Ohio State Men's Tennis (2014/2019/2024 ITA Indoor National Champs, 17 Straight B1G Titles)

[gracelhink]

Some good reading from the official site.
MTEN: No.3-seed Ohio State Falls, 4-1, to No. 8-seed USC in National Championship Final - The Ohio State Buckeyes Official Athletics Site - OhioStateBuckeyes.com

After advancing to its first national championship final match in school history, the No. 3-seed Ohio State men?s tennis team fell short to No. 8-seed USC, 4-1, Tuesday at the 2009 NCAA Championships in College Station, Texas, at Texas A&M's George P. Mitchell Tennis Center. The Buckeyes (36-2; 10-0 Big Ten) finish another memorable season setting the school record for most wins in a single season (36), longest dual match win streak (28) and best-single season winning percentage (.947).
The loss in the final against the Trojans snaps the Buckeyes? 28 match win streak, which began Feb. 15 with a 4-0 win against UCLA in a consolation match at the 2009 ITA Team Indoor Championships in Chicago. Ohio State is now 1-3 all-time against USC (25-5).
Under 10th-year head coach [URL="http://www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=87783&SPID=10415&DB_OEM_ID=17300&ATCLID=1057607"]Ty Tucker[/URL], who was named Wilson/ITA National Coach of the Year Tuesday, the Buckeyes are now 22-10 overall in NCAA play. This season, Tucker led Ohio State to its first national championship final appearance after taking the Buckeyes to four previous quarterfinal appearances in the tournament (2004, ?06, ?07 and ?08). Tucker also led the Buckeyes to a school record 10 straight 20-win seasons. . .

Ohio State now prepares for the individual side of the championships. Three members of the team were selected for the singles and doubles competition of the 2009 NCAA Championships Wednesday-Monday.
In singles, Koniecko, the 2009 Big Ten Athlete of the Year, received one of 16 automatic qualifications in the tournament, while Moneke and Kronauge received at-large bids.

In doubles, Ohio State has one pair among the field of 32 teams in the championship. Moneke and Kronauge received an automatic qualification. Koniecko, Moneke and Kronauge received All-Big Ten selections this season after helping the Buckeyes to a perfect 10-0 mark in league play.
Live stats and updates for the singles and doubles competition will be available at aggieathletics.com.

Not much rest for Koniecko, Moneke, or Kronauge, they will be back on the court tomorrow (Wednesday).
#3 ranked Bryan Koniecko will play #23 Carlos Cueto of Florida at 5 pm est.
#25 Justin Kronauge will square up with #52 Dean Jackson of San Diego at 4:30 pm.
#9 Steven Moneke will draw #34 Bradley Klahn of Stanford at 4:30 pm.
Litl mentioned earlier that a deep run in the team tourney might negatively affect players in the single's tourney.
l would assume that the adrenaline of the competition might compensate for the fatigue especially in the case of these three.
Go Bucks, you have had a great season, finish this trip to the NCAA's strong.

 

[Buckeye Nut]

gracelhink,
What is the outlook for next year with the guys returning and what kind of recruiting class do we have coming in? Should we expect another Big Ten title next year and deep run in the NCAA's?

 

[gracelhink]

gracelhink,
What is the outlook for next year with the guys returning and what kind of recruiting class do we have coming in?

Moneke and Koniecko are graduating. Back will be Kronauge who I expect to fill the #1 singles hole. Matt Allare will return and move up from #4 to 2 or 3, Novak will return and battle for #2, 3, 4. Chase Buchanan will in all probability be back, grow stronger, develop his all court play and battle for one of the top 4-5 spots. Shuhei will be back also and could battle for the 5 or 6 spot.
Incoming class of freshmen is ranked by recruiting sites as the number 2 class in the nation, it includes Buchanan who graduated high school early as a 17 year old senior. He was the top ranked blue chip recruit in the 2009 class. Also entering tOSU next fall are Wyatt Lippert from Cincinnatti who is the top high school senior in Ohio a 5 star recruit rated #37 in the nation. Another 5 star recruit headed to Columbus (or staying in Columbus) is big Peter Kobelt from New Albany, rated #57 and rising rapidly in the 2009 class. Finally Devin McCarthy a 4 star prospect out of Cincinnatti graduated early and is greyshirting this year. He is having a great time as part of this team and would be involved in the hunt for one of the open spots.

Should we expect another Big Ten title next year and deep run in the NCAA's?
I would believe the Buckeyes may be the favorites for the Big Ten next year. It will be tough replacing the two senior anchors at the top of the lineup for an NCAA run, but Ty has an almost Tressel-like ability to coach up talent to excel at the highest competitive levels.

