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Monday, May 6, 2013

NCAA Division I Lineups, Roundtable; Division III Selections; Redlicki in USTA's College Spotlight

Part I of the Tennis Recruiting Network's NCAA Division I Team Tournament Roundtable was published today, and I contributed my thoughts on the late season stories in college tennis and which regionals I would be focusing on this coming weekend. Part II will be published later this week.


The final, approved lineups are now available on ncaa.org.  I've glanced through all 128 of the rosters which can be found by clicking on the links below, and came up with a few interesting items, although I'm sure some of you will have additional observations based on your superior knowledge of a particular team.

Men's lineups:
  • The biggest discovery by far is the omission of Brigham Young's top two players: Patrick Kawka and Spencer Smith. I would only be speculating because I have no inkling why they are not in BYU's lineup, but obviously their chance to upset Memphis and Ole Miss it that regional is gone now.
  • Ohio State will be playing Blaz Rola at No. 1 and Peter Kobelt at No. 2.  Rola and Kobelt traded those positions most of the year, with Rola going 15-1 at No. 1 and Kobelt 7-1 at the top of the lineup.
  • Stanford's Matt Kandath, who has been hurt most of the dual match season, is listed as No. 2 for the Cardinal
  • Tulsa's Japie De Klerk, who is 3-5 at No. 1 and 10-2 at No. 2, will play No. 1 in the NCAAs, with Clifford Marsland, who was 10-2 at No. 1 and 7-1 at No. 2, slotted in at No. 2.
  • Michigan's Vlad Stefan, who has played 2, 3, and 4 this year, will be at No. 3 for the NCAAs.
  • Yannik Hanfmann will play No. 3 for USC, with Roberto Quiroz at 4.
  • The only men's team listing just six players is Samford
  • Duke's Henrique Cunha is the only No. 1 player in the men's lineup who was undefeated in dual matches this season. He went 18-0.
 Women's lineups:
  • Duke's Ester Goldfeld is listed in the lineup at No. 2, meaning the Blue Devils may be able to field six players for singles this weekend at Texas Tech.
  • Alabama and Georgia Tech have only six players listed. Alabama has only six on their roster, but Georgia Tech has seven, with Alexandra Anghelescu the player missing from the NCAA lineup.
  • Zsofi Susanyi, a semifinalist last year at the NCAAs, is in the No. 3 position for Cal after returning from injury. She was 4-1 at 1 and 5-0 at 3, where she's played since returning to the roster. She is 28-5 overall this year.
  • UCLA has Skylar Morton, who played No. 4 for them last year as a freshman, listed at No. 8.
  • Southern Cal's Sabrina Santamaria is the only* No. 1 women's player who went undefeated in the dual match season. She is 11-0 at No. 1 and 6-0 at No. 2.  *See discussion in comments for correction.
The NCAA Division III selections were announced today, and I will be paying closer attention to that tournament this year than I usually do, simply because the finals are being played here at Kalamazoo College (even though I will be in Urbana for the D-I tournaments). Both men and women will decide their champions at Stowe Stadium, but in Division III, only eight teams travel to the final site.  The men's selections are here and the women's selections are here.

The most recent College Spotlight by the USTA is on Duke freshman Michael Redlicki, who provides some interesting background on why he never really considered skipping college tennis to go straight to the pros, and how he keeps up in such a demanding academic environment.

15 comments:

scott said...

Lauren Embree was also undefeated in dual matches. 17-0 at #1.

Colette Lewis said...

@Scott
The lineup submitted says she was 17-1.

Colette Lewis said...

But a quick check of her stats on GatorZone confirms your number. Her only loss all year was to Susanyi of Cal at the Indoor.

Fact Finder said...

Even more impressive, Sabrina hasn't dropped a set in dual matches all year AND hasn't lost a doubles match with Kaitlyn Christian since last year at NCAAs (Sabrina has 1 loss with Valeria Pulido at 2 doubles in a dual). Sabrina has defeated Robin Anderson twice 6-0, 6-2 and 6-1, 6-0. Defeated Nicole Gibbs 3 and 3. Defeated Hardebeck 6-0, 6-2. It would be great to see a matchup with USC and the Florida Gators.

