Oct. 7, 2002

Stony Brook, N.Y. - If last season is any indication, the Stony Brook men's tennis team is more than ready to contend for the America East Championship.

In just their first season as a member of the conference, the Seawolves advanced to the finals of the conference tournament. Stony Brook came up just short, but under fourth-year head coach Gary Glassman, the Seawolves should once again compete with the top teams in the America East.

Men's Outlook: With five starters returning from last season, the Seawolves have depth on their side as they head into the fall. However, several things will have to fall Stony Brook's way for the Seawolves to continue their winning ways.

"We're very excited about our potential, but there are a lot of variables," Glassman said. "We have to see how our freshmen will adapt, we need our upperclassmen to continue to be solid performers, and we need everyone to stay healthy."

The last requirement has been the biggest obstacle for senior co-captains David Hewitt and Gareth Williams. Hewitt is recovering from a back injury, while Williams has had a persistent elbow injury that hindered his play as a junior. Both will play a key role on this year's team, so their recovery is crucial.

"Dave and Gareth have held the program together," Glassman said of the two four-year letterwinners. "They've seen us start at the bottom to become possibly the strongest this program has ever been. They are both great influences on and off the court."

Before Glassman's arrival, Stony Brook won an average of just seven matches a season in men's play and less than five in women's.

The Seniors: Fellow New Zealanders Hewitt and Williams, the only men's players remaining from Glassman's first season, have been a part of some of the most successful teams in Stony Brook history.

Hewitt, playing primarily No. 5 singles last year, was 10-8 in singles play and 12-5 in doubles, where he teamed with Egil Anonsen in the No. 2 spot.

"We're counting heavily on David in doubles play," Glassman said. "He also provides great depth in the middle of the lineup in singles."

As for Williams, he continues to battle an elbow injury suffered last season. "We're counting on him to rebound this year and get healthy," said Glassman. "He needs to play a key role at the top of the lineup in both singles and doubles."

The Juniors: Philippe Amireault returns after compiling a 12-7 record in singles, playing most of the season at No. 4, and a 12-5 slate at the No. 3 doubles spot.

"Philippe went through a bit of a sophomore slump last year, but he's ready to bounce back for a good junior year," Glassman said. "He is a tireless, hard-working player who always provides a lot of energy and serves as a good example for the team."

Egil Anonsen hopes to continue his impressive performance from a year ago. He returns as one of Stony Brook's top singles and doubles players.

"Egil is rock-solid," Glassman said. "He always brings a lot of intensity and he always gives you his full effort. He should come up big for us this year."

The Sophomores: James Carpenter turned out to be one of the Seawolves' most reliable performers in only his freshman year. In 2001-02, he shared the team lead in victories in both singles and doubles play (13 each) with Anonsen.

"James really came on last year and had some big wins for us," Glassman said. "He needs to stay a little more focused, but if he can harness his talent, he'll continue to help us a lot."

The Freshmen: Three newcomers join the Seawolves this year: Redditch, England, native Michael Crooks; Tal Meir, who hails from Jerusalem, Israel; and Canadian Jean-Francois Robitaille, who will join Stony Brook in the spring semester. According to Glassman, they could all become outstanding players if they reach their potential.

"Michael is extremely talented," Glassman said of Crooks. "He has great energy and intensity, and he has all the tools to become a No. 1 player down the road."

Likewise, fellow freshman Meir comes highly touted into this season.

"Tal also has a lot of talent and he is a great influence on the court," Glassman said. "He has the potential to become one of our top players if he meets his potential."

Glassman also looks forward to the addition of Robitaille in the spring season.

"Jean-Francois is a left-hander and he'll really help us in doubles play, in addition to being a solid player in the middle of the singles lineup," Glassman said.

Continuing Success: When this year's senior class came to Stony Brook as freshmen, Glassman led the Seawolves to an 8-8 record in their first year of Division I play.

Since then, Stony Brook has posted 28 victories the past two seasons combined and played for a conference title.

From all indications, Stony Brook's recent noteworthy success will continue. The Seawolves only hope they can take it one step further in 2002-03.