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2007-08 Wingate University Men's Tennis Team

2008 Men's Tennis Season Outlook

The old adage “you can’t tell the players without a scorecard” could very well apply to the Wingate University men’s and women’s tennis teams. Bulldog head coach Michael Cabana welcomes six new freshmen to the 2008 Wingate tennis program. The Bulldogs have four freshmen on the men’s team and two freshmen on the women’s team.

“Young players bring more excitement to the team,” Cabana asserts. “As we move through the pre-season, our personalities are starting to gel. We are working very hard on team unity. I think we are becoming closer every day.”

In his second season as the head coach for the Bulldog tennis programs, Cabana believes the youth movement is a positive. “I hope our youth and enthusiasm can help get us through tough times. Once we come together (as a team), I think the enthusiasm and energy the young players provide will be very helpful.”

Cabana feels the Bulldogs are headed in the right direction. “Our teams work hard,” Cabana notes. “From last year to this year, I believe our confidence is up. Our work ethic is much better.”

“We understand what we need to do in the pre-season and during the season in order to be successful,” Cabana says. “Our ultimate goal is to get to the top of the South Atlantic Conference and host a first-round tournament match.”

For the Bulldog men, Cabana will look to juniors Jose Valarezo (Guayaquil, Ecuador) and Felipe Fidalgo (Bogota, Colombia) and sophomore Brendan Molan (Charlotte, N.C.) for leadership. “It is important for our experience players to step up and take leadership roles,” Cabana says. “I hope each player will hold his or her teammates responsible and accountable. Each player must pull his or her weight.”

Molan won two matches as Wingate picked up a big 5-4 (non-conference) win at Catawba during the fall. His continued emergence will be very important for the Bulldogs. 

Valarezo is a respected leader on campus. He is also one of the hardest working student-athletes at Wingate. Valarezo will play a big role in Wingate’s successes this season. Fidalgo’s contributions both on and off the court are critical for the Bulldogs in 2008.

The Bulldog men welcome four newcomers: freshmen Arik Bartlett (Statesville, N.C.), Mitchell Lvovsky (Dania, Fla.), Braeden Patchell (Oakville, Ontario) and Louis Villarroel (Maraval, Trinidad). Cabana believes each member of this quartet is ready to make an impact on the Wingate program. “The most important thing for our younger players is to stay healthy,” Cabana says. “We are working hard on conditioning to help make this happen.”

The Wingate University men’s and women’s tennis teams spent the fall semester teaching the game of tennis to 50 children from the YWCA at Willow Oaks/Dorcas Ministries, Inc. The eight-week program ended Friday, Dec. 7, but the impact will continue in the lives of the children.

The Bulldog tennis teams worked with the children each Friday for eight weeks. For the majority of the children, it was the first time they had even seen a tennis court. Suzy Rogers, program director for the YWCA at Willow Oaks/Dorcas Ministries, Inc., believes the dividends the program produces are enormous.

“The (Wingate) student-athletes don’t realize the impact they have on the children,” Rogers says. “The student-athletes give the children one-on-one mentoring and careful correction. The student-athletes are showing them continuous positive affirmation. I believe Michael and the tennis teams did a great job with the program.”

The program had an impact on the Wingate student-athletes as well. Alberghini believes the program brings the team closer together. “This program has helped our teams bond,” the West Stanly High School product says. “We become closer because this (program) is something we are doing together.”

Cabana is glad his team had a chance to expose the children to a new sport. “The young children have so much energy,” Cabana notes. “They are so excited to be here. As our student-athletes look back, I hope they realize they had a tremendous impact on the lives of these children.”

Both Wingate teams will play a full slate of regional and nationally-ranked foes. The Bulldog men were ranked number 10 in the NCAA Division II Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Southeast Region fall top 10 ranking. The Wingate teams open South Atlantic Conference play on Friday, Feb. 22, hosting Lenoir-Rhyne College for a league twin bill.

Cabana is ready to get started. “I look forward to the beginning of the season and the work we do together,” Cabana acknowledges. “I know this group will work very hard in order to become a better team each and every day.” 

The Bulldogs are also working hard in the classroom. Seven of Wingate’s 13 tennis student-athletes possess a 3.00 cumulative GPA (or better).