Athletics

Varsity Sports

Men's Tennis

Overview

Four of Hamilton College's top six singles players from a year ago return for the men's tennis program in 2012-13. Hamilton posted an overall record of 8-7, which included six straight wins in March. The eight victories were the most for the team since 2003-04, when the Continentals also won eight times. Hamilton was ranked 18th in the Northeast Region by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) at the end of last spring. The seniors are Jon Franzel '13, Kolya Kerz '13, Jordan Petit '13 and Stephen Rosenman '13. Drew Libin '12 graduated in second place on the program's all-time list with 40 singles wins, and is the career leader with 35 doubles victories. Franzel and Libin set a team record in 2009-10 for most doubles victories in a season with 14.

Hamilton competes in the NESCAC -- a conference that has produced six NCAA Division III team champions, two singles champions and three doubles champions. Four NESCAC programs made the NCAA championship last year, and three advanced to the quarterfinals. The Continentals play six or seven conference matches every spring. The season concludes in early May with the 2013 NESCAC Championship at Amherst College. Six teams qualify for the event and the winner receives an automatic bid to the NCAA championship. Hamilton played a NESCAC schedule in 2007 for the first time in program history.

Hamilton participates in three tournaments during the fall. The USTA/ITA Northeast Regional championship is the highlight of the fall season. The Continentals also play in an invitational at Stony Brook University and compete in the St. Lawrence University Fall Classic. The team travels to Orlando, Florida, and plays a handful of matches during the College's two-week spring break in March.

Franzel posted four wins at second flight singles last spring after he took advantage of Hamilton's study abroad program during the fall. He won his first two matches and reached the round of 16 at the 2010 USTA/ITA Northeast Regional championships. Franzel was finally eliminated from the championship singles draw by the No. 1 seed. He has 25 singles and 28 doubles victories for the Continentals.

Petit and Libin started last season by winning the "A" doubles bracket title at the 2011 St. Lawrence University Fall Classic. Petit owns 27 doubles victories in his Hamilton career. He leads all returners with nine singles wins in 2011-12. Petit played mostly second and third flight singles last season.

Matt Billet '15 and Buck Reynolds '15 went 6-5 at third flight doubles as rookies last season. Billet boasted a 7-5 record in singles play and Reynolds was a perfect 3-0. Kerz posted a 7-6 singles record and Rosenman won his only match at sixth flight singles.

The goal for this group is to return the program to the level of excellence it enjoyed in the 1990s. From 1993 to 1995, Hamilton assembled an overall record of 49-20, and never finished worse than seventh place at the NESCAC championship. The Continentals added a team title at the 1997 Liberty League Championship. Sam Walker '96 posted a 76-17 singles record during that period. Walker's 76 victories are a team record. The men's tennis program dates back to 1903 and the team has won 500 matches since then.

Solid academic performance is another important part of the men's tennis program. Libin, Rosenman and Ben Swett made the 2012 NESCAC Spring All-Academic team. Each honoree has a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.35 and must have reached sophomore academic standing at his institution.

Hamilton plays its home matches on campus at Gray Tennis Courts. The nine-court facility was resurfaced during the summer of 2006. In the event of poor weather conditions, the team moves inside to adjacent Margaret Bundy Scott Field House. The field house was renovated and resurfaced in 2010, and can accommodate four tennis courts.