The strength of this year’s team lies in the support they give each other as teammates. With a strong core, a late-season run is always in the cards.

By Hannah Williams, Assistant Editor

A year after graduating three of their top five players, the Huntington University Men’s Tennis Team is still hoping for a strong postseason run. Nine-year head coach of the Foresters, Kreg Eckert, has a good feeling about his team’s chances this year: “We have been able to play close to every team this year despite health-issues and injuries. We should have all players healthy and eligible for postseason so that should help us out even more.”

The space left by the graduating seniors has been filled with underclassmen talent. In every match this season, at least one of the players in the top doubles match has been either a sophomore or freshman. One of those players, Mateo Ameller, a freshman from Sierra, Bolivia, feels like he could help his team progress through the postseason.  “One of my personal goals is to have a winning record,” Ameller stated, “I have really enjoyed getting to play for my teammates and the school.”

For Coach Eckert and the Foresters, the goals don’t end in postseason. “We want to have at least two players make the Crossroads League All-Conference team,” Eckert said, which is what the Foresters did last season. “We also would like to break into the NAIA Top 25, and hopefully with hard training during the winter and results against tough opponents this can be achieved by the end of our spring season.” 

Looking ahead for the Foresters, the young talent and exposure to big moments should breed success in the years coming. The strength of this year’s team lies in the support they give each other as teammates. With a strong core, a late-season run is always in the cards.