Netters Hand Out Post-Season Awards
The Oglethorpe University men's and women's tennis teams held their annual year-end season banquet earlier this week and handed out awards voted on by the entire men's and women's teams. Each team votes on Most Improved Player, Most Outstanding Player and the Stormiest Petrel Award which is bestowed upon the player that exudes the most effort day in and day out.

On the women's side, senior Katie Kuhn of Sterling Heights, Michigan was voted Most Outstanding Player. Katie played at the extremely tough #1 singles slot all season long and acquitted herself well against the top competitors in the SCAC.
 
Sophomore Alison Burt of Spring, Texas was voted by her peers as the Most Improved Player for the 2007-2008 season. Burt, also a star on the volleyball court, joined the team this season and actually climbed the ladder all the way up to where she competed a combined seven times at the #2 or #3 singles slot. Additionally, Alison compiled a solid 5-3 record while playing doubles with Jamie Dillon.
 
The Stormiest Petrel Award yielded a tie between freshman Molly Colvard of Chickamauga, Georgia and senior Jamie Dillon of Lake Mary, Florida. Colvard joined the team this year and displayed a fiery spirit in racking up a splendid 5-2 overall record playing out of the #3 singles slot. Dillon, another dual sport star (she played soccer at OU for four seasons), had a stellar season, going 9-7 as a singles player and 10-6 in doubles competition for a season record of 17-13.
 
On the men's side, junior Luca Cerenko of Atlanta was voted Most Outstanding Player for the 2007-2008 season. Cerenko posted an incredible 12-2 record in singles competition including a perfect 11-0 from the #2 and #3 positions. In addition to his singles exploits, Luca combined with Felix Mann and Alex Lindburg to record a 9-2 record in doubles play.
 
Senior Brick Faucette of Powder Springs, Georgia was voted Most Inproved Player. Faucette, a four year player who competed in a whopping 82 matches while wearing the Oglethorpe black and gold, battled all season long at the #1 singles slot facing stout competiton. Brick and freshman Ross Beall combined to post a 7-3 record in doubles competition.
 
The Stormiest Petrel award was earned by freshman Lawrence Sweatman of Memphis, Tennessee. Sweatman showed great dedication throughout the season on the practice courts and when called upon to compete in a match was always ready to play. Lawrence won all three of the singles matches he competed in this season and combined with Brad White to win his only doubles match for a perfect 4-0 record in games played this season.

Petrel Netters Score Best Finish In Modern Era; Cerenko, Mann, Faucette and Beall Named All-Tournament
The Oglethorpe University men's tennis team travelled to the SCAC Spring Sports Festival in Indiana this past weekend and recorded their highest conference finish in the modern era (since 1991) of fifth place. The Netters were led by the sparkling play of Luca Cerenko who was undefeated on the weekend and earned All-Tournament honors for his play at singles and doubles with Felix Mann.

The Petrels began the weekend with a tough 7-2 loss to the Rhodes Lynx as freshman sensation Ross Beall battled allergies and had to withdraw from Friday's matches. Despite the setback, the Petrels rebounded to knock off Hendrix 7-2 on Saturday and then won again on Sunday over Millsaps, 6-3 to secure the school's best tennis finish in a loaded SCAC.
 
Cerenko finished the weekend with an unblemished 6-0 record to earn his All-Tournament honors for both the single and doubles competitions. Felix Mann posted a 5-1 record on the weekend and was named to the All-Tournament team for his doubles combination with Cerenko.
 
Freshman Ross Beall and senior Brick Faucette combined to go 2-0 on the weekend in their doubles matches and were named to the SCAC All-Tournament Team for their stellar play on the court as well.
 
The Petrel Netters finish the season at 12-7, their best winning percentage under head coach Peter Howell.
 
 

Netters Celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness Against Maryville
The Oglethorpe University men's and women's tennis teams joined the International Tennis Association in supporting breast cancer awareness by wearing pink in last Wednesday's matches against Maryville. By doing so, each team joined the hundreds of colleges and university's across the country raising awareness for the diesase by wearing pink during competitions.

