Coming off another productive season in Aggieland, head coach Steve Denton and the men's tennis program aims to return to its historic standard among the best in the SEC.
Coming off another productive season in Aggieland, head coach Steve Denton and the Texas A&M men’s tennis program aims to return to its historic standard among the best in the SEC.
No. 23 Texas A&M looks to make waves within the conference with a deep roster filled with a variety of talent and experience.
The Maroon & White started the year ranked No. 21 in the ITA preseason ranking, while being picked to finish sixth in the SEC. The Aggies had a 22-14 overall record, going 15-9 in the regular season and 7-5 in the SEC play with big victories over Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, Georgia, Alabama, LSU, and Ole Miss. After concluding their league slate, the Aggies fell to Arkansas in the second round of the SEC Championship.
At the NCAA Championship, the Maroon & White toppled Tulsa (4-1) before bowing out to No. 3 Baylor (4-2) in the second round.
In the individual NCAA Championships, Noah Schachter and Kenner Taylor both received a bid in the doubles competition but fell short in the opening round against Stanford’s Arthur Fery and Alexandre Rotsaert. Schachter also participated in the singles main draw but was defeated by No. 6 August Holmgren of San Diego in the round of 64.
“Last year was a bit of a rebuilding year,” Denton said. “We lost quite a few starters from our ’21 NCAA quarterfinal NCAA team to the pros and graduation. Regardless, it was a very enjoyable group that continued to improve throughout the season and almost upset Baylor in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in Waco last May.”
The Maroon & White fought hard this autumn competing in many Intercollegiate Tennis Association tournaments, including the All-American Championship in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Facing off with some of the best in the country, Trey Hilderbrand and Schachter finished in the quarterfinals of the main draw, while Hilderbrand advanced to the round of 16 in the singles main draw.
At the ITA Texas Regional in Waco, the Aggies’ doubles pairings of Schachter/Hilderbrand and Stefan Storch/Matthis Ross marched to the quarterfinals. Mathis Bondaz/Luke Casper and JC Roddick/Kenner Taylor advanced to the quarterfinals in the doubles consolation bracket.
Pierce Rollins reached the finals but fell in the last match of the tournament, 6-2, 6-2. Rollins traveled to San Diego for the ITA National Championships after his performance during the Texas ITA Regional.
Leading into the spring semester, Hilderbrand is slotted No. 43 in the ITA preseason ranking, Pierce Rollins right behind at No. 44, Raphael Perot at No. 88, and Roddick at No. 92. In men’s doubles, Hilderbrand and Schachter are posted at No. 33.
“With the whole team back and the additional line up players from UCF, I see a lot of potential for this team to return to national prominence,” Denton said. “I like what I see so far and if we continue to put our heads down and work hard, this team can do some very special things this spring.”
“Grant is our lone freshman that we decided to redshirt this season. His game is centered around his big serve and forehand. He has great leadership qualities and will be an excellent player and leader for the Aggies in the years to come. I can’t wait to see him compete for the Aggies in the future.” – Steve Denton
“JC transferred from UCF after his freshman season. He is another very talented player with a great serve and attacking baseline game. He has the whole package athletically will certainly have a big impact in singles and doubles. Another sky's-the-limit type talent for the Aggies.”
“Giulio won a lot of matches in his first season with the most memorable being a clinching win over Georgia. He is an all-court player with easy power and a lethal forehand that is one of the best in the country. I look for Giulio to take the next step in his quest to become a professional tennis player as he gains more confidence and maturity in his abilities. The sky's the limit on what he can accomplish.”
“Luke had a stellar first season finishing 17-3 primarily from the No. 6 spot in singles. He has beefed up his fitness and athleticism as well as adding additional weapons to his game. He is a fierce competitor that hates to lose and has the quality of going for his shots when it counts the most. I can’t wait to see his progress this spring.”
“Stefan battled through some injuries the past couple of seasons. It’s hard to believe he still has two remaining seasons after this spring. He continues to work hard and has a great attitude for his tennis game. Stefan is an all-court player with a tremendous amount of ball striking skills. He possesses easy power with excellent hands. It’s a game changer if he can gain some confidence and momentum.”
“Rahul just completed his first year at A&M after spending his first year at Baylor. He is a confident all-court player that loves to dictate with his heavy forehand. He has a tough fighter mentality. He saw limited action last season, but when his name was called, he had a lot of success. I look for him to compete for a lineup spot this spring.”
“Rapha was our most improved player last season. He showed signs of becoming an elite college player going from the number No. 6 spot to ending the season on a high note playing No. 2. He continues our long history of having a great French player on our team. Rapha is the consummate professional who comes to work every day. He is mild mannered off the court but when he steps between the lines, he is a fierce competitor. He is very entertaining to watch as he is extremely fast around the court and a joy to coach. We’re looking for big things from him this season."
“Kenner is one of the most unique young men you will ever meet. He is a great teammate and ambassador for Texas A&M. He continues to have a great attitude and impact on his teammates. Kenner only knows one speed. His aggressive attacking style and hands around the net make him a dangerous opponent to deal with in singles and doubles. He always has a positive attitude and makes everyone around him better.”
“P had a tough season last year dealing with nagging injuries. He had a great fall season getting to our regional final. He is looking to capitalize on that momentum going into the spring. P is a tough out for the Aggies with his big lefty serve and his attacking style. It is great to have him back playing at an elite level.”
“Matt is a transfer from Virginia Tech with one year under his belt in our program. He is one of our hardest workers that loves tennis. Matt is very athletic and very strong physically. He has a lot of upside as a player. He has come a long way with his developing all-court game. I look for him to be an impact player this spring.”
“Trey comes to us as a graduate transfer from UCF. He’s an old school serve-and-volley player that has a pro career to look forward to. It’s very unique to have a big server with soft hands around the net. He gives us a lot of experience both in singles and doubles.”
“Guido is one of our leaders who embodies everything good about college athletics. He is a great student and team guy. He continues to improve his game and can be counted on for a solid and consistent performance every time he takes the court. Gui is one of the finest young men you could ever meet."
“Noah is our team captain and our leader. As goes Shach, so goes Aggie men’s tennis. I am so proud of his passion and love for the game. He loves to compete and continues to improve all parts of his game – indicative of his success both in singles and doubles.”
Following a trip to the ITA Kickoff Weekend in Palo Alto, Texas A&M remains on the road for dual matches at Ohio State (Feb. 3) and Texas (Feb. 26).
The Aggies bookend the league slate with two sets of home matches. They host LSU (March 2) and Kentucky (March 4) to get things started and end the regular season hosting South Carolina (April 14) and Auburn (April 16). The Maroon & White also host Alabama (March 24) and Florida (April 1).
The league’s road assignments take A&M to Georgia (March 9), Mississippi State (March 11), Arkansas (March 18), Tennessee (March 26), Vanderbilt (April 7) and Ole Miss (April 9).
The SEC Championships are slated for April 19-23 at the Yarbrough Tennis Center in Auburn, Alabama.
The NCAA Tournament begins May 5-6 with the first and second rounds at campus sites. The Super Regional round follows May 12-13 at campus sites. The NCAA Championship is May 17-27 at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Florida.