Hawkeyes Travel To Purdue Invite

Oct. 8, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

THIS WEEK — The University of Iowa men’s tennis team will travel to West Lafayette, IN, to compete in the Purdue Invitational. Competition will take place Saturday and Sunday and will begin both days at 8 a.m. (CT). There will be four flights of singles and two doubles flights.

LAST TIME OUT — The Hawkeyes had a very strong showing at the Northwestern Invite. Senior Christian Bierich won singles Flight A and Tommy McGeorge and freshman Will Vasos teamed up to win doubles Flight B. In addition, McGeorge finished second in Flight B in singles competition.

IOWA COMPETITORS — Senior Greg Holm, juniors Reinoud Haal, Tommy McGeorge , Walker Grimes and Patrick Dwyer, and sophomores Gentry Kaegi and Austen Kauss will be competing this weekend for the Hawkeyes. In addition, freshmen Will Vasos and Tom Mroziewicz will be competing this weekend; Mroziewicz will be seeing his first career collegiate action.

2008 – A YEAR TO REMEMBER — The Hawkeyes finished 13-10 overall and 5-7 in Big Ten Conference play in 2008. Iowa was nationally ranked in the final ITA Division I poll at 59th and was ranked as high as 41st during the year. As a team, Iowa defeated seven ranked opponents. Leading the Hawkeyes was Bart van Monsjou. The senior finished the season ranked 68th in singles competition with a record of 15-6 in dual matches. van Monsjou teamed up with fellow senior J.P. Ritchie in doubles play. The duo was nationally ranked throughout the season and finished with a record of 14-8 in dual matches. van Monsjou was a unanimous first team all-Big Ten selection. The senior was the first Hawkeye to be named since Stuart Waters was selected to the first team in 2003.

HEAD COACH Steve Houghton — Steve Houghton, the dean of Big Ten tennis coaches, is in his 28th season as head coach of the Hawkeyes. Houghton has a career record of 298-309 (.490). His best season came in 1984 when Iowa won a school record 21 matches and two Hawkeyes earned all-Big Ten honors. Four of Houghton’s athletes have also been selected Big Ten Sportsman of the Year. He became the winningest coach in Iowa tennis history in 1992 and is a member of the Iowa Tennis Hall of Fame. While playing at Iowa, Houghton had a career winning percentage of .727 (40-15), second best in Iowa history.

QUOTING COACH HOUGHTON — “This tournament will provide good solid competition. We have played at this tournament before and it is always a good tournament. In addition, we have two freshmen competing and this will be a great opportunity for them to gain some great experience.”