The women ultimately lost a tough match to the Scots, 6-3, with many of the sets being hotly contested. The Scots took 2 out of 3 doubles matches including an 8-6 win over Katie Kuhn and Kimberly O'Dell that turned the match. The doubles combination of Jamie Dillon and Alison Burt secured the one-point victory by winning from the #3 slot, 8-2. The Scots also took 4 out 6 of the singles matches to nail down the win but not before freshman Molly Colvard and sophomore Alison Burt won their matches.
 
The men celebrated "Think Pink" by donning pink shirts and then summarily dispatching Maryville by a score of  8-1. The Petrel Netters opened the match by sweeping the doubles as the combinations of Luka Cerenko / Felix Mann, Brick Faucette / Ross Beall and Brad White / Alex Lindburg all won. On the singles side, only Gabe Henderson dropped his match, albeit in a 10-7 tiebreaker in the second set. Cerenko, Mann, Beall and Lindburg all won, as did added player at #6, Lawrence Sweatman.

Netters Close Out Season, Prep for Spring Sports Festival
The Oglethorpe University men's and women's tennis teams closed out their seasons this past weekend and will now turn their attentions to the upcoming SCAC Spring Sports Festival. Both teams travelled to Sewanee this past weekend to square off with tough, ranked conference opponents.

On the women's side, the ladies played an extremely tough match on Saturday against the #7 ranked Sewanee Tigers and fell by a 9-0 margin. The #3 doubles combination of Jamie Dillon and Alison Burt nearly won their match before falling and Abby Hammond nearly staged an upset in her singles match before going down, 7-5, 6-4. Otherwise the #7 ranked Tigers were too tough to tame.
 
On Sunday, the women played their most copmpetitive conference match of the season against a stout Centre College squad before succombing, 8-1. Freshman Molly Colvard battled through a shoulder injury forcing her to serve underhanded and nearly won a grueling three hour match before falling 6-4 in the decisive third set. With the loss, the women finish their season at 6-11 with six of their losses coming against ranked opponents.
 
The men struggled on Saturday against blustery wind conditions and a highly regarded Sewanee Tiger team before eventually losing, 9-0. Despite the lobsided point margin, many of the matches were extremely close as Brick Faucette lost his singles match 6-4, 6-4 and Felix Mann went down by a count of 7-6, 6-4.
 
The men bounced back in a big way on Sunday, trouncing the Centre College Colonels, 9-0. Brick Faucette managed to exact a little revenge in the team sweep by defeating an opponent in Doug Arnold who had previously topped Faucette in the fall ITA's. Both Gabe Henderson and Felix Mann won three-set thrillers and Ross Beall, Alex Lindburg and Brad White all won easily to help end the season on a high note.
 
With the win, the men pushed their record to 10-6 on the season with each of their 6 losses coming to teams ranked just ahead of Oglethorpe on the national and regional scene. The Netters will also finish the season ranked #16 in the Atlantic South Region, their highest ranking at season end in the modern era. The Petrels will now turn their focus to the SCAC Spring Sports Festival where they await word on their first round seeding. 

Men Bolster Regional Ranking, Blast LaGrange
The Oglethorpe University men's tennis team continued their strong spring season by dominating LaGrange College on the courts at Oglethorpe University on Tuesday afternoon, 9-0. The netters were so solid on the courts yesterday that in only one of the nine matches did they allow the Panthers to record more than 4 games won in a set.

The doubles teams started the sweep for the Petrels by getting an 8-0 victory from the combination of Luka Cerenko and Felix Mann, an 8-3 victory at #2 with Brick Faucette and Ross Beall and another 8-0 victory from the #3 combination of Alex Lindburg and Brad White.
 
In the singles competition, Brick Faucette won at #1, 6-0, 6-2, Felix Mann won at #2, 6-0, 6-1, Gabe Henderson won at #3, 6-4, 6-1, Lawrence Sweatman won at #4, 8-2, Carlos Carhten won at #5, 8-5 and Ricky Pomales won at #6, 8-2.
 
With the win, the Petrels have elevated their record to 8-5 on the season and continue to hold the #16 ranking in the South Atlantic Region that is loaded with ranked stalwarts of the likes of Emory, Sewanee, Rhodes, Birmingham-Southern, Christopher Newport and Mississippi College - all teams that appear on the Petrels schedule. Oglethorpe is back in action this afternoon at home for the final time this season when they square off with Maryville College at 5:00 p.m.

