MAAC Announces 40th Anniversary Tennis Team
MAAC Announces 40th Anniversary Tennis Team
Edison, N.J. (Aug. 6, 2020) – The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) celebrates its 40
th Anniversary throughout the 2020-21 academic year, continuing its mission to provide student-athletes the opportunity to succeed in both academics and athletics.
The 40
th Anniversary Tennis Team highlights some of the best student-athletes in MAAC history. MAAC Tennis traces back to 1982, when Army won the first MAAC Championship for the men. Marist College leads the conference with 12 men’s championships while Fairfield University and Manhattan College each have five championships of their own. On the women’s side, Fairfield has 10 titles followed by former MAAC members Loyola University with seven and Fordham University with six.
The MAAC Tennis Championships are set to return Apr. 24-25 in 2021 at the Mercer County Tennis Center in West Windsor, New Jersey.
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| Fairfield University |
| Men |
| Dru Damico |
1990-94 |
| Erik Kremheller |
2009-13 |
| Michael McCann |
1990-94 |
| Dan Sauter |
2008-12 |
Joe Michalisin – 2008-12
A two-time MAAC Player of the Year, Michalisin was also a three-time All-MAAC First Team singles player and a four-time All-MAAC doubles standout for the Stags. In his senior campaign, he led Fairfield to its first MAAC Championship in 14 years and first-ever NCAA postseason trip. Michalisin went 80-40 (.667) as a singles player and 92-42 (.687) as a doubles player to set the Fairfield career wins record in both categories. |
Coach Joseph Grassi
Dr. Joseph Grassi was the first head coach of the Stags, leading the program from 1968-1997. He led the Stags to MAAC Championships in 1992, 1995 and 1996. |
| Women |
| Melissa Gassler |
1991-95 |
| Dana Postupack |
2006-10 |
| Paulina Rys |
2006-10 |
| Monica Yajima |
2010-14 |
Amy Hanson (Ostella) – 1993-97
Amy Hanson (Ostella) led the Stags to the MAAC Championship in each of her four seasons, winning an individual conference title in each season along the way. Hanson teamed with Melissa Gassler in 1993 and 1994 to win her first two MAAC crowns then followed up with a singles title in 1995. She capped her career with her third doubles title in 1996, this time teaming with Nancy Searle. After leading Fairfield to one of its most successful four-year stretches, Hanson was the recipient of the Arthur Ashe Award, presented by the University to the tennis student-athlete who best epitomized the sportsmanship and quality of play exhibited by the award’s namesake. She was inducted into the Fairfield Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016. |
Coach Ed Paige
Paige was the head coach at Fairfield from 2007-14, where he led the Stags to a program record 103 dual match victories (103-65-1, .609). In eight seasons, he led the Stags to three MAAC Championships and four second place finishes. He was named MAAC Coach of the Year back-to-back in 2008 and 2009. |
| Marist College |
| Men |
| Joseph Dube |
2011-15 |
| Dylan Fletcher |
2013-17 |
| Patrick Hofer |
2000-03 |
| Lorenzo Rossi |
2010-14 |
Loic Sessagesimi – 2006-10
A four-year starter, Loic Sessagesimi compiled 142 wins in his career, with 75 in singles and 67 in doubles. He is a three-time MAAC Tournament Most Outstanding Performer, being a part of the Red Foxes' 2008, 2009, and 2010 MAAC Championship squads. In the Fall of 2009, he notched the best individual performance in Marist history at the ITA Northeast Regional Tournament, when he reached the Round of 16. |
Coach Tim Smith
Tim Smith served as head men's tennis coach for Marist's first 21 seasons in the MAAC (1998-2018). Smith's remarkable run included 12 MAAC championships and a 142-11 mark in conference play. Smith captured championships in 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, and 2015. He was a four-time MAAC Coach of the Year recipient who coached four MAAC Players of the Year, and six MAAC Rookies of the Year. He also coached 64 All-MAAC singles players and 37 All-MAAC doubles tandems. Smith's overall record with the Red Foxes was 345-111. |
| Women |
| Marielle Campbell |
2010-14 |
| Erin Godly |
2004-08 |
| Christine Ong |
2004-08 |
| Kelsey Raynor |
2009-13 |
Joana Sun – 2009-13
