Oct. 14, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format
THIS WEEK — The University of Iowa men’s tennis team will travel to Columbus, OH, to compete in the ITA Regionals this week. Competition will begin Thursday at the Varsity Tennis Center with the singles qualifying draw and will conclude Monday.
LAST TIME OUT — The Hawkeyes had a strong showing at the Purdue Fall Invitational over the weekend. Junior Reinoud Haal finished second in singles Flight A and junior Tommy McGeorge finished second in Flight B. In addition, four Hawkeye freshmen competed over the weekend. Will Vasos, Tom Mroziewicz, Christopher Speer and Mat Nelson all played for Iowa. Mroziewicz, Speer and Nelson all competed in their first collegiate event and each recorded their first collegiate victories.
IOWA COMPETITORS — Seniors Christian Bierich and Greg Holm and junior Reinoud Haal will be competing in the main draw for the Hawkeyes. Juniors Tommy McGeorge and Patrick Dwyer and freshmen Will Vasos and Tom Mroziewicz will compete in the qualifying draw. In addition, Iowa will have three doubles pairs.
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.