohan welcomes back four All-Conference players led by OAC Player of the Year junior Joey Frank.

Frank posted a solid 17-7 including a record in singles and a 20-9 record in doubles. He was also named OAC Player of the week for the weeks of April 18 and April 25.

Also returning are All OAC first team honorees senior Michael Kathary and sophomore Do Thai.

Kathary posted a went a perfect 18-0 in OAC doubles and singles play and posted a school record 26 singles wins and 48 overall victories.

Thai earned the OAC Player of the Week award for the week of March 28 and posted a solid 45-8 overall record primarily at No. 3 singles and No. 2 doubles.

Senior Nick Kowalczyk returns after posting 38 total wins which was good for a All OAC Second Team selection.

Senior Andrew Korba and sophomore Josh Saunders also return after posting solid seasons.

Korba posted a school record 24 doubles wins and 28 wins overall.

Saunders went 12-4 in singles play in his freshman year.

Juniors Mike King, Taylor Zank and John Toolis as well as sophomores Blake Troller and Brian Bruin make the Polar Bears a deep team.

"We will continue to work hard and reach our goals that we have set as a team," Rohan added. "We have met our goals the last few seasons and we will have higher ones this season. We will have to work harder to achieve them, but the team's motivation is there. I am looking forward to working with these guys."

Ohio Northern will begin its spring portion of the season with its annual spring trip to Florida where it will battle teams from around the country.

The Ohio Athletic Conference tournament is set for May 1-5 with the semifinals and finals being played at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio.