Oct. 7, 2003
This Week: The Iowa men’s tennis team will continue fall competition this weekend when it travels to Madison, WI, to compete at the Wisconsin Invitational. Competition will run Friday thru Sunday and take place at the Nielsen Tennis Stadium.
The Competition: The Hawkeyes will face individual opponents from Wisconsin, Marquette, Minnesota, Northern Illinois and Nebraska. Competition will be conducted in standard tournament flights of singles and doubles competition with consolation rounds. Iowa’s full lineup will be determined later this week.
Rain Shortens Ball State Invitational: Iowa fared well in its first fall competition as freshman Walter Valarezo and the doubles duo of senior Matis Jasicek and Alexis Lebron remained in contention for main draw titles after the first two days of the Ball State Invitational. Valarezo lost in the B Flight semifinals of the rain-shortened final day of competition. Jasicek and Lebron were unable to play for the D Flight title. Freshman Scott Elwell and sophomore Aaron Schaechterle also were in contention to compete for the C Flight consolation title, but their match was also cancelled.
Valarezo Leads Hawkeyes in First Competition: In his first collegiate action Walter Valarezo posted three-consecutive singles wins to advance to the semifinals of the B Flight main draw. Valarezo currently leads the Hawkeyes with a 3-1 singles record.
Lebron Solid in Singles and Doubles Action: Freshman Alexis Lebron completed his first weekend of collegiate competition with a 2-1 singles record and a 2-0 doubles record with teammate Matis Jasicek. Lebron recorded singles victories in the first two rounds of the D Flight main draw before falling in the third round.
Hoak and Reid to See First Action: Freshmen Jonny Hoak and Ryan Reid are expected to see their first collegiate action this weekend. Hoak competed as a high school freshman at Dowling High School in Des Moines, IA, where he was crowned Class 2A state singles champion. He then transferred to Avon Old Farms Prep School (CT) where he compiled the best career singles record in school history at 65-3. Reid was crowned state doubles champion as a sophomore and junior at Rochurst High School (KS) and won the conference doubles championship all four years. Reid also went undefeated in singles competition as a junior and senior and posted a career singles record of 58-3.
Head Coach: Steve Houghton, the dean of Big Ten tennis coaches, is in his 23rd season as head coach of the Hawkeyes. Houghton has a career record of 258-243 (.515). He became the winningest coach in Iowa tennis history in 1992 and is a member of the Iowa Tennis Hall of Fame. He has coached 10 players to 17 all-Big Ten selections including Tyler Cleveland, who became the first men’s player in Big Ten history to be named two-time Big Ten Player of the Year. Four of Houghton’s athletes have also been selected Big Ten Sportsman of the Year.
Quoting Houghton: “This tournament features and very strong field. It’s a step up from the competition we faced in our last tournament. It should be a good challenge for us.”