Joana Sun totaled 98 career wins across her four-year career, primarily competing out of third singles and the top-two doubles flights. She was selected to the All-MAAC First Team in all four years, including third singles from her freshman to junior year, first doubles in her rookie season, and second doubles in her sophomore year, being the only Red Fox to garner First Team honors in 2010 and 2011. She was part of Marist's 2011 and 2013 MAAC Championships. |
Coach Roge Nesbitt
Roge Nesbitt served as head coach of the Marist women's tennis program for seven seasons (2007-13), during which the Red Foxes won all four of their MAAC championships (2007, 2008, 2011, 2013). Nesbitt was named MAAC Coach of the Year in 2011. In her tenure, Nesbitt led the Red Foxes to a 40-8 mark in MAAC regular-season play. Marist reached the MAAC Championship final six times in her seven-year tenure. |
| Monmouth University |
| Men |
| Ale Gomez Estrada |
2014-18 |
| Przemyslaw Filipek |
2013-17 |
| Srdjan Jakovljevic |
2017-19 |
| Victor Pugliese |
2013-15 |
Nicola Pipoli – 2015-19
Nicola Pipoli won four straight MAAC Championships from 2015-19. During his time at Monmouth, he was named 2018 MAAC Player of the Year in addition to six First Team All-MAAC honors and 2016 MAAC Co-Rookie of the Year. In the classroom, he was named to the MAAC All-Academic Team three times and was a 2018 ITA Scholar-Athlete. Pipoli became the first Monmouth student-athlete to be ranked by ITA, coming in at 99th nationally in 2017. |
| Niagara University |
| Men |
| Olivier Dufour-Coursol |
2011-15 |
| Erick Garcia |
2002-07 |
| Mike Kelly |
1999-2003 |
| David Raymond |
2011-15 |
Walter Garcia – 2004-08
Walter Garcia is the all-time leader in singles wins (73) in Niagara men's tennis history. Garcia bookend his career with MAAC Rookie of the Year (2005) and MAAC Player of the Year (2008) honors. |
| Women |
| Mariam Al-Shikarchy |
2001-05 |
| Shells Dargout |
2004-08 |
| Danielle Greiner |
2002-06 |
| Julianne Prokopich |
2003-07 |
Milena Matijevic – 2000-04
Milena Matijevic finished her career at Niagara as the program's all-time singles and doubles winner. She finished her four-year career with a singles record of 104-9 and a doubles mark of 56-16. The Purple Eagles' former No. 1 singles and doubles player helped lead Niagara to its first regular-season title in 2003 en route to winning the program's first-ever MAAC Tournament Championship and trip to the 2003 NCAA Tournament. A two-time MAAC Most Outstanding Player of the Year helped Niagara to its first-ever national ranking in 2004. |
| Quinnipiac University |
| Men |
| Eric Ambrosio |
2011-15 |
| Luke Roser |
2012-16 |
| Julian Rozenstein |
2014-18 |
| Freddie Zaretsky |
2016-20 |
Kei Ezaka – 2013-17
Ezaka holds the Bobcats’ career record for wins (143). He was named MAAC Rookie of the Year in 2013-14, and MAAC Player of the Year in 2015-16 – becoming the first player in QU men’s tennis history to earn conference player of the year honors. |
Coach Chris Pappas
Head Coach Chris Pappas has earned 56 total wins, including a 26-8 MAAC record at the helm of Quinnipiac men’s tennis. Pappas has led the team to a MAAC Regular Season Championship in 2015-16, and two MAAC Championship games (2015-16, 2018-19). He has coached 18 All-MAAC Team selections, as well as two MAAC Rookie of the Years and one MAAC Player of the Year. Pappas is a two-time MAAC Coach of the Year. |
| Women |
| Jennifer Lu |
2015-19 |
| Jacqueline Raynor |
2011-15 |
| Layla Rodriguez |
2016-20 |
| Sydney Young |
2013-17 |
Sophia Dzulynsky – 2013-16
Dzulynsky helped lead the Bobcats to three straight MAAC titles from 2013-2016. She is a two-time MAAC Women’s Tennis Player of the Year (2013-14, 2015-16), and won 108 career games in three seasons at Quinnipiac. |
Coach Paula Miller
Head Coach Paula Miller has brought nothing but success as the head coach of the Quinnipiac women’s tennis program. Miller has led the Bobcats to 86 wins since 2013, and went 43-0 in MAAC regular season matches between 2013-2019. The 43 consecutive conference victories was the longest active winning streak in all of NCAA Division I tennis. The Bobcats won five consecutive MAAC Regular Season titles as well as MAAC Tournament titles from 2013-2018. Miller is a four-time MAAC Coach of the Year. |
| Rider University |
| Men |
| Ryan Ciaccio |
2015-19 |
| Will Haight |
2006-10 |
| Rollie Malfitano |
2010-14 |
| Chris Popso |
2014-17 |
Casey Jedlinski – 2005-09
