Though the Washington University men’s tennis team failed to defend the Division III national title, the 2008-2009 season was a record setter for the Bears.

The team captured its first University Athletic Association title on April 17 with a 5-4 win over rival Emory, ending a 19-year streak of conference titles for the Eagles. The Bears also ran the table for a school record 19 match winning streak, took second at the national indoor championships and finished fourth at the 2009 NCAA Division III National Championship.

“Those accomplishments give us confidence and experience in those big situations that other teams may not have. But as we saw this year, even teams that are new to the tournament, such as Amherst, can surprise everyone,” said Max Woods, a rising junior.

The Red and Green entered the NCAA tournament as the No. 1 overall seed and blew past Carthage College and DePauw University without dropping a match in at the Tao Tennis Center. The team then traveled to Claremont, Cal. for the round of eight. After a 5-3 win over Gustavus Adolphus College, the Bears met their match against Amherst College.

Top singles player John Watts won at third doubles with Nirmal Choradia 8-1 and then at first singles 6-1, 6-2, but the Bears would drop the remaining matches to the Lord Jeff’s.

The rematch with Emory in the third place match proved no better, as the Eagles avenged a conference loss with a 5-3 victory. Watts won both of his matches and Charlie Cutler and Chris Hoeland took first doubles. Emory rallied from the early 1-2 deficit by winning 4-5 completed singles matches to take third place.

“Fourth place was disappointing. However, Amherst played amazing in the semifinals, and we can’t be dwelling on that match when the season starts anew,” Woods said.

“It was a new position for the program to be in [as] the top seed heading into Nationals. I definitely feel everybody learned something about themselves and the program in order to improve upon it next time around,” Head Coach Roger Follmer said.

The WU/Emory matchup featured the top two teams in the nation, and Follmer believes that the Bears ended their season with a loss to the best team in the Division III even though the University of California at Santa Cruz won the national title.

“No disrespect to Santa Cruz; but if Emory learned how to play better doubles at some point this past spring, they would have been in the final. In our case, we just didn’t play up to our signature standard level of doubles during the final eight portion of the NCAA Tournament,” Follmer said. “I feel that we can learn from Santa Cruz and the urgency that they played doubles with for next spring to get our team in position to capture another team title.”

Despite the 0-2 finish, the 2009 graduating class leaves a legacy unprecedented in Wash. U. tennis. Aside from the team accomplishments, Hoeland graduates as the all time doubles leader in wins and a two time All-America in doubles. Cutler was named All-America three times in doubles and twice in singles, and all six seniors graduated with career winning percentages over 0.500.

For Follmer, the legacy left behind by Cutler, Hoeland, Choradia, Trevis Bowman, Eric Pollak, and Mark Partridge goes beyond career numbers.
“I am so proud of the legacy that the graduating seniors left for the WU men’s tennis program. WU tennis history was truly written in their seasons on the Danforth campus…It will be big shoes our returning players will be filling without question” ,Follmer said. “However, I feel that the seniors taught the underclassmen just what it takes to play with the best in D-III. Now it is just up to them to put in the time and make the necessary sacrifices to keep expanding upon the legacy.”

The 2009-2010 season tentatively begins on Sept. 18 with the three day Wash. U. Invitational. For the second year in the row, the Bears will then host the 2009 Intercollegiate Tennis Association Fall Regional Tennis Championships on Sept. 25-28 at the Tao and Dwight Davis tennis centers.