Men's Tennis Holds #16 Ranking in Atlantic South
The Stormy Petrels continue to be recognized as one of the top teams in the region with their late season ranking. With only loses to teams ranked ahead of the Petrels, they continue to be solid factor in the region.

The stellar play of Luka Cerenko, Felix Mann, and Brick Faucette at the top of the line-up has given the Petrels early advantage in several matches. However, it is the depth supplied by Gabe Henderson, Ross Beall, Alex Lindburg, and Brad White that is a huge strength to this team. This is a great honor as the team heads into the final weeks of the season.

For the season, Cerenko holds a record of 9-1, Mann a record of 10-3 and Faucette a record of 7-11 facing many of the top ranked players in the region. Henderson is 5-7, Beall is 9-3, Lindburg is 5-5 and White is 5-4.

Netters Score Two Victories on Senior Day
The Oglethorpe University men's and women's tennis teams competed on their home courts for the final time this season on Sunday afternoon in a Senior Day that saw both squads earn victories over Spartanburg Methodist.

The women's team said good-bye to graduating seniors Ashley Cooper, Jamie Dillon, Abby Hammond and  Katie Kuhn in style by blanking Spartanburg Methodist, 8-0. Each of the four playing seniors had perfect days begininning with Katie Kuhn's 6-0, 6-2 wipeout of Kelly Swain. Cooper followed at the #3 singles slot to earn a 6-2, 6-3 win before Jamie Dilon stepped in at #4 and won 8-1. Hammond had to battle a little harder to earn her singles victory but she did so by winning a tiebreaker in a thrilling 11-9 fashion. With the win, the women pushed their record to 4-6 on the season.
 
The men's team had to say goodbye to one of it's all-time most fiercest competitors in Brick Faucette of Powder Springs, Georgia. For four years, Brick has been a mainstay on the tennis courts, playing at every single position coach Howell has asked of him. This year, Brick has played the majority of his matches at the #1 singles slot against top flight competition and has seen his name rise to #21 in the South Atlantic Region rankings. On Sunday, Brick struggled in his two matches but one thing is certain: he'll be back on the courts on Monday morning working on his game.
 
The men's team did, however, earn a 6-3 victory over Spartanburg Methodist to raise their record to 6-4 overall. Both the men's and women's teams are back in action this Friday afternoon when they square off with Millsaps.

Petrel Netters Grab Highest Ranking in Modern Era
The Oglethorpe University men's tennis team learned on Tuesday morning that they had climbed to 13 in the Atlantic South Region rankings, the highest ranking for a tennis team at Oglethorpe since the school joined the SCAC in 1991. The rankings are compiled regionally by coaches that vote on the matter in conjunction with the International Tennis Association.

The men's tennis team opened their season with three consecutive wins over ranked opponents to propel them to this high perch in the rankings. In the season-opening match, the Petrel Netters dispatched Piedmont, 7-2. The following day, Oglethorpe toppled #13 Methodist, 5-4. Finally, the Petrels completed the trifecta by downing 14th ranked Averett, 6-3.
 
The Petrel Netters are back in action next Wednesday, March 26th against LaGrange College.

Netters Open Season With Bang
The Oglethorpe University men's tennis team opened the 2008 spring tennis season in style this past weekend by defeating three ranked opponents in the Atlantic South Region.

On Friday, the Netters opened their season by knocking off 15th ranked Piedmont College, 7-2. Freshman Ross Beall clinched the match from the #5 singles position.
 
On Saturday, Oglethorpe downed 12th ranked Methodist College 5-4 in a thriller. Felix Mann, playing out of the #2 singles slot, clinched the match for the Petrels by winning consecutive sets after dropping the opening set.
 
On Sunday, the Petrels completed the three-game parlay by knocking off 14th ranked Averett, 6-3. The Petrels dominated positions 3 through 6 to seal the victory and secure Oglethorpe's first 3 game winning streak versus ranked opponents in school history.
 
The Petrel Netters are back in action this Friday when they travel to face Maryville College.

Van der Linde Featured in Voice of America Profile
Eckhardt van der Linde, Oglethorpe University senior and former All-Conference tennis star, is profiled in this month's issue of Voice of America News, an on-line news magazine chronicling people in the news across the country.

To read the entire profile on Eckhardt, visit

http://www.voanews.com/english/AmericanLife/2007-09-19-voa3.cfm
 

Tennis Teams Hand Out Post-Season Awards
Oglethorpe University men's and women's head coach Peter Howell announced post-season awards for each team earlier this month.

