Spring, 2000

Stony Brook, NY - First-year head coach Gary Glassman wasn't sure what to expect in his first year as head coach of the men's and women's tennis programs. Glassman has to be pleasantly surprised with the results. The women posted an impressive 9-4 mark - a four-match turnaround from a season ago and the best finish for the program in four seasons.

Fresh off three straight New England Collegiate Conference championships, the men's team performed admirably. Without its top singles player the Seawolves finished 8-8.

After the team's first fall match - a 4-2 win over Concordia at home - it was learned that the men would be without its best player. Tae Byon would have to undergo back surgery, unable to play for the remainder of the season. As much a tremendous loss as it was, the Seawolves rallied. After a 2-5 start, Stony Brook won five straight and six of its last eight matches to finish at 8-8. An impressive accomplishment considering its top singles and doubles spots were filled by a pair of freshman and not one senior was in the starting line-up.

New Zealander Gareth Williams took over the top singles position for the Pack, posting a 6-5 mark at the #1 spot and was 11-10 overall. Williams got hotter as the season went on, winning five of his last seven matches, including four straight.

Williams and countryman David Hewitt came to Stony Brook as the fifth best amateur doubles squad in New Zealand. The pair proved worthy of their rank, posting a 7-4 mark at #1 doubles and a 10-6 record overall. The #2 singles spot was filled by Hewitt, who went 9-7 at #2 and 9-10 overall. Hewitt was instrumental in the team's mid-season surge, going 4-1 in singles play in the team's final five matches.

Adam Lazarus, sophomore, played at four different singles positions during the year, going 7-10. For the majority of the year, Lazarus held down the #3 spot, winning four of 10 matches. He was exceptional at the Scott Satran Memorial Tournament at Queens College in the Fall, advancing to the quarterfinal round with a pair of wins. In doubles action, Adam was 7-8 overall, playing at the #2 and #3 spots.

Kyle Warner, junior, posted a 7-8 mark in stints at the 4,5 and 6 singles positions. With three different doubles partners, Warner went 8-6, teaming with Adam Lazarus to post a 6-6 mark. The pair enjoyed their greatest success at th end of the season, winning the 2nd doubles flight at the MCTC championships on April 30.

Krasimir Kolev, junior, was 5-6 in singles play for the Seawolves, playing in the #1 through #3 spots. In five doubles matches, he was 0-5.

Jimmy Nguyen-Ngoc and Jeff Haich also helped stabilize the Seawolves in the mid-season. The pair will be valuable in coming seasons for the Seawolves.

The Stony Brook women's team made the second biggest turnaround of any team in Seawolves athletics this season. The Seawolves opened the season the same way they closed it - by winning four matches - on its way to an impressive 9-4 record. All this with four freshman and not a single senior on the roster.

Deanna Ghozati, sophomore, earned Most Valuable Player honors for good reason. She posted a 10-2 singles record, including an unblemished 5-0 mark at #4 singles, and was 7-6 in doubles play. Ghozati opened the season with five straight singles victories to help the Pack to a 4-1 start. Delquin Gong, junior, took home Most Improved Player honors. She was 8-4 at five different singles positions and was 5-5 in doubles play. Gong won her final four singles matches and three of four doubles matches.

Kinga Polonska, freshman, did an admirable job of holding down the top singles spot. She was 7-5 at the top spot, winning her first three and three of her last four matches. Polonska teamed with Esther Forrester to post a team-best 5-1 record at #1 doubles and was 8-3 overall.

Forrester posted a 7-6 mark at the top three singles spots. In the team's 4-3 upset win against Hofstra, Forrester posted a victory at #3 singles and won at #1 doubles to clinch the victory.

Jamie Keller, senior, and freshmen Jennifer Kulich, Rebecca Sparacin and Carmie Zink provided Stony Brook with great stability in singles play, posting a combined 21-9 record. Keller and Sparacin proved o be even better in doubles competition, going 6-1 as a tandem in the #3 spot. Zink was a key contributor to the Seawolves' 9-4 record a the #3 singles position, going 3-1.

What may have gone unnoticed is the coaching effectiveness of Glassman. A proven winner at Northeast Louisiana and Georgia Southern, he already has the Seawolves headed in the right direction. Stony Brook's youth certainly served it well this season and will pay big dividends in the near future. Both the men's and women's programs return a bevy of talented players to the court next season in hopes of improving on its recent success.