USD Men's Tennis 2003-2004

2004 TORERO OUTLOOK

TOREROS OPTIMISTIC FOR SOLID YEAR ! 1 Tom Hagedorn enters his eighth season as head coach of the Uni– versity of San Diego men 's tenni s program. For 2004 he return s the core of hi s 2003 squad that advanced to the NCAA Tournament and fini shed ranked 43rd in the nation. He is optimistic the team will continue to move up the national rankings and make another bid for a return to the NCAA Tourney. Thi s year's squad will be led by senior Jason Pongsrikul (San Diego, CA) who has been a consistent performer for the Toreros playing in the top 3 singles spots and at No. I doubles. Pongsrikul turned in a so lid Fall Season where he won the ITA West Regional Consolation Championship. Pongsrikul will compete for the top singles spot with sophomore Pierrick Ysern (Paris, France). Last season Ysern was named First Team

All-West Coast Conference in singles and finished with a national rankjng of 96th. Thi s past Fall he was outstand– ing where he advanced to the quar– ters of the ITAAII-American and into the round of 16 at the National Indoors. He enters the spring season with a national ranking of No. 11. The middle of the singles lineup will be so lid with the return of juniors Robbie Blair (S tellenbosch, South Africa) and Nie Beuque (Gex, France), ' in addition to sophomore Mirza Koristovic (Oslo, Norway). Last season Blair was selected Honorable Mention All-WCC in singles; Beuque was First Team All-WCC in doubles (w/Pongsrikul ) and Kori stovic earned some im– pressive singles wins for the Toreros. Two returners that will compete for playing time include junior Nie Schaffner (Geneva, Switzerland) and sopho– more Michael Meschede (Sandton , South Africa). The Toreros welcome three newcomers - sophomore tran sfe r Oscar Plotnik (Mexico City, Mexico) by way of Florida Atlantic, and freshmen Jeff Das (Fulle11on, CA) and Matt Ozurovich (Miss ion Viejo, CA). Plotnik brings college experience after going 18-9 overall at Florida Atlantic, and both Das and Ozurovich turned in solid prep careers in Southern California. Das, from

Troy Hi gh School, finished ranked No. LO in the nation and won the Ojai Valley CIF Championship. Ozurovich, who was ranked in the top I00, was a three-time All-CIF performer and finished 33-1 last year. The Toreros, who will have a nice mix of experience and youth, should make a serious run at the West Coast Conference title and for a national rankjng in the top-25 . Their schedule includes 12 matches against top 50 teams, and only 3 matches against teams outside of the top 75 . All the ingredients are there for the Toreros to accomplish these lofty but reachable goals.

r

2003 FINAL WEST COAST CONFERENCE STANDINGS

1. 2. 3. 4.

PEPPERDINE SAN DIEGO SAN FRANCISCO LOYOLA MARYMOUNT

5. 6.

PORTLAND

SANTA CLARA SAINT MARY'S GONZAGA

7-tie.