USI Screaming Eagles | Men's Tennis

USI Men's Tennis 2001-02 Review

GLVC Regular Season Champions: 1994, 1998, 1999, 2000
GLVC Tournament Champions: 1999, 2000, 2001
NCAA II Tournament: 2000, 2001

The University of Southern Indiana men's tennis team is entering a new chapter in the history of its program. Over the last three seasons, USI fans have seen a three-peat of GLVC Tournament titles, back-to-back appearances in the NCAA Division II Tournament, and record-breaking seasons.

In 2000-01, the Screaming Eagles won their third straight GLVC Championship and made a second straight appearance in the NCAA Division II Tournament.

The Eagles tied the school record for wins in a season, posting their third straight 20-win campaign at 22-7. This was not the only record to be touched during the year.

Their success was led by three players who graduated last year, Andrew Majxner, Jeremy Richie, and Edgar Linares.

Majxner and Richie finished their careers as USI's all-time winningest players. Majxner completed four years as USI's all-time leader with 150 doubles and singles wins and 93 doubles victories.

Richie finished as the all-time singles leader with 73 victories. The senior number-three player also finished his career with a .973 winning percentage (36-1) in the GLVC, .753 overall.

Majxner and Richie were joined by senior Edgar Linares to dominate the GLVC the past three seasons.

Linares joined the USI cadre of 20-win players in 2001, going 20-12 with a final victory in the NCAA II Tournament.

Linares and Majxner also combined this year for a USI single-season record 26 doubles victories. This mark breaks the record they set last season.

In the last four seasons, USI has enjoyed an exceptional 37-1 record in the GLVC regular-season schedule, a .974 winning percentage. Including the victories from the GLVC Tournament, the record is a remarkable 48-2, a .960 winning percentage.

Although USI will lose its three seniors to graduation, the cupboard will not be without its record breakers.

Senior Chris Crawford (Jeffersonville, Indiana) returns after setting the USI single- season record for combined victories, going 28-6 at number five singles and combining with Richie to post a 24-11 record at number two doubles in 2000-01.

A freshman joined in the record breaking last year. Sophomore Weston Phillips (Henderson, Kentucky), a first-year phenom, earned a record-setting 28-4 overall in 2000-01.

Senior Ethan Davis (Sullivan, Indiana) is on the verge of catching Richie next season. Davis has 60 career singles victories after going 20-12 in 2000-01. The senior, who needs 14 wins to pass Richie next year, has never had fewer than 19 victories as a collegiate player.

While the seniors will depart and the returning players will step up to continue the winning ways of the past four seasons, the one thing which will not change is the leadership at the top. USI Head Coach Jon Mark Hall will take the helm for a seventh season.

The four-time GLVC Coach of the Year has directed the Eagles to three GLVC regular season titles, three GLVC Tournament crowns, and the University's first two appearances in the NCAA II Tournament in six seasons. He also has a career record of 107-43 (.713), 50-7 in the GLVC (.877).

After hitting the recruiting trail, Hall has found a pair to help fill the void left by the graduating players.

Transferring to USI are juniors Paulus Halim (Indonesia) and Bhavesh Chadda (India). This spring at USC-Aiken, Halim finished singles action ranked 48th in Division II with a 14-11 record and combined with Bosko Petricevic to rank 22nd nationally in doubles with a 21-7 record. USC-Aiken finished 2001 with a 24-6 record, a 5-3 mark in the Peach Belt Conference, and ranked 19th in Division II. Chadda was ranked 21st in the NJCAA at Lewis and Clark Community College last year.

In addition to Halim, the Eagles have added freshmen Chris McCreight (Jeffersonville, Indiana), Evan Luttrell (Logansport, Indiana), and Brock Higgins (Odon, Indiana).

McCreight was Academic All-State and honorable mention All-State as a senior at Jeffersonville High School. He also was named Hoosier Hills All-Conference each of the last two seasons. Higgins was a three-time All-Conference performer at North Davies High School.

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