US College Signings 2018 (and general college chat)

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

US College Signings 2018 (and general college chat)

Oakland2002 · All-time great

There is lots of information to be had on the individual college websites particularly if you look down the schedules the box scores for each match played plus a brief report is usually available, they also generally highlight conference player of the week. Rickey Hernandes-Tonge has been knocking them out for New Mexico in the Mountain West.

The Tulane Green Wave men's tennis website gives plenty of detail, Hamish has dominated for them in the no 3 slot winning 5 on the bounce, although Jack Molloy polished up off pretty quickly when they played and best Cal. They are the American Athletic Conference tournament winners so will feature in the NCAA tournament.

Exciting news for Emily Arb who has been selected for both the NCAA singles and doubles tournaments for the first time. Stanford women got three singles picks, they are also on a hot streak into the NCAA team tournament.

Elegant Point · Satellite level

For those like me trying to get to grips with college tennis, useful information at college tennis today, link below to all of the NCAA singles and doubles selections, recognise a few Brits in there

www.collegetennistoday.com/item/1744-ncaa-singles-doubles-selections-announced.htm

Also a mens and womens bracket challenge where you can enter a competition with your predictions for NCAA tournament winners at each stage and really test your knowledge of college tennis :0)

http://maymadness.men.slam.tennis/NCAAMensTennisChampionship/teambracketmens
http://maymadness.women.slam.tennis/NCAAWomensTennisChampionship/teambracketwomens

Blog about top 10 British college players with a nice paragraph about Emily A and Ryan P

https://blog.universaltennis.com/2018/05/03/the-top-10-british-players-in-college/

-- Edited by Elegant Point on Saturday 5th of May 2018 12:01:58 PM

Oakland2002 · All-time great

The NCAA regionals are fast approaching, some bad news in that it looks like two of our top college male players wont be playing, Julian Cash at Oaklahoma State and Alistair Gray at TCU. Rickey Hernandez Tonge who has starred in the mountain West in his senior year will get a chance to upset No4 Stanford at Stanford. Memphis (Ryan P, Andrew Watson) have a good chance of progressing against South Alabama but then face Missippi State. Cal (Jack Molloy and Ben Draper) start of against NC state and then its Texas. South Carolina (Paul Jubb) a programme on the up should beat Old Dom. Utah (Dan Little and joe Woolley) have Oaklahoma ouch..

Better news in that although seeded 15 Emily Arbs Stanford are the definite dark horses on the ladies side, they host their regionals if they get through St Johns and then likely Michigan it really heats up having to UNC #2 on the road. The seedings are a little skewed in that Stanford started the season without their best singles player of last year (they reached the final) she has now slotted back in at No2 unable to displace the PAC 12 freshman of the year and ITF top 20 junior (Michaela Gordon) at no 1. This means former ITF top 30 junior Emily Arb is playing no 4, thats the sort of depth that takes you a long way in team Tennis, 5 is another high quality Freshman and the no 6 player would dominate most conferences outside of the power 5.

-- Edited by Oakland2002 on Wednesday 9th of May 2018 06:05:19 AM

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

Helen40 wrote:
Saw this on Twitter, another signing albeit to a place I've never heard of.

mobile.twitter.com/WrexhamTC/statuses/928307789486854144

I was looking through the results page the Realist posted, and couldn't see this Oklahoma Baptist college on it. Is it a 'real' tennis college, or just someone kinda studying sports science as it were.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

It is in the Great American Athletic conference which is a Div 2 conference.

It is essentially a religious school fundamentally for training Baptist ministers.

It is well worth researching in some depth the specifics of each college particularly those with religious affiliations as to whether it is an acceptable environment, the regulations or lack of them don't necessarily facilitate the same rights one would expect as a young person in college in the U.K.

As I understand it you are not allowed to enter if you are gay, bisexual or transsexual, there is an exemption that allows religious schools to discriminate in this way. They have a Tittle IX exemption. My understanding is that if you receive no funding from the state and the college has the exemption they do not have to comply with regulations that stipulate mandatory investigations of allegations of sexual assault and pregnancy and parenting provision for students. There are at least 33 colleges with such exemptions.

-- Edited by Oakland2002 on Saturday 12th of May 2018 11:29:22 AM

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Stanford (#15) women with all six players nationally ranked beat St Johns 4-0. Emily (#43) winning her seventh clincher 6-2 6-0, they play Michigan late today. Plenty of back court backers products dished out. Texas Tech (#11) defeated Army West Point 4-0 Sabrina Federici won her doubles (#28) and lead her singles (#102) 6-0, 4-1 but unfinished Lana Rush who transferred from Florida State also chipped in and won her doubles. A great programme very excited that they become a bit more British next year!

Duke (#3)beat Furman 4-0, Rebecca Smaller got a game at no 6, no sign of Ema Lazic (perhaps she is injured but hasnt really featured which is a suprise as a top 100 junior) Georgie Walker and Katty Weymouth featured for Furman. LSU lost 4-2 to Tulsa, Erin Richardson (#53) losing her first dual match since January. Vandy (#1) beat Alabama State 4-0 Emily Smith didnt get to finish her doubles.

Kenneth · Lower Club Player

Nice summary here

www.collegetennistoday.com/item/1750-wild-opening-day-at-the-ncaa-tournament.html

Im Being pedantic here Oakland but as there is a player by that name it sort of matters, it was Eden not Erin

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Yes sorry a mistake I have made before, knew I might make again but didnt check. Got a bit lazy because she had lost however she has already had a fabulous freshman year playing No 1 at LSU.