This has been a fun year and great to see that over the last two days the number of views on the counter for the tennis forum jumped from under 6000 to over 8500.
I know the team was not content with runnerup even though they sold out for the run.
Would love to see one of the three make some noise in the singles championships.

 

[Buckeye Nut]

Good stuff gracelhink, thanks for the knowledge! Very happy to hear we are doing well in recruiting, that's the lifeblood of any college program no matter what the sport. With a great coach like Ty I'm hoping we can be right back in this position very soon.

 

[LitlBuck]

This has been a fun year and great to see that over the last two days the number of views on the counter for the tennis forum jumped from under 6000 to over 8500.
I know the team was not content with runnerup even though they sold out for the run.
Would love to see one of the three make some noise in the singles championships.

Regarding next year: Lippert is not playing high school tennis this Spring and I thought that I had read that he had enrolled at Ohio State early. He is a very good high school player but as far as contributing next year I can't see it after watching Buchanan having a difficult time adjusting to the college game.

Is it McCarthy or Lippert that is enrolled early. I know that they both went to Cincinnati Western Hills but I thought Lippert was the one who enrolled early. I might be wrong and it certainly won't be the first time.

 

[LitlBuck]

BuckeyeXtra - The Columbus Dispatch : Men's tennis: Slow start spoils Buckeyes' title hopes
More from Coach Tucker

Men's tennis: Slow start spoils Buckeyes' title hopes
Wednesday, May 20, 2009 3:13 AM
By Ken Gordon

A half-dozen "what ifs" tortured Ty Tucker yesterday.

In the aftermath of the Ohio State men's tennis team losing 4-1 to Southern California in the NCAA finals, the frustration tumbled out of Tucker, the Buckeyes' coach.

It wasn't really the fact that his team lost. That's nothing to be ashamed of, considering USC has won 17 national titles and OSU had never reached the semifinals before this year.

It was the way in which it happened that left Tucker seething and searching nearly an hour after the match ended in College Station, Texas.
"For 30 minutes, we played flat," Tucker said. "I don't know if it was nerves or what. I hadn't seen it from this group, but it bit us."

The Buckeyes fell behind 3-0 en route to seeing their 28-match winning streak end and their record drop to 36-2.

It started with a devastating loss of the doubles point.

In collegiate tennis, the six singles matches all are worth a point, but doubles are combined. So the team that wins two of the three doubles matches earns one point.

OSU and USC (25-5) had split the first two doubles matches, and the third doubles team of Steven Moneke and Chase Buchanan, a freshman from New Albany, were tied 7-7. Doubles matches are played to eight points, but a team has to win by two.

Moneke and Buchanan lost, 7-9, and with it, the opening point.

"We lost that doubles point by an inch," Tucker said. "They had break chances, they had hold chances down 8-7, but we didn't convert.

"And then, I don't know if the 10-minute break after the doubles was enough, because we played flat to start the singles."

Continued

 

[gracelhink]

Regarding next year: Lippert is not playing high school tennis this Spring and I thought that I had read that he had enrolled at Ohio State early.
Litl I think you are thinking about Devin Mc Carthy who graduated early and is grey shirting this spring at tOSU. Lippert from Lakota West is the defending state champion in D1 and has been competing at a very high level this Spring.
Here is an article from a recent news report.
Ohio high school noteboook | Kentucky Enquirer | nky.com

BOYS' TENNIS: Lakota West senior Wyatt Lippert, the reigning Division I state singles champion, recently recorded his 100th career win at the school. Lippert, who has signed with Ohio State, had a record of 100-17 to start this week. Lippert won his third consecutive Greater Miami Conference title last weekend.
The championship match received a significant amount of attention because of how it played out. Lippert broke the string on his last racket and Lakota East's Zach Mueck gave him one of his rackets in order to let Lippert continue. Lippert won 6-3, 7-6.

Lippert is also playing in the OHSAA district tourney today.

He is a very good high school player but as far as contributing next year I can't see it after watching Buchanan having a difficult time adjusting to the college game.

I think you are observing some things that make a lot of sense.
It will be interesting to follow how Lippert, McCarthy and Kobel develop over a year.
OTOH Tennis is a different sport than football or basketball where skill can translate more easily to performance at a higher level. I want to speculate that males don't peak perform athletically until early to mid 20's. Tennis players performance curve is no exception.

