 FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE- Contact: Gary
Holden, Sports Information Director
- (540) 365-4306
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- April 22, 2003
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- Men's Tennis Closes Out Banner Year in '03
- Zakkak, Holden Earn Dixie Post-season Honors
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- Ferrum, Va. -- The Ferrum College men's
tennis team closed out its most successful season since joining
the NCAA Division III ranks in 1986. The Panthers went 15-3
overall in duals, won the Bud Skeens Memorial Tournament, placed
second at the Ferrum Fall Classic, and placed fourth in the Dixie
in both the regular season standings and postseason tournament.
Along the way, a number of players earned individual honors.
2002-03
Stats & Results
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- Freshman Gabe Zakkak (Midland, Va./Liberty)
has been named the Dixie Conference Men’s Tennis Rookie of the
Year. Zakkak went 22-5 in singles this year, all at the #1 spot.
He also went 15-10 at #1 doubles this year for a 37-15 overall
record. Zakkak, pictured at right, earned Dixie Rookie of the Week
three times this season, won the Ferrum Fall Classic II #1 singles
title and was part of the #1 doubles championship team at the Bud
Skeens Memorial Tournament.
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 Fifth-year
Head Coach Gary Holden has been named Dixie Conference Men’s
Tennis Coach of the Year. Ferrum’s 15-3 record this season is
the best in the College’s modern-day era. The 15 wins is a new
school record, as is the seven-match winning streak set from March
16 through April 4 this spring. Holden, pictured at left, is 43-38
in five years at the helm of the Ferrum men’s tennis program. He
also coached the Ferrum women's team in 2002, leading the Lady
Panthers to an 8-5 record and a Dixie Tournament runner-up finish.-
- Two Ferrum players earned All-Conference honors,
freshman Erich Trier (Middleburg, Va./Loudoun Valley) and
junior Matt Rhodes (Virginia Beach, Va./Cox). Trier was a
double honoree, earning second team All-Conference laurels with
his runner-up finish at #5 singles and second team All-Conference
with his runner-up finish at #3 doubles with Rhodes. Both players
earn league honors for the first time. Rhodes was a semifinalist at #6 singles
at the Dixie Tournament, eventually placing third. He set a new school record for season
singles win percentage (.833) with his 15-3 mark at #6 singles.
Rhodes (left) and Trier (right) are pictured below.
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 Senior Rod Baker (Maumee, Ohio/Maumee) set
news school records for career matches played (160), career
singles wins (47) career doubles win (35), and career overall wins
(82).-
- Freshman Matt Brantley (Norlina, N.C./Warren
County) set new school records for season doubles wins (19),
season overall wins (38), season doubles win percentage (.792) and
season overall win percentage (.760). He closed out the season at
19-8 in singles, 19-5 in doubles, and 38-13 overall.
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- Listed below are Ferrum’s individual results
from this season. The Panthers lose one player this season to
graduation, Baker. The team will return eight players (seven
sophomores, one senior) to next year’s squad.
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- Gabe Zakkak, Freshman (Midland, Va./Liberty)
- 22-5 #1 singles, 15-10 #1
doubles, 37-15 overall, Dixie Rookie of the Year,
placed 3rd at Dixie Tournament #1 singles
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- Paul Matthews, Freshman (Richmond, Va./J.R. Tucker)
- 17-10 #2 singles, 16-8 #1-2 doubles, 33-18
overall, placed 5th at Dixie
Tournament #2 singles
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- Matt Brantley, Freshman, (Norlina, N.C./Warren County)
- 19-8 #3 singles, 19-5 #2-3 doubles, 38-13
overall, placed 4th at Dixie
Tournament #3 singles
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- Rod Baker, Senior (Maumee, Ohio/Maumee)
- 16-7 #4 singles, 12-10 #1-2 doubles, 28-17
overall, placed 4th at Dixie
Tournament #4 singles
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- Erich Trier, Freshman (Middleburg, Va./Loudoun Valley)
- 16-6 #5-6 singles, 12-4 #3
doubles, 28-10 overall, placed 2nd at
Dixie Tournament #5 singles (All-Conference 2nd team), placed 2nd
at Dixie Tournament #3 doubles (All-Conference 2nd team)
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- Matt Rhodes, Junior (Virginia Beach, Va./Cox)
- 15-3 #6 singles, 10-8 #2-3
doubles, 25-12 overall, placed 3rd at Dixie
Tournament #6 singles, placed 2nd at Dixie Tournament #3 doubles
(All-Conference 2nd team)
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