As the snow melts off the courts, the men's tennis squad prepares indoors, getting ready to unveil a much-improved and powerful roster for the spring season.
The Jumbos won their only two team matches during the fall and played reasonably well at various individual tournaments, but have yet to battle their NESCAC rivals and are sure to see much stiffer competition in the coming weeks.
The team will undoubtedly receive a boost as three starters who were absent in the fall will be returning to the lineup this spring. Junior Will Fleder spent the fall abroad, while senior tri-captains Sean McCooey and Matt Gallin suffered from injuries and could not play.
After playing in the No. 2 spot last season, Fleder will move up to the No. 1 hole this spring.
"I am pretty confident going into the season," Fleder said. "A lot of the guys playing No. 1 played No. 2 last year, so I know what to expect."
The return of the team's No. 1 will likely have a significant impact during the big matches in the spring.
"Will is definitely the best player on the team," McCooey said. "We did okay without him in the fall, but against NESCAC rivals, we will depend on his intensity to set the pace for us."
In addition to Fleder, Tufts will benefit from the return of McCooey as well, who, after playing in the fourth and fifth singles positions over his first two year, missed the fall campaign with a broken bone in his hand. But this spring could bring McCooey a new leadership role, as he may play as high as No. 2 singles. Along with his classmates, he will be looking to set an example for the younger players.
In addition to these two top starters, Gallin is back on court after an injury sidelined him for the entire fall, placing him in the No. 6 singles spot and possibly earning him a spot on the doubles squad. His return adds to the depth of the team and will give coach Doug Eng more flexibility.
"Matt is a great doubles player and can contribute to the team in singles as well," Fleder said.
"The three of us will be looking to step up and share the load of leading the team," McCooey said.
The Jumbos held their own during the light fall schedule, but the addition of these three top-six players will strengthen the team against future NESCAC foes, including Williams and Middlebury.
Not only will experienced players return to the court this spring, but a talented freshman class will also join the starting lineup. Freshmen Jon Trott, Bryan Wilner and Andrew Rosen are all vying for starting spots this season, with a chance to crack the top-six this year.
"This is a very strong freshman class," Fleder said. "They all come into the season with a lot of prior experience, and they will have a chance to contribute in a big way."
The team's biggest weapon might come from the bottom of the lineup, as the team hopes for contributions from its No. 5 and No. 6 singles spots, as well as from the three doubles teams.
The men's tennis team appears to have little to worry about heading into the season, as the Jumbos sport a solid lineup with a balance between experienced upperclassmen and blossoming freshmen and sophomores. The team expects a noticeable impact with the return of its top two players when it faces NESCAC opponent Colby tomorrow and Middlebury on March 17. Despite the formidable conference competition, Tufts has ample opportunity to progress into the NESCAC tournament this spring with the support of a revamped lineup.
"This is the strongest team I have been on since my freshman year, and we are looking to go after some of the top NESCAC teams," Fleder said.