Austin said...

Is Kentucky in violation of lineup rules? They have 3 players listed outside the starting singles lineup playing doubles. I thought the rule was 8 total players listed as starters. Did this change?

Colette Lewis said...

@Austin:
I've never quite understood how the doubles lineups work, because they do not seem confined to the lineups submitted, but the language here says: "NOTE: Only eight of the 15 student-athletes listed (inclusive of doubles specialists) may play in first- and second-round competition. These eight are designated at the coaches meeting the day prior to the start of competition."

Austin said...

Looking at records of position people are listed at compared to their regular season stats:

Cal is mediocre. Only two starters have decent records at their position, and Riki McLachlan has hardly played.

Duke is surprisingly impressive at each position.

Kentucky is really weak at 3-5, all players under .500

Michigan has Vlad Stephan at #3. He should be playing #4 like he has been the past month. He can't win matches any higher this season, but is a very solid #4. I guess they think his ceiling is higher than Franks.

Huge problem with NC State. They flipped their #4 & 5 players, however, neither has played those positions AT ALL the entire season. In fact Weigel has played 1-4 this season, nothing lower, now all the sudden he is playing #5 in NCAA's, ditto for Bond not playing above #5 all year, should not be allowed.

Oklahoma has two players that have really fallen off: Siributwong & Formentera. Siributwong is now completely out of the lineup, and Formentera, whose college career has been a huge dissapointment, has only played 3 times this season.

We almost had a team who only had one guy play each position in every match, Samford, but they swapped their #4 & 5 guys one time this season. Odd that they have new doubles teams though.

Speaking of dissapointing career, Dennis Lin ending his career two spots away from the starting lineup. Dont forget his Thousand Oaks buddy JT Sundling. Who would have thought Lin wouldn't be starting and Sundling would be playing #6 at an okay program 5-6yrs ago? I know things change as you get older, but these two were dynamite in the 12's, 14's & 16's.

I really dont understand Tennesse moving Brandon Fickey up to #3, he has been dominant at #4 and terrible at #3. Chaplin has performed far batter at #3.

Why on earth would Tulsa make that switch at #1 & 2? Makes no sense.

Looks like UCLA pulled their doubles specialist Alex Brigham. He has been a doubles only player his entire career and they pull him in the NCAA his senior year? Wow.

Virginia should get Justin Shane out and put in Uriguen or Richmond.

Is Sam Bloom hurt for Wake Forest? He is listed as the last guy in the lineup, but has been their #6 for most of the year.

Okay, I think that about does it. CANT WAIT FOR FRIDAY!!!!!

Wildcard Curse said...

interesting stats regarding those who receive majority of wildcards. Below proves really hurts player in confidence, matches played/won and only gains in entitlement and lack of respect from other players

Kudla - 22-10 with 0 ATP wildcards. ATP Rank 116

Sock - 5-11 with 5 ATP wildcards. ATP Rank 118

Williams - 16-10 with 2 ATP WCs. ATP Rank 120

Johnson - 12-12 with 4 ATP WCs. ATP Rank 128

Race To London. ATP Rank (Points from 2013 Only)

Williams - 51
Kudla - 97
Sock - 115
Johnson - 156

USTA Stop with ALL the Wildcards to the same Players. Make them EARN it. They DO NOT help!

here is some advice - limit the amount to 3 per year, which includes US Open, all Pro Circuit events, ATP tournaments and ITF junior events. It is OK to give wildcards to older/veteran players, college players, players next into the main draw, give the wildcard back to the tournament or a doubles only player.

This happens to EVERY good young player the US has. Wildcards has NEVER helped in the development of a player.

I fear for the US hardcourt season for all of these players regarding wildcards.

Colette Lewis said...

