Johns Hopkins is hoping to serve up a pair of aces this weekend as it hosts the Centennial Conference tennis championship.
The Blue Jays? men and women?s teams, which are a combined 18-0 in conference play, are the No. 1 seeds in their respective four-team tournament fields. The league champion receives an automatic berth into the NCAA Division III tournament.
“This is an exciting time for our program,” Hopkins coach Chuck Willenborg said. “This is a big difference from where we were when I arrived three years ago. These players really got behind me and believed they could win.”
The Hopkins men (15-2, 8-0 conference) set a school record for wins in a single season this year and went undefeated in conference play for the second time in three years.
They are ranked 13th nationally and third in the Atlantic South Region, both the highest in school history. The men will host Dickinson in the conference semifinals at 11 a.m. today with the winner advancing to face the winner of Haverford-Washington College at 11 a.m. Sunday.
The Hopkins women (14-3, 8-0) went undefeated in the conference for the first time in their 14 years in the league.
They are ranked 15th nationally and fifth in the Atlantic South. This season marks the first time Hopkins made the national poll. The women will host Washington College at 11 a.m. Saturday with the winner playing the winner of Swarthmore-Franklin & Marshall at 3 p.m. Sunday.
Hopkins? success on the court is due to mainly a young core of players whom Willenborg hopes to build his program around. Freshman David Maldow won a school-record 17 single matches this season, including two against nationally ranked male opponents. Freshman Anita Bhamidipati tied the school?s female single-season record with 18 wins so far this season, including 13 in a row overall and 10 straight in league play.
One of Hopkins? few seniors is also one of its better players. Boys? Latin graduate Hillen Smith Jr. and junior Joe Vasoontara are among the favorites to win the doubles title.
“Winning the conference title would be great for the program,” Smith said. “We?re feeling pretty confident going into this weekend.”
COLLEGE TENNIS NOTES
» The University of Maryland-Baltimore County?s men and women?s tennis team will compete in the America East Conference tournament this weekend at the Connecticut Tennis Center in New Haven, Conn. UMBC is the top seed in the men?s field, followed by Boston University, defending champion Stony Brook, Binghamton and Hartford.
» UMBC is the third seed on the women?s side. Boston University, which has won each of the 13 previous America East titles, is again the top seed, followed Binghamton, UMBC, Stony Brook and Albany.
