Sunday, January 22
Eugene, OR
10:00 AM
University of Oregon
vs
Montana State
Photo by: Eric Evans/GoDucks.com
Recent Success Vaults Ducks into Spring with New Expectations
01/19/17 | Men's Tennis
Oregon Opens Spring Season With Doubleheader On Sunday at the Student Tennis Center
The 2016 spring season served as a major stepping stone for the Oregon men's tennis program. Nils Schyllander's team reached the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three seasons, and earned its first NCAA win in program history.
Oregon's tournament run ended with a second-round loss to No. 11 Oklahoma on the Sooners' home court, but the Ducks' rising success over the last three seasons has vaulted them into the 2017 spring season with newfound confidence and expectations.
"It builds belief in the program and it builds belief in the athletes," said Schyllander, in his 11th year as the Ducks' head coach. "They expect to be there now; they don't wish to be there, they expect to be there."
The march towards reaching those expectations begins this Sunday, Jan. 22, with a doubleheader against Montana State (10 a.m.) and Utah State (3 p.m.) at the Student Tennis Center.
The Ducks enter the spring of 2017 with familiarity across the roster, as five of Oregon's top six singles contributors from last season return, along with multiple experienced doubles pairs.
"It's huge," senior Jayson Amos said of the continuity. "We get to keep pretty much the same group, and everyone that's been here is getting better and we get to teach the new guys. That's huge, kind of keeping the culture together and getting the new guys to get used to it. We have a winning formula, so keeping the majority of us here from last year has been a big help for us, for sure."
Amos enters his final season with the third-most singles wins in program history (78) only 12 off Robin Cambier's (2010-14) program record of 90. Amos is also tied for the 10th-most career doubles wins with 55, and enters the spring with past success playing doubles with both Armando Soemarno and Simon Stevens. Amos and Stevens are the 30th-ranked doubles pair in the country entering Oregon's opening weekend, while Amos and Soemarno have been ranked as high as No. 9 in past polls.
"You have someone like Jayson who's been in the NCAA's two of the last three years and has had success," Schyllander said, "and five guys back from last year, they know what it takes and they can kind of lead the way."
Along with Amos, Stevens and Soemarno, the Ducks return standout sophomore Thomas Laurent, junior Cormac Clissold and sophomore Ethan Young-Smith, all three players who notched double-digit singles wins in 2016. Laurent, ranked 33rd in the country in singles, enters 2017 with high expectations after a fall that saw him reach the main draw of the ITA All-American Championships. He also won the green singles flight of the Duck Invitational.
Laurent has been a force in doubles, as well, finding great success with Clissold. The duo owns a 20-2 (.909) overall mark together, tied the program record last year with 15 straight wins and is coming off a win at the Duck Invitational to close the fall.
Add in freshmen Ty Gentry, a five-star recruit out of Tumwater High School in Washington, and Fabian Soemarno along with well-regarded junior transfer Akihiro Tanaka, and the Ducks go into the opening weekend with a formidable lineup featuring a good mix of past success and future potential.
Going into his final season, Amos realizes the kind of impact this group can have on Oregon men's tennis.
"We made it into the second round of the tournament last year," said Amos," which was a big step for the program, so the Sweet 16 and beyond is what we're focused on this year. We definitely have the talent and the team to do it, we just have to apply ourselves every day and get it done."
While Schyllander and associate head coach Jonas Piibor stress to their team the importance of taking the season one point, one game, one match at a time, they also recognize the ability and potential of the 2017 Ducks.
"Both me and Coach Piibor, we have big hopes, we really do," said Schyllander. "We feel like we're deeper and more talented. The new guys have done a nice job, and the upperclassmen have really helped out by setting the tone in their day-in, day-out work ethic. Now we just have to keep it going, and there's a little more stress and a little more pressure now as we get into dual matches.
"We had a great fall where we worked hard, and now it's time for us to go out there and show what we've got."
Simon Stevens Interview
Oregon's tournament run ended with a second-round loss to No. 11 Oklahoma on the Sooners' home court, but the Ducks' rising success over the last three seasons has vaulted them into the 2017 spring season with newfound confidence and expectations.
"It builds belief in the program and it builds belief in the athletes," said Schyllander, in his 11th year as the Ducks' head coach. "They expect to be there now; they don't wish to be there, they expect to be there."
The march towards reaching those expectations begins this Sunday, Jan. 22, with a doubleheader against Montana State (10 a.m.) and Utah State (3 p.m.) at the Student Tennis Center.
The Ducks enter the spring of 2017 with familiarity across the roster, as five of Oregon's top six singles contributors from last season return, along with multiple experienced doubles pairs.
"It's huge," senior Jayson Amos said of the continuity. "We get to keep pretty much the same group, and everyone that's been here is getting better and we get to teach the new guys. That's huge, kind of keeping the culture together and getting the new guys to get used to it. We have a winning formula, so keeping the majority of us here from last year has been a big help for us, for sure."
Amos enters his final season with the third-most singles wins in program history (78) only 12 off Robin Cambier's (2010-14) program record of 90. Amos is also tied for the 10th-most career doubles wins with 55, and enters the spring with past success playing doubles with both Armando Soemarno and Simon Stevens. Amos and Stevens are the 30th-ranked doubles pair in the country entering Oregon's opening weekend, while Amos and Soemarno have been ranked as high as No. 9 in past polls.
"You have someone like Jayson who's been in the NCAA's two of the last three years and has had success," Schyllander said, "and five guys back from last year, they know what it takes and they can kind of lead the way."
Along with Amos, Stevens and Soemarno, the Ducks return standout sophomore Thomas Laurent, junior Cormac Clissold and sophomore Ethan Young-Smith, all three players who notched double-digit singles wins in 2016. Laurent, ranked 33rd in the country in singles, enters 2017 with high expectations after a fall that saw him reach the main draw of the ITA All-American Championships. He also won the green singles flight of the Duck Invitational.
Laurent has been a force in doubles, as well, finding great success with Clissold. The duo owns a 20-2 (.909) overall mark together, tied the program record last year with 15 straight wins and is coming off a win at the Duck Invitational to close the fall.
Add in freshmen Ty Gentry, a five-star recruit out of Tumwater High School in Washington, and Fabian Soemarno along with well-regarded junior transfer Akihiro Tanaka, and the Ducks go into the opening weekend with a formidable lineup featuring a good mix of past success and future potential.
Going into his final season, Amos realizes the kind of impact this group can have on Oregon men's tennis.
"We made it into the second round of the tournament last year," said Amos," which was a big step for the program, so the Sweet 16 and beyond is what we're focused on this year. We definitely have the talent and the team to do it, we just have to apply ourselves every day and get it done."
While Schyllander and associate head coach Jonas Piibor stress to their team the importance of taking the season one point, one game, one match at a time, they also recognize the ability and potential of the 2017 Ducks.
"Both me and Coach Piibor, we have big hopes, we really do," said Schyllander. "We feel like we're deeper and more talented. The new guys have done a nice job, and the upperclassmen have really helped out by setting the tone in their day-in, day-out work ethic. Now we just have to keep it going, and there's a little more stress and a little more pressure now as we get into dual matches.
"We had a great fall where we worked hard, and now it's time for us to go out there and show what we've got."
Simon Stevens Interview
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
2024 Oregon Men's Tennis | Washington Match Recap
Wednesday, April 17
Nils Schyllander: "It's like Christmas Day."
Wednesday, February 15
Brandon Lam: "I think we're right there."
Tuesday, February 25
Joshua Charlton: "We reset this week and have two huge opportunities."
Tuesday, February 25
