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Mike Rockman

BUFFALO, NY - The University at Buffalo men's tennis team started practice over the Labor Day weekend in preparation for this weekend's season-opening St. Bonaventure Invitational. The Bulls look to build on an impressive 2004-05 campaign that culminated in a second-consecutive Mid-American Conference semifinals appearance as UB finished 9-9 overall and 3-2 in MAC play. The three MAC wins were the most since the team joined the league in 1999 as the Bulls finished in third place in the regular season standings, their highest finish ever.

Head coach Russ Crispell welcomed back seven veterans and a pair of newcomers, giving the talented squad a strong nucleus for the upcoming season.

Top returnee Mike Rockman (Toronto, Ontario/Thornlea) appears ready to move up the ladder to the number one singles position after playing second singles in 2004-05. Rockman went 27-12 in singles play last season, the most wins in a single season in UB's Division I history, and was named to the All-MAC Second Team. Now a junior, Rockman has compiled a 47-27 overall singles record in two seasons, ranking him fifth in victories in UB's Division I history.

Matt Kennedy

Also returning are seniors Matt Kennedy (Mississauga, Ontario/Erindale), Alejandro Galindo (Torreon, Mexico/Preparatoria Tec), Joe Popielarczyk (Buffalo, NY/McKinley) and Mike Zappone (Queensbury, NY/Queensbury). The junior class will be represented by returnees Yules Hadisubroto (Jakarta, Indonesia/SMUN 21) and Albert Alant (Pretoria, South Africa/Niskayuna (NY)) as well as Rockman.

Kennedy and Hadisubroto posted double-figure win totals in singles play last season with 16 and 17, respectively. Kennedy saw action last year in the number five and six spots and was instrumental in UB's 4-3 win over Northern Illinois on April 2 with the clinching victory in the third set. Hadisubroto spent time in the middle of the lineup last season, playing mostly in the third or fourth position. In his three victories against MAC opponents, Hadisubroto won first-set tiebreakers against each opponent.

UB's two newcomers are Octavian Stane (Toronto, Ontario/North York) and Nikesh Singh Panthlia (Georgetown, Malaysia/BMK Penang Free School). Stane, a freshman, is ranked first in Ontario and 10th nationally in singles play while also ranking third in doubles in Canada. He decided to attend UB after considering Illinois, Texas and Florida. Singh Panthlia, a sophomore, played last season at Division II South Carolina-Aiken for head coach and former UB product Steve Dahm. He went 15-5 in singles play and was 14-10 in doubles for the Pacers. He was part of Malaysia's 2005 Davis Cup squad and ranked third in his country.

The Bulls also welcomed a familiar face to the coaching staff as last year's number one player, Nick Zieziula, joined Crispell as an assistant coach. Zieziula finished his career as UB's all-time leader in both singles wins (69) and doubles wins (65) at the Division I level and was the team MVP and an All-MAC Second Team honoree in 2004-05.

UB will concentrate on tournament action during the fall season with appearances at invitationals at Dartmouth and Cornell as well as this weekend's matches at St. Bonaventure. The ITA Regionals, also at Dartmouth, in October will also prove to be a measuring stick of UB's play against top competition. The spring slate begins in January with dual meet matches concluding with the MAC Championships in April at Toledo.