On the mens side Ben Draper is now firmly established as Cals No 2 Freshman begins Jack Molloy and they recruited 7! Very good ones. Ben was instrumental in their seeding upset (although I expected them to win) of NC State, 4-2 although neither lost a match just Jack didnt finish in singles but leading, in doubles they were playing together and leading but didnt finish. Next up a tough one, Texas. Tulane got what appears to be a 4-1 hiding from SEC opponents Alabama but Ewan Moore one both his doubles and singles, Hamish Stewart put up a lot of resistance in his doubles serving consecutive aces to bring things even at 5-5 then loosing the tie break. Ewan has a slot in both the NCAA singles and doubles to look forward to.

Oklahoma (neither British Freshman featured) did wallop Utah 4-0 although Joe Woolley was tied at 4-4 in his doubles that did not finish. Dan Little #101 who has played No 1 in singles all season lost his doubles 6-1 and was set the stiff task of beating #30 in the singles loosing 6-2 6-2. Dan still has another year although Joe has now completed his 4 Yrs. Virginia also won with ease 4-0 Aswin Lizen winning both his doubles and singles against Stevens Home team VCU. Biggest suprise was probable Memphis who got to the highest rank in their history this year #16, loosing to South Alabama 4-3, Ryan Peniston winning doubles and singles but Andrew Watson loosing his singles.

-- Edited by Oakland2002 on Saturday 12th of May 2018 02:56:48 PM

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

Oakland2002 wrote:
It is in the Great American Athletic conference which is a Div 2 conference.

It is essentially a religious school fundamentally for training Baptist ministers.

It is well worth researching in some depth the specifics of each college particularly those with religious affiliations as to whether it is an acceptable environment, the regulations or lack of them don't necessarily facilitate the same rights one would expect as a young person in college in the U.K.

As I understand it you are not allowed to enter if you are gay, bisexual or transsexual, there is an exemption that allows religious schools to discriminate in this way. They have a Tittle IX exemption. My understanding is that if you receive no funding from the state and the college has the exemption they do not have to comply with regulations that stipulate mandatory investigations of allegations of sexual assault and pregnancy and parenting provision for students. There are at least 33 colleges with such exemptions.

Wow, so it's like going back to the dark ages. I didn't expect that of America, seems like a high price to pay for a tennis scholarship.

blob · All-time great

The US administration said just yesterday that they will stop tracking sexual orientation as a motivation in all crimes. There will be no crimes recorded as havng any motivation against gay, bisexual or transexual individuals, because the data simply will no longer be recorded. It is one of a number of policies in the Departments of Justuce, and education (pertinent to the case raised above) currently being pursued. Heres an NYT article from yesterday about one aspect of it: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/11/us/politics/justice-department-transgender-inmates-crime-victims.html

As this is not strictly tennis related, I'll leave it at that.

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

Wow, I heard that Trump had taken the trans community back 20 years on the Genderquake discussion, and I now I understand why. I'm still amazed no one's taken him out yet.

Michael D · All-time great

Helen40 wrote:
Wow, I heard that Trump had taken the trans community back 20 years on the Genderquake discussion, and I now I understand why. I'm still amazed no one's taken him out yet.

I'm quite surprised too, but I think that's mainly because he has the support of all the nutters.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

All that said there are some fantastic college tennis programmes out there catering to most levels of academic ability.

On the ladies side the big guns moved through with 4-0 wins. Texas Tech (#11) however came through 4-2 against Illinois (#19) Sabrina Federici and Lana Rush lost their respective doubles (6-4 and 6-3) but Sabrina (#106) was able to upset her higher ranked opponent (#106) 7-5 6-3 in the singles.

Duke (#3) had a bit of a battle against (PAC12) Oregan whose performance as a team is generally greater than this sim of its parts (4-2). Rebecca Smaller did not play at no 6 her replacement lost.

South Carolina (#10) overpowered Virginia 4-0, Megan Davies doing a fine job winning her doubles 6-3 (no 3 team) and singles in the number 5 slot 7-5 6-4

Vanderbilt (#1) best Clemson 4-0. Emily Smith played doubles but didnt finish (nearly won but not quite quickly enough)

Stanford (#15) moved on to the last 16 with a 4-0 defeat of another strong programme Big 12 champions Michigan. The doubles went to the wire, Emily Arb and Micheala Gordon loosing for only 3rd time this season 6-4, but the other pairs did the business, Emily was also down in her match (one of three competitive singles matches) but the girls on courts 2, 5 and 6 made short work of their opponents. Emma Higuchi at no 6 (just known as the point for short) dished out bakery products. Ultimately team Tennis in this format not about the superstars but depth so there is something to be said for Brits on scholarships to play in the deepest programme they can get into.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Not much to write home about on the mens front

Cal got a 4-0 pummelling from Texas (#12) who have a strong team this year. Ben and Jack didnt finish in the doubles, Jack lost his singles but Ben was still out there fighting when Texas clinched it on court 6.

Oklahoma State really suffered not having Julian Cash in their line up, Luke Hammond lost in the doubles as Harvard make the round of 32 in LA.

Virginia also got beaten 4-2 by Columbia, admittedly a programme in reconstruction. Aswin Lizen won both of his points!

Paul Jubbs S Carolina went down 4-1 to the No1 seeds Wake Forest. It really is Paul who played No 1 leading the team he lost out to the #7 Ranked college player Borna Gorjo but no walk over 6-4 7-6 (7-2). A great season for Paul!