On the women's side, junior Katie Kuhn of Sterling Heights, Michigan was named the teams Most Valuable Player for her outstanding play from the #2 singles position this season.
 
Sophomore Jamie Dillon of Lake Mary, Florida received the "Stormiest Petrel" award for her constant dedication and unrivaled effort on the court.
 
Junior Abby Hammond, a former soccer star from Marietta, Georgia, received the Most Improved Player award after continuing to show signs of becoming a tennis star following her soccer career.
 
For the men's team, there was no doubting Eckhardt van der Linde's candidacy as Most Valuable Player on the team. In two years, van der Linde compiled an eye-popping 43-5 record as Oglethorpe's #1 singles player.
 
Brick Faucette, a junior from Powder Springs, Georgia, earned the "Stormiest Petrel" award for his consistently clutch performances on the court throughout the 2007 season.
 
Carlos Carthen, a sophomore from Stone Mountain, garnered the Most Improved Player award by using dedicated practice time to hone his ever-blossoming game.
 
Both squads will be back in action in 2008 looking to make some noise in the tennis-rich SCAC.

Niland, Malone Named All-Conference Honorable Mentions
Oglethorpe University seniors Antoinette Niland and Drue Malone were selected as members of the 2007 Men's and Women's All SCAC Team Honorable Mentions.

Niland, from Duluth, was 10-9 in singles matches this season and finished her four-year career at Oglethorpe with an impressive 45-26 record in singles matches.
 
Malone, of Snellville, was 9-12 in singles matches and 15-7 in doubles competion this season. In his four year career at Oglethorpe, Malone was 35-42 in singles competition and a stellar 50-28 in doubles play.

Van der Linde Named to 2007 Men's All-SCAC Tennis Team
In exclusive voting by the head coaches of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference, Oglethorpe senior Eckhardt van der Linde was named to the 2007 Men's All-SCAC Tennis Team. Van der Linde finished tied for second overall in the voting to narrowly miss receiving Player-of-the-Year honors and joins nine other SCAC stars on the illustrious team.

Van der Linde compiled another stellar season for the Petrels with a 20-3 record in singles matches and a 16-7 record on the doubles side. For his two year career at Oglethorpe, the smooth-stroking South African tallied an incredible overall singles record of 43-5 to go along with a stout 35-9 record playing doubles.

Petrel Netters Gain National Attention
Both the Oglethorpe University men's and women's teams received regional rankings in the most recent Iternational Tennis Association (ITA) poll. The men's team nabbed the 18th spot in the Atlantic South region while the women were voted 24th overall in the same region.

Both teams also had singles players as well as doubles combinations receive regional rankings. On the singles side, senior South African Eckhardt van der Linde is the 16th ranked singles performer in the Atlantic South. Eckhardt combines with fellow senior Drue Malone to form the 13th ranked doubles combination in the region. On the women's side, the senior-freshman combination of Antoinette Niland and Kimberly O'Dell have earned them the 23rd spot in the Atlantic South for a doubles team.
 
While the men have finished regular season play at 10-7 overall and look forward to the conference championship, the women close their season this Friday at 3 p.m. looking to raise their 7-7 record against Wesleyan College.

Petrel Netters Perform Well Against Conference Foes
Despite dropping two weekend matches to non-conference opponents #12 ranked Christopher Newport and Methodist College this past weekend, the Oglethorpe University men's tennis team has gotten off to its best start in SCAC matches in several years.

The men began conference play last weekend with a stirring 5-4 victory over a Southwestern University squad that had defeated the Petrel Netters in five consecutive matches. Playing from the #2 singles position, Drue Malone clinched the match for Oglethorpe with a 6-4, 6-2 victory.

The next day, the Petrels earned another hard fought 5-4 victory, this time over conference-rival Centre College. Trailing the Colonels 4-2 in the match, Oglethorpe rallied to win the final three singles matches of the day, getting wins from Gabe Henderson, Joey Kosciolek and the clincher from Brick Faucette. The win notched the Petrels first victory over Centre in four years.
 
After stepping out of the conference one more time to face Rose-Hulman tomorrow at 3pm, the Petrel Netters will close the season against three conference foes: Millsaps, Hendrix and Rhodes.