Buchanan is technically a young high school senior, has not turned 18 yet, and still has all the potential to be a big time contributor at tOSU.
With a year under Ty's guidance, I believe Chase can provide significantly to next year's team. He has that kind of crazy talent, another year of physical develpment, and brings to OSU the experience competing against the best juniors in the world.
I think Lippert will be in the mix next year also. Sometimes moving to the next level, i.e., junior circuit or high school into the collegiate or pro circuit brings an awareness of just how varied are the levels of tennis competition.
Sometimes moving levels motivates talent to elevate the game as well.

Go Bucks!

 

[LitlBuck]

It would not surprise me to see Kobel and Lippert meet up this year in the singles final because I believe they played each other last year in the finals. Very nice gesture by the kid from Lakota East but how many rackets did Lippert to the match. Never mind. Yes, it will be very interesting to see how these young guns play out next year. I assume that you expect Buchanan to stay all four years at Ohio State.

 

[Flocka]

It would not surprise me to see Kobel and Lippert meet up this year in the singles final because I believe they played each other last year in the finals. Very nice gesture by the kid from Lakota East but how many rackets did Lippert to the match. Never mind. Yes, it will be very interesting to see how these young guns play out next year. I assume that you expect Buchanan to stay all four years at Ohio State.

That doesn't really happen, so I would doubt it. Maybe if he played some challengers and futures during the summer and did exceptionally well, but probably doubtful..

 

[LitlBuck]

That doesn't really happen, so I would doubt it. Maybe if he played some challengers and futures during the summer and did exceptionally well, but probably doubtful..

So you're saying that he might leave after this yearwho were some of the guns you played against. You won't be bragging:)

 

[gracelhink]

For some of the tennis fans of the NCAA, livecast of the single's championships are found online at:

Live Stats & Video :: 2009 NCAA Tennis Championships

The three Buckeye invitees are scheduled to play at or probably after 4:30 est.
There must be some kind of mercy rule that allows the players of teams who competed in the team final to have more rest before their first round singles matches.

Agree with Ballin about Buchanan leaving early--the pro circuit is even tougher than the college level. Bryan Koniecko might be able to make some noise aafter graduating, but. . .
Right now Buchanan would be very frustrated on the circuit.
If he does play some futures and discover he can compete on the pro tour, he might leave after 2 or 3 years, but right now I hope he would chose develop his game in Columbus.

 

[Flocka]

So you're saying that he might leave after this yearwho were some of the guns you played against. You won't be bragging:)

He is a rare talent, and I don't want to start the college vs. pros debate again, but if he decided to play college tennis it is usually more a commitment to also get a degree, not play a year to satisfy "league" requirements. Not to say it can't happen, just different from other sports.

The guys I played against were either seniors this year or graduated already.

 

[gracelhink]

In somewhat of an early upset Big Ten's Hadash of Minnesota over 10th ranked Cory Parr of Wake Forest.
Illinois' Nevola also advances to the 2nd round.

Results :: 2009 NCAA Tennis Championships

 

[fourteenandoh]

ESPN2 has us playing USC right now. I guess its a tape delay?

 

[gracelhink]

He is a rare talent, and I don't want to start the college vs. pros debate again,
Sorry, I sure didn't intend or want to do that either.
but if he decided to play college tennis it is usually more a commitment to also get a degree,

Agreed, I understand he is also a pretty sharp student.

not play a year to satisfy "league" requirements. Not to say it can't happen, just different from other sports.

Again your point of the uniqueness of tennis from other sports is spot on here.

The guys I played against were either seniors this year or graduated already.
I seem to remember you had played against Roddick or some other pro or high level competition.

To follow up, Buchanan's skill levels developed early--at 15 and 16 he was winning at 18 and unders. At 17 he was number 1 American junior. However, when looking at the rosters of NCAA tennis programs I am amazed at the sheer volume of international players.
Ty has done a good job of recruiting international players, Moneke, Novak, Shuhei and bringing in the top level players in the midwest, Koniecko, Kronauge, Allare, and now the class of '09.
It doesn't look like there are any American blue chip players in the class of '10 who are leaning toward or committed to tOSU that I can tell.
It will be interesting how the levels of success tOSU achieved this year will play out on the recruiting front in '10 and '11. Have to believe we will get a major bump in the esteem with which recruits look at playing for this team and Ty, the 2009 Wilson/ITA national coach of the year. By the way congratulations Ty.
Justin Kronauge will graduate in 2010, Allare, Shuhei, and Novak in '11.
Next year only one or part of one scholly will be freed up. Sometimes it boggles my mind how Ty can get all these top players to come to tOSU with 4 1/2 scholarships to work with.