Jedlinski was a four-year starter for the Broncs at top singles, earning 28 singles victories. He posted a 10-4 singles record as a freshman in 2005-06 and finished his Rider career with 11 singles wins in 2008-09. |
| Women |
| Devin Crawbuck |
2003-07 |
| Cyd Melendez |
2016-20 |
| Allison Noll |
2013-15 |
| Kristina Paich |
2006-10 |
Caitlin Crawbuck – 2003-07
Caitlin Crawbuck was a two-time All-MAAC selection, earning Second Team honors in 2005 before moving up to the First Team in 2006. She won 17 consecutive matches to end the 2005-06 season with an 18-1 record and won the first three matches of the 2006-07 season. |
| Siena College |
| Men |
| Mike Amico |
2009-11 |
| Sagar Bains |
2017-Present |
| Tomas del Olmo |
2018-Present |
| Guillermo Lopez Torres |
2017-Present |
Jeremy Deuel – 2005-09
Deuel is the program's all-time singles wins leader with 32 victories to his name, most of which came from the team's top-2 singles spots. A one-time MAAC Player of the Week selection, he helped Siena earn trips to the MAAC Championship in 2008 & 2009 and their highest MAAC seed to-date as the number 4 team in 2008. |
| Women |
| Mitsuki Fukamachi |
2013-17 |
| Ali Garrity |
2013-17 |
| Denisa Hluchova |
2002-06 |
| Nicole Mayer |
2000-03 |
Sarah Mayer – 2005-09
A first ballot entry into the Siena Athletics Hall of Fame in 2014, Mayer is the program's all-time leader in singles wins (70) and single season singles wins (21), as well as singles wins from the no. 1 spot (59). A three-time MAAC Player of the Year (2006, 2008, 2009) she was also the MAAC Rookie of the Year and MAAC Tournament MVP in 2006, and led the Saints to their first and only MAAC Championship & NCAA Tournament appearances. |
| Former MAAC Members |
| Canisius College |
| Men |
John Udwadia, MD – 1988-91
One of three former men's tennis players in the Canisius Sports Hall of Fame, and the only inductee from the MAAC era, John Udwadia, MD, is the only male MAAC tennis champion in school history. From 1988-91, Udwadia posted a career record of 40-16, highlighted by the 1990 first singles and first doubles MAAC crowns. |
| Women |
| Michelle Tesseyman |
1987-91 |
Jennifer Johnson Smith – 1987-91
The winningest women's tennis player in Canisius history, Jennifer Johnson Smith earned four varsity letters on the court from 1987-91, with her last twto o seasons being played in the MAAC… She recorded 33 career wins as a Golden Griffin, and in 1989, she became the first Canisius female tennis player to win a MAAC individual championship. |
| Iona College |
| Men |
| Tim Allard |
| Jerry Flood |
| Women |
| Jill Higgins |
| Kerry Rodier |
| Manhattan College |
| Men |
| Zoltan Bus |
2003-07 |
| John Espinosa |
1997-01 |
| Brian Kritzer |
1994-98 |
| Brian McKeever |
1991-95 |
Bogdon Borta – 2005-07
Bogdon Borta can lay claim as arguably the top player in MAAC history, as he won MAAC Player of the Year honors in both of his seasons of competition in 2005-06 and 2006-07. Additionally, thanks to his strong play the Jaspers won back-to-back MAAC Championships during that time. |
| Women |
| Nanaxhi Chavez-Geller |
1998-02 |
| Jennifer Fowler |
2003-07 |
| Courtney James |
1999-03 |
| Elynor Giannin Perez |
1995-99 |
Jasmine (Whu) Donato – 1997-01
Jasmine (Whu) Donato completely rewrote the record books during her time in Riverdale, before graduating with 124 career wins, including 64 singles victories. Whu played either No. 1 or 2 singles from the moment she stepped on campus, and reached the finals at No. 1 singles in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championships in October 1997 and was also a MAAC doubles finalist in 1998, while also participating in the ITA East Regionals in both singles and doubles. In addition, Whu won both singles and doubles titles at the Metropolitan Collegiate Tennis Championships during her career. As a senior, she led Manhattan to a program-best second-place finish at the MAAC Championship. Despite coming up one match short of the NCAA Tournament, the 2001 season was a remarkable one as the Jaspers finished with a school-record 13 wins, including a team-record seven straight. |
| Kathy Sooner (Holy Cross) |
Nancy Turnblacer (Loyola)
Mia Vendinskii (Loyola) |
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) celebrates its 40
th year of competition during the 2020-21 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.