DULUTH, Minn. (
csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica men's tennis team opens its 2017 season on Saturday at Concordia College-Moorhead.
Where:
Courts Plus – Fargo, N.D.
When:
Saturday at 2 p.m.
Social Media:
Twitter:
www.twitter.com/CSSsaints
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/csssaints
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/css.saints
St. Scholastica Saints
Roster | 2016 Stats
2016 Record: 16-6, 10-0 UMAC
Upper Midwest Athletic Conference: Standings | Stats
Key Returners:
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Logan Engelstad (Thief River Falls, Minn./Lincoln HS) – Two-time All-UMAC selection … Tied for second on the team in singles victories (15) and doubles wins (16) last season … Has 92 combined career singles and doubles victories.
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Bryce Gadke (Marshfield, Wis./Marshfield HS) – All-UMAC selection last season … Tied for second on the team in doubles wins (16).
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Makar Grytsevych (Lviv, Ukraine/Lviv Linguistic Gymnasium (King)) – All-UMAC choice last season … Recorded 10 singles wins at the No. 2 flight last year.
Key Losses:
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Josh Stainer (Rowlands Castle, England/South Downs College) – Three-time UMAC Player of the Year … Four-time All-UMAC selection … Winningest player in program history - 50 career singles wins and 66 career doubles victories for a total of 116 total wins.
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Mike Fontana (Hibbing, Minn./Hibbing HS (Gustavus Adolphus)) – Four-time All-UMAC selection … Holds program record for singles wins in a career (66).
Coach Patten: Head Coach
Wells Patten enters his 21
st season guiding the men's tennis team … Under Patten's direction, the Saints have won 20 Upper Midwest Athletic Conference regular season titles and has earned 16 UMAC Tournament championships … In addition, the team has compiled a record of 145-2 against UMAC opponents for a .986 win percentage in conference play.
UMAC Win Streak: The Saints have won 144 consecutive UMAC dual matches … The last conference loss took place on April 27, 1997.
Top 5 Matches to Watch
2/5 – vs. Saint John's
The Saints are 2-21 all-time against the Johnnies … Match will be played in Virginia, Minnesota.
2/18 – vs. Macalester
The Saints are 1-10 all-time against the Scots … The lone win came in 2004.
3/4 vs. Luther (Iowa)
The Norse finished second in the IIAC last season … The Saints are winless against Luther in two previous meetings.
3/12 – vs. Lake Forest
The Foresters placed second in the Midwest Conference last season … Will be the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
3/25 – vs. Northwestern
The Saints and Eagles have met for the UMAC Tournament title each of the previous five seasons.
Upcoming Opponents
Concordia Cobbers
2016 Record: 2-11, 2-7 MIAC
The Cobbers will be guided by new head coach Joseph Murray … Murray was an assistant last season for Concordia … The Cobbers return four of their top six players from last season, including top player in junior Isaac Toivonen, who won five matches at No. 1 singles and three matches at No. 1 doubles last season … His doubles partner, David Schneck, also returns … Schneck won two matches at No. 2 singles in 2016.
Series Record: CSS leads 6-3
(Last Meeting: 7-2 CSS – 3/6/2016)
Series History: The Saints have won five straight against the Cobbers.
Looking Ahead: The Saints will begin conference play when they host North Central University (Minn.) at the Arrowhead Tennis Center on Saturday, February 4.
