Future Looks Bright For Spartan Tennis
After finishing the 2009 season, head coach Al DuFaux and The University of Tampa tennis team will return all of its players for 2010. As the lone coach in program history to guide the Spartans to the NCAA tournament, DuFaux has also added two impact newcomers for next year's squad.
"We are very fortunate to have something with coach DuFaux's background and maturity," says University of Tampa Athletic Director Larry Marfise. "We are looking for great things in the future and extremely lucky to have a coach of his caliber."
While playing in arguably the nation's toughest NCAA Division II Conference, the Spartans played 11 matches in 2009 against nationally ranked teams. Among those, six came from the Sunshine State Conference.
Since coming to Tampa in 2000, DuFaux has built a program that previously had not won more than nine matches in a season. In 10 seasons, DuFaux has registered double figure victory totals on four occasions including a 15-10 record in 2007.
"Coach DuFaux has done a tremendous job of developing our program and getting it to where it is," says Marfise. "His dedication and commitment is second to none and he has done an amazing job of developing his players."
Though UT finished the season with a 10-14 record, the young Spartans provided many excellent memories in 2009. Among those was the program's first victory over a NCAA Division I opponent as Tampa defeated Green Bay by a score of 7-2. DuFaux also led his squad to a seven match winning streak and a victory over nationally ranked Palm Beach Atlantic.
"We had a rough start against a tough schedule," says team captain Kourtney Stark. "Our winning streak gave us a lot of confidence and we needed it. We have had a great season and we proved with our winning streak that we can win."
Despite losing its top two players from the fall season, the youthful Spartans refused to lose hope as a total of three players won 10-plus matches in singles play. Freshman Claire Runge led the squad with 14 victories while classmate Victoria Bell turned in 12.
Stark, a junior, won 11 matches while posting a 3-1 record at the number-one singles spot. Freshman Lauren Holt stepped up to the number one spot, where she provided a season highlight with a straight set victory over Eckerd in SSC play.
In doubles play, the teams took shape at midseason as the pair of Bell and Emily Kennedy won eight matches. Stark and Runge also registered eight while Lindsey Garyn and freshman Megan Mancini had seven.
DuFaux will welcome a pair of freshmen for the 2010 season as Molly Welsh (Weatherford Texas/Peaster HS) and Nikol Williams (Austin, Texas/Lake Travis HS) have both signed a National Letter of Intent to attend UT. Welsh is a Texas state champion who will compete for the number-one singles spot while Williams will also contend for a spot in the lineup.
"I am really looking forward to next year," says Stark. "This team meshes well and we have a couple of real good freshmen to go with a strong group of freshmen from this season."
With DuFaux leading a talented group of young players to go with veteran leadership, UT tennis is primed to make another run at the NCAA tournament while matching up against the top competition in the country.
"I came from a tennis academy and the best tennis I have played is right now," says Stark. "I have learned so much from coach DuFaux. He has taught me a lot about putting points together and he also made me into a better doubles player. I was never a good doubles player but now I love it."