Kangaroos Head to Texas, Open WAC Play This Weekend
3/26/2015 5:54:00 PM | Men's Tennis
THIS WEEK
UMKC (8-8) men's tennis opens WAC play this weekend in Edinburg, Texas for a WAC Cluster against New Mexico State and Texas-Pan American. Seattle was originally schedule to come in, but had travel issues and was unable to make it. That match will be re-scheduled.
THE OPPONENTS
New Mexico State enters the weekend at 4-11 overall. They are led by Strahinja Trecakov and Christofer Goncalves, who have both played on the one line. The 'Roos are 0-2 against the Aggies all-time, dropping 6-1 and 4-0 decisions last year.
Texas-Pan American is 4-9 overall entering the weekend. They are led by Juan Cruz Soria at the No. 1 spot with 11 wins, while Koby Jansen at No. 2 leads the team with 12 victories. They are 1-0 against UMKC, winning 4-0 last season.
WHO IS COMPETING
UMKC will have Airam Castellano, Conner Edwards, Uldis Gaismins, Amaury Navette, Vinh Pham, Mike Psarros and Andrey Smirnov this week.
SUPER SENIOR
Conner Edwards has posted a 15-5 overall record so far this season, surpassing his win total from his first three seasons combined. The amount of improvement in the offseason has been remarkable, as he currently leads the team in wins.
LAST TIME OUT
The 'Roos come in off back-to-back home wins over South Dakota State and Cowley last weekend, moving to 6-0 at home for the first time since 2010. They are now 11-0 all-time against the Jackrabbits, while going to 4-0 against Cowley all-time.
FOUR PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Conner Edwards became the third consecutive 'Roo to start the season to earn WAC Men's Tennis Athlete of the Week. In the first two weeks of the spring season, Airam Castellano and Mike Psarros pulled home the honors for UMKC. Two weeks ago, Castellano won another POW honor, his second career win.
THE WAC
The WAC will have a regular season champion crowned this year, as well as a conference tournament champion. The teams will be seeded in the league tournament based on the conference standings. The WAC Tournament will be played April 24-26 in Kansas City, hosted by the 'Roos.
'ROOS IN THE NCAAS
2013 was UMKC's sixth appearance overall in the NCAA Tournament, falling to USC (1999), UCLA (2000), Baylor (2009), Texas (2011), Oklahoma (2012) and UCLA (2013).
HEAD COACH KENDELL HALE
Kendell Hale is in his eighth season as the head coach of the UMKC men's and women's tennis program. Overall, the 2014-15 season is Hale's 21st as a collegiate head coach, where he has compiled a 394-313 overall combined men's and women's record. On the women's side, he has a record of 67-101 at UMKC, while boasting a 92-78 mark with the men.
Hale has orchestrated an amazing turnaround with the men's and women's tennis programs since joining the department in 2008. He has guided both the men's and women's squads to numerous school-record win totals and has produced four conference regular season titles, four conference tournament crowns and four NCAA Tournament appearances. He was also selected as the 2010 USPTA National Coach of the Year for his turnaround effort, as well as 2009 USPTA Missouri Valley College Coach of the Year, the 2011 Summit League Men's Coach of the Year, and 2013 Summit League Women's Coach of the Year.
In seven seasons at the helm, Hale has coached 25 all-league honorees on the men's side and 14 all-league selections on the women's side. He's also coached three Conference Players of the Year and three League Newcomers of the Year.
He has also coached the five winningest players in school history on the women's side, and four of the five top career win leaders on the men's side.
Players Mentioned