@Austin: Here's what the NCAA manual says about the lineups:
"LINEUPS     The  lineup  for  championships  play  is  submitted  to  the  referee  at  the  mandatory  coaches  meeting  before   the  start  of  competition.    The  lineup  must  consist  of  the  following:
1.Student-­‐athletes  listed  on  the  official  NCAA  lineup  form  submitted  no  later  than  Monday,  April  29;  
2. A  minimum  of  six  players  present  and  physically  capable  of  competing;  and
3. A  maximum  of  eight  players,  including  any  doubles  specialists.

In   singles   competition,   position   Nos.   1-­‐5   shall   remain   the   same   for   the   duration   of   the   championship.    

Position  No.  6  may  be filled  with  any  of  the  three  remaining  players  on  the  lineup,  and  may  change  from   match  to  match.  

The  student-­‐athletes  listed  on  a  team's  lineup  for  the  first-­‐round  will  remain  the  same  for  the  second-­‐ round.    
Teams  advancing  to  the  championships  finals  site  may  change  the  eight  athletes  on  their  lineup   for  the  round  of  16.    

The  student-­‐athletes  listed  on  a  team's  lineup  for  the  round  of  16  will  remain  the   same  for  the  quarterfinals,  semifinals  and  finals.    

Any  student-­‐athlete  listed  on  a  lineup  must  have  been   listed  on  the  team's  original  lineup  form. "


It appears Duke had to include Goldfeld to comply with the NCAA lineup requirements. I hope she is indeed "physically capable of competing."

Austin said...

So if I am reading this the way you posted it then Kentucky must get rid of one of the doubles players to comply with the player limits.

Colette Lewis said...

Or Roberts, Gomez or Minc in the singles.

AR Hacked Off said...

For Tulsa:
DeKlerk played #1 at the CUSA Tournament if it matters

JD said...

Alex Anghelescu had surgery about 2 months ago, on her foot I believe. I'm assuming she is red shirting.

LoveTheGame said...

Singh leaving UGA is crazy. Diaz is possibly the best "player's coach" out there, so this makes even less sense.

College Tennis Fan said...

College Tennis Fan said:

Those are some very good lineup observations by both Colette and Austin. I definitely agree with Austin that it's really surprising how Dennis Lin, Sundling and Formentera have vastly underachieved in college after being such outstanding junior players. I remember that Dennis Lin beat Ryan Harrison at one of the super nationals and it’s not like he’s even that much older than Harrison (I think he’s less than a year older). And Formentera and Sundling won multiple gold balls in singles in juniors. At least Lin had a pretty good freshman and sophomore year and I'm told that he focuses on academics which is very commendable and more important than tennis, but I still don’t understand why he completely threw in the towel his junior and senior years and didn’t really even show up except for an occasional doubles victory.

As a Notre Dame fan I'm comparing line-ups for their first round match against Washington and I have to say that the Washington lineup and their players’ win/loss records are full of surprises. First of all it's surprising that the guy who has by far the best record on the team is their #1 McMorrow at 21-3 when he's the guy that is squaring up against every other team’s best player. I think Andrews is capable of beating him because I recall he did beat him a year or 2 ago in a tournament but Greg’s definitely going to have a real challenge on his hands.

Further down the line-up they have decent records with Botts at #2 with a 12-9 record and Manthou at #3 with a 14-11 record. But now further down it gets puzzling. They have Egger at #4 with a record of 9 and 15 and this is surprising in itself because he was always a very top ranked junior and it’s not like he’s playing really high in the lineup. But even worse, they have Farkas at #5 who has lost the last 8 matches in a row. He didn’t just lose these matches; a lot of them were by lopsided scores such as 2 & 1, 1 &2, 2 & 2. I’m guessing that he’s injured but then I don’t know why they don’t substitute him for a healthy player.

At the end of the line-up they have Hawke listed at #6 with 7-6 win loss record, but then here is another thing I don’t understand: listed at #7 is Kamisar who has the second best record on the team at 11-6. This seems odd especially considering all the problems that Farkas and others are having. If Washington sticks with this line-up then I really like our chances especially with Billy at #4 and Wyatt at #5 and in the doubles point because Washington’s doubles record looks really weak.