Monmouth University Men’s Tennis
Setting the Tone in the MAAC
BY TIM MORRIS
Photo courtesy of Monmouth University Athletics. Monmouth University men’s soccer team players celebrate
TheJournalNJ.com | JUNE 2021 33
Molding an eclectic mix of international
players into a team
has been the formula of success
for the Monmouth University’s
men’s tennis squad. The Hawks have
dominated the Metro Atlantic Athletic
Conference (MAAC) for the past
half-decade. Monmouth captured its
-
pionship this spring with a 4-2 victory
-
onship landed the Hawks in the NCAA
straight year where they ultimately fell
to the nation’s No. 9 team, University
of Central Florida. The loss snapped
Monmouth’s 12-game win streak and
closed the season out as the team put
up an impressive 14-3 record.
It’s not easy to turn an international
roster into a true team, but the
Hawks’ coaching staff has been able
to do that by emphasizing a priority on family togetherness, Assistant
Coach Michael Schwartz pointed out.
“We like to meet the families and make them comfortable that we
have a team spirit here, make them comfortable that we will take care
of their sons,” said Schwartz.
This year’s Monmouth roster included players from Brazil, England,
Portugal, Mexico, France and Austria as well as the USA. This mix
has also brought depth. That depth is extremely important because all
matches begin with three doubles, and those matches require more
than just two or three players to turn out three solid teams. The team
that wins at least two of the three matches earns one point and gets a
leg up in a match that takes four points to win.
matches up and it sets the tone. It’s an uphill battle for the loser. It can
Just as important is for the players to be ready from the start since
the matches are just one set.
“You have to break out fast,” said Schwartz. “You don’t want to
fall behind 3-1.”
The Hawks kept that doubles streak alive in the MAAC Tournament.
Victor Castro (Brazil) and Lucca Silva (Brazil) and Will Cooke
Wharton (England) and Charles Gortzounian (France) won tight matches,
7-5 and 6-4, to give Monmouth that important point. In singles,
Castro, Sergio Martinez (Mexico) and Gabriel Busato (Brazil) all won
second singles for Monmouth while Lucca competed fourth. Because
rather than change them.
“There’s not a lot to change,” Schwartz explained. “Basically they are
accomplished players. Each player is unique in their own way.”
Head Coach Chris Leicht, Schwartz and volunteer assistant Patrick Liu
do talk strategy with their players.
“We do teach serve-and-volley and closing points out at the net,”
said Schwartz. “We want our players to have a plan and not just hit
the ball back. We talk about serve plus one and plus two, having a plan,
setting a point up.”
Schwartz noted that the biggest adjustment for his athletes is going
from playing as an individual to being the part of a team. It’s something that
comes with a family-like team approach.
had trouble scheduling non-conference teams. The Hawks are trying to upgrade
the schedule, but top teams won’t schedule them for fear of what a
loss would mean to them. Still, Monmouth has found challenging competition
outside the conference and proved itself. Monmouth has beaten Big
East champion St. John’s University the last two years.
measuring stick for all the tennis programs in the MAAC, Schwartz assured
everyone that it hasn’t been easy.
“You have to prove yourself each year,” he said. “Nobody gives you a
match in our conference.”
The MAAC programs may have their sights set on Monmouth, but
the Hawks show no fear. Schwartz said that with next year’s recruits added
to the returning roster from this year, the team has “brought the level of
talent up.”
That can’t come as welcomed news to the teams chasing the Hawks.
/TheJournalNJ.com