Penn College Tennis Coach Forecasts Continued Success
Published 03.30.2004
Making bold predictions for his Penn College tennis team is nothing new for coach Charlie Baum. And he's at it again.
A year ago, Baum forecast that two of his freshmen players (Theresa Burrill of Jersey Shore and Kristie Boyd of Parkland) would win conference and state women's singles and doubles championships. They did. Both all-Pennsylvania Collegiate Athletic Association honorees return this season, along with three men two of whom earned all-Eastern Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference honors and the fifth-year coach expects a repeat.
"I think we're going to be in the top two in our league," Baum said of his squad. Last year, the Wildcats went 5-1 in team competition and finished second to Harrisburg Area Community College in an end-of-the-season tournament. "They (Harrisburg) rolled through last year, but I don't think that's going to be the case this year. We'll put up a fight in every match. . . . We should be in contention."
Individually, Baum said that Burrill is at the top of her game and should repeat as the women's singles champ and that she and Boyd should repeat as doubles champs. Also expected to see action with them is freshman Lindsay Wagner of Williamsport.
On the men's side, Nick Aulick (Williamsport), Mike Ceresini (Lebanon) and Adam Cleland (East Pennsboro) return the latter two were all-EPCC a year ago. They will be joined by freshmen Derek Paulhamus (South Williamsport), Brad Mitchell (Lock Haven), Zach Engle (Hanover) and John Lafferty (Lansdale).
Aulick and Cleland are top contenders for the No. 1 singles spot with Ceresini, Lafferty and Mitchell vying for the other starting spots.
"It looks like we're going to have four men's real deep singles players and some real good doubles players as well," Baum said. "We should be seeing some better tennis out of everybody."
Points awarded in four men's singles, two men's doubles, two women's singles and one women's doubles matches go toward determining the team score.
The Wildcats open their season Saturday at Bucks County Community College. Home matches are played on the College courts